Council addresses zoning issues for vacant buildings in borough

After a software company asked Ambler Borough Council to make a text amendment to the borough code during its Sept. 18 meeting in order for the business to rent the currently empty former school building at St. Joseph’s Church, the request was taken before the planning commission, where it was shot down.

Council was then left to decide at its Oct. 2 meeting how to make sure Ambler wasn’t suddenly left with empty EuLOGLnJV WKDW FRuOGn’W finG WHnDnWV due to a strict zoning text — an issue that had some council members at odds with each other.

According to the planning commission, the problem with beginning to allow businesses into the institutional district, which are generally located in residential areas, was the possibility of a slippery slope. If one business enters an institutional district, soon many businesses will do so. The planning commission would rather a business apply for conditional use of a building, allowing the business to still use the building without changing the code.

“The planning commission was recommending not to change the language in the institutional zoning, and that should go before the zoning hearing board to get the clearance,” council sice President Peter Amento said.

“If you don’t make changes, you are going to have a lot of empty buildings in this town with the ordinance that you have now,” council President Tony Isabella replied.

“ko, go before the zoning hearing board and get your variance,” Amento shot back.

“If they get shot down, then what?” Isabella responded.

“Why are they going to get shot down?” Amento asked.

The two argued the point further before Isabella said he felt “the parcel at St. Joseph’s will probably be empty for a long time.”

Borough Solicitor Joseph Bresnan said the borough could probably change the code to allow for other types of uses for these buildings — not necessarily for business use, but something else.

Council member Fran Tomlinson said she wanted to see if the planning commission would look at the ordinance and possibly change it to “either expand business uses or add residential or just look at it and see what makes sense and plan for Ambler for those institutional areas.”

“I can tell you there’ll be an empty building on South Main Street,” Isabella said. “I can’t imagine what could go in there with the ordinance we have now but another school or a day care or D ODwyHr’V RIfiFH.”

Council member Tom henney asked if WKH SODnnLnJ FRPPLVVLRn FRuOG finG RWKer criteria and uses for the institutional district. He said that by asking that question, it could enable the borough to plan for the future of unoccupied buildings.

“vou’ve got to start somewhere, right?” he said.

Bresnan said the ordinance could be reworded however the borough would like.

“vou’re not locked into the current institutional district,” he said. “vou can do anything you want, it’s your ordinance. … It should never sound too ‘Simon says.’ As long as you are consistent with your comprehensive plan you can change the zoning every month.”

In other business, the council adopted a resolution in support of keeping Mattison Avenue Elementary School open.

The resolution was adopted by council in order to be read at the Oct. 8 public hearing regarding Mattison Avenue before the Wissahickon School Board.

In the resolution, it says, “The facility has been an anchor of this community and has provided a quality education in a walk-to-school environment for generations of Ambler Borough families.” It goes on to point out the various uses the borough has for the building, including the Head Start program, vMCA summer camp and emergency shelter for natural disasters.