A new zoning map is now on the books for North Wales Borough.
Council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to adopt a new zoning map, meant to allow more options for development throughout the town.
“We could not have been at this public hearing, that lasted less than a minute, if it wasn’t for the hard work, disclosure, and the diligence that the community took,” said borough Manager Christine Hart.
In March, the borough gave a update on talks by the town’s planning commission on text amendments to allow new uses in areas like the transit-oriented development district that was adopted in 2009. That TOD zone was the subject of an attempted update in 2014, which was voted down due to resident concerns about dense development and protecting historic properties, then was successfully updated in 2021 to modernize definitions and allow new uses in the area.
The borough planning commission, working with their liaison to Montgomery County’s Planning Commission, began the review of the town’s zoning map last year, hosted an open house in May to field feedback, developed a summary of the changes in early July, and created a dedicated page on the borough’s website detailing the changes later that month.
After lengthy final talks at the borough planning commission in August, borough council voted the zoning map update ahead that month, and said the update was meant to modernize codes, expand the town’s commercial business district, encourage redevelopment and preservation, and streamline approvals for certain projects, while the planning commission has already taken up talks on expanding the town’s historic district next.
That vote to adopt the map came on Tuesday night, after a brief public hearing to kick off the council meeting. The only public comment made during the hearing came from resident Andrew Berenson, who asked about procedures for commenting on the zoning map against other business pending before council, and council President Sal Amato joked that social media comments discussing the new map should be entered into the record, too.
“It was advertised that we would have the public hearing, and then the ordinance was advertised, so if both were to occur this evening, it would meet the requirements of law,” Hart said.
After the unanimous council vote to adopt, Hart thanked assistant manager Alex Turock, his predecessor Alan Guzzardo, and MCPC planner Tim Konetchy for their work aiding the planning commission through their talks on the new map, prompting applause from council for all three. Konetchy said he thought it was “a pleasure” to work with both council and the local commission, on talks on the new map that started in late 2021.
“It takes the whole borough to get this done. I kind of just felt like a shepherd, helping to get it over the finish line, and I look forward to continuing to work with you,” Konetchy said.
Later in the agenda, Hart announced a new zoning application has been received for a proposed subdivision on the 500 block of East Prospect Avenue, which looks likely to require variances from setback requirements and could come before council in future meetings. “The reason that they filed when they did is because they are choosing the old (map), and they will be grandfathered in because we timestamped it accordingly. Their plan will be reviewed under the current zoning,” she said, before the new map takes effect in October.
Councilwoman Brittany Kohler said she thought the new map “benefits all residents within the borough, and it’s extremely exciting to see” it adopted, and said the lack of public comments to council meant the planning commission had heard and addressed resident concerns before voting the map update ahead.
“Thank you for making sure that all of our borough residents feel comfortable with the decisions that we are making on their behalf. It’s very important that we’re transparent, and I truly believe that we did that for our residents,” Kohler said.
North Wales borough council next meets at 7 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the borough municipal building, 300 School Street. For more information visit www.NorthWalesBorough.org.
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