Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Falls Mill LLC seeks parking-variance at 531 Court Street; board to rule in May
Loading...
Summary
Falls Mill LLC asked the Reading Zoning Hearing Board for a variance to fulfill off‑street parking requirements for a proposed conversion of 531 Court Street. Applicant presented a parking agreement for eight spaces at the Reardon Court Garage and a video measuring the walk at about 535 ft; the evidentiary record is closed and the board will issue a decision at its May meeting.
Falls Mill LLC asked the Reading Zoning Hearing Board on April 8, 2026, for a variance from the city’s off‑street parking distance requirement for 531 Court Street, a CC (Commercial Core)‑zoned property that the applicant plans to convert to ground‑floor commercial use and multiple apartments.
Attorney Joan E. London Kozlov Stout told the board that the building has never had on‑site parking and that the company had located parking in the city garage. "He entered into an agreement with the Reading Parking Authority for spaces," London said, asking the board to mark the parking‑facilities agreement as applicant exhibit 1. Counsel said the agreement makes eight nonreserved residential spaces available to Falls Mill at Reardon Court Garage, 666 Court Street.
Applicant James Shankweiler testified that he videotaped a measuring wheel while walking from 531 Court Street to the garage and that the video shows "approximately 535 or 536 feet"; he later stated the measurement as "535 feet 7 inches, and I rounded it up to 536." The applicant asked the board to accept the measurement video as applicant exhibit 2 and to consider the parking lease as the minimum relief necessary to allow reuse of a vacant building.
No audience members offered testimony in favor or against the application. Zoning Administrator Lee Olsen swore witnesses and confirmed the property posting and notices were in the record. Board members had no substantive follow‑up questions during the evidentiary portion.
The evidentiary portion of the hearing was closed. Solicitor Steven Price said a decision will be rendered at the board’s May meeting and mailed to the applicant.
The record includes: notice, proof of posting, proof of publication, the application and attachments, the city zoning ordinance, the applicant’s parking facilities agreement (applicant exhibit 1) and the applicant’s measurement video (applicant exhibit 2).
