Council eyes two meetings on borough developments

MEDIA » Things are jumping in the borough, and council has planned two special public meetings to address a couple of key developments.

Council President Brian Hall convened the first legislative session of 2018. During his report as chair of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Hall announced two special public meetings.

Hall consistently says that residents’ input is important for council to make decisions on shaping the borough’s future. The board has held meetings on the county’s plan to rebuild offices on Orange Street, and has formed a task force for the use of an acquired parcel on the west side of the borough.

Hall said the CDC will meet at 4 p.m. Jan. 22 to discuss design standards for the Baltimore Avenue corridor. Prior meetings have attracted many residents with particular interest in the former Towne House and nearby properties due to be redeveloped. Attention to development has been sparked, in some part, by projects under construction at the western gateway. There are at least two additional vacant properties on Baltimore Avenue that, at this point, have no plans submitted.

As a somewhat related matter, Hall noted the borough has applied for a Community Development Block Grant that will designated to study “form-based zoning” with a back-up request for a traffic taming study for Baltimore Avenue.

The second meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 27 to consider the Economic Development Strategy and Implementation Plan for the borough’s business district. The study was carried out by Econsult of Philadelphia and presented back in October in a public session. The multifaceted report addressed elements such as design, transportation, retail market, infrastructure, place-making and growth. The full report can be found at www.mediaborough.com. The next step is council’s consideration of recommendations and decisions on implementations.

Both meetings are open to the public and to be held in the Municipal Building, Fourth and Jackson streets, in the second floor conference room. Anticipated attendance may result in a change of location to the community room.