Politics & Government

Reminder: Special Meeting About Height to be Held Monday

The West Chester Borough Council will hold a special meeting on the borough's height ordinances on Monday, Jan. 30.

The West Chester Borough Council will hold a special meeting on Monday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. at the borough building to discuss the borough's height ordinance.

Last September, council considered a measure that would restrict building height in the borough to 45 feet by right and 60 feet by special exception.

The whole issue started after council president Holly Brown proposed the change to the ordinance at a September Planning Committee meeting.  Brown also sent out an e-mail to residents to rally support for the ordinance change at September’s standing room only work session meeting.

Find out what's happening in West Chesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Eli Kahn's recent purchase of county property in the downtown area has caused some residents and members of borough council concern.  While an official plan has not been approved, there have been talks by Kahn to build a 90-foot-tall structure in the town center.

Residents have stated at meetings in the past that they feel the County Courthouse was built too tall, and that the borough shouldn't make the same mistake again.

Find out what's happening in West Chesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Council chose not to vote on the new ordinance in September because it was the start of budget season and talks about height ordinances can take 18 months or longer to work through.

Council thought it would be best for the new members of council to start on the issue fresh instead of having to come into the issue midstream.

Attached to this story in PDF form is a complete history of the borough's height ordinances as well as the new proposal from Council Member Holly Brown.


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