Perkiomen Street vacation hearing continued after abutting owner disputes notice

Council solicitor Jason Ulrich opened a public hearing on a petition by C B W S Furnace Street, Emmaus LP (the Iron Furnace Foundry Flats) to vacate a portion of Perkiomen Street adjacent to 300 Furnace Street. Ulrich read the application date (05/04/2026), identified three abutting owners and marked the petition, public notice and related exhibits into the record.

Applicant attorney Chris McLean presented the case for vacation, telling council that the narrow rectangular parcel is "landlocked," "wooded and indistinguishable from the surrounding areas" and "serves no public purpose," and said the vacation is part of a larger land‑development plan for the Foundry Flats complex. McLean noted his client received zoning approval on June 24 for an additional building and described the vacation as a next step in the development process.

An abutting owner who identified himself as Romig (450 South 2nd Street) questioned the adequacy of personal notice, saying he received a letter postmarked July 9 and pointing to the statute that provides 15 days' notice for abutting owners. After examining the record and the dated letters, council determined there was an inconsistency in the notice dates and agreed to re‑send notices to neighboring parcel owners and continue the hearing. Solicitor Jason Ulrich announced the testimony is closed for now and will be reopened at the continued hearing on August 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM; the council directed staff to re‑advertise and re‑mail notices so the record complies with statutory requirements.

The hearing was formally closed for this meeting and the council moved on to its regular agenda.