Consultants present comprehensive zoning rewrite; residents press for notice and parcel clarity

Nick Fedore, a senior planner at Master Breaker, told the borough council at a public hearing that consultants had drafted a comprehensive rewrite of the zoning ordinance to align it with the borough's master plan and to make the code easier for residents and small businesses to use.

"What we're gonna do is we're gonna first review why we actually want to rewrite the zoning ordinance," Fedore said, describing outreach that included a steering committee, a field tour and an open house. He said the team reviewed the current code, interviewed local stakeholders and translated public preferences into technical zoning language.

The draft proposes several substantive changes: streamlining definitions to remove conflicting terms; shifting from text-heavy paragraphs to tables where appropriate; reducing the number of routine variances by relaxing some setbacks; legalizing existing neighborhood forms in places where the ordinance prevents rebuilding what is already there; and adding tailored design standards for downtown and campus corridors. Fedore said one of the largest policy shifts is to eliminate minimum parking requirements for many uses and instead require parking-demand plans for larger projects.

"We're getting rid of the minimum parking requirement," Fedore said, adding that the draft includes language to enable shared parking agreements and use of public lots as part of parking management plans.

Commissioners and residents focused questions on concrete effects. Several asked how specific parcels would be rezoned, whether the Horsemen parking lot or the former Forest Mann School parcel could be converted to apartments or mixed use, and whether historic buildings would be protected. Fedore said some parcels that are nonconforming today are being legalized, while a small share of parcels (he estimated roughly 10% in one excerpt) still would not meet the new form standards without additional review.

Residents also pressed the council about how and whether affected property owners were notified. One planning official cited state guidance on notice: "When you're doing kind of comprehensive rezoning like this, you are not required to send individual property notifications," the official said, referring to the Municipalities Planning Code of Pennsylvania.

Several council members recommended a supplemental outreach step. They discussed postcards or a short mailing directing residents to the draft text and an online map, and asked staff to make clear on the borough website where the draft ordinance and zoning map can be reviewed.

The consultants said the zoning text and maps remain subject to revision after public comment and that the planning commission and council will consider submitted comments before final adoption. Fedore closed by urging attendees to submit written comments and leaving contact information for follow-up.

Next steps: the draft ordinance will remain on display while the public comment period continues and the planning commission prepares a final recommendation for council consideration.