Sellersville Borough Council modifies zoning, development ordinances
Anyone looking to do any development in Sellersville better get an updated copy of the borough code, as council has adopted newly amended ordinances that have been years in the making.
Sellersville Borough Council adopted ordinances amending both its zoning and subdivision and land development ordinances at its Oct. 8 meeting.
The new ordinances are the result of nearly two years of work at the planning commission level to revise and update the borough’s statutes, according to Borough Manager David Rivet.
One of the major changes is new regulations regarding off-street parking, according to Rivet.
“A lot of it comes from a recognition that parking is an issue in the borough, and when a new development is built, that needs to be addressed,” he said.
The requirement for two spaces per dwelling unit in residential areas remains the same, but one additional space is required per unit in new subdivisions or land develop- PHnW SURMHcWV, ERURugh RIficials said at the August meeting when the amendments were originally discussed.
Also on the topic of parking, the new ordinances change design standards concerning whether driveways and garages can constitute parking spaces.
“What we’re seeing is a lot of people buying and holding Rss and four-byfours,” Rivet said, noting WhHy fiOO uS VSDcH in WhH driveway designated for parking. Similarly, many people use their garages as work stations or additional rooms, preventing them from actually being used for parking.
The new regulations say a 6-by-10-foot space for the car plus an additional 10-by20-foot area in the garage are required for it to be counted as a parking spot, according to Rivet.
A second major change requires anyone seeking to create a major subdivision to provide a notice and description of the project to abutting property owners, according to Rivet.
$ WhiUd VignificDnW UHviViRn establishes a requirement for developers to conduct a transportation impact study for all subdivision and land development plans — something commonplace in most municipalities but that was missing from Sellersville’s code.
Additionally, the new ordinDncHV SURvidH dHfiniWiRnV for certain terms, such as condominium, that were not previously included.
Also on the topic of the borough code, council approved having an outside company reprint the borough code book — taking into account changes such as the evening’s two new ordinances — and to provide online access to the code book.
Council approved an $8,795 SURSRVDO IRU cRdification services to revise the code book, which was last done in 2002.
“It’s overdue. It’s been 10 years now,” Rivet said. “It’s something we have to do periodically, and now’s the time.”
In addition to the printed code book, the company will place the entire borough code on its website, according to Rivet. There will be a link from the borough’s website to the online code, which both staff and residents will be able to search.
“This will be useful for our administrative purposes, DV wHOO DV D gUHDW EHnHfiW IRU the public,” borough Solicitor Randall White said.
The contract comes with an annual $1,195 maintenance fee to maintain and update the code online.
In other business, council rejected bids to sell an emergency generator, deciding it would be better used as a backup power source for borough hall.
The propane-powered generator, which is only six or seven years old, is curUHnWOy ORcDWHd DW WhH fiOWUDWiRn plant, according to Rivet.
Borough hall currently has a small diesel generator to use in case of power outages.
“It provides power only for the radio and a few outOHWV in WhH RIficH Dnd iV nRW practical,” Rivet said.
By moving the generator IURP WhH fiOWUDWiRn SODnW WR borough hall rather than selling it, the borough building could have power for its officHV, cRPSuWHUV Dnd OighWing when electricity goes out, according to Rivet.
“I think it’s important to have your government be able to function in instances of power outages or bad weather,” he said.