Council members evaluate lighting ordinances to enhance community well-being and wildlife protection.

Officials propose two parking spaces for crime victims outside Westchester police station.

Council discusses implementing reinspection fees as citations and rental inspections increase.

The planning commission reviewed a revised West Chester University master plan that removes a proposed parking garage, adds temporary housing and proposes Church Street pedestrianization; consultants will deliver a response to the urban engineer’s February 17 letter before next week’s vote, which would be the commission’s conditional‑use recommendation to borough council.

Committee members discussed establishing a restricted EMS millage (0.40–0.50 mills) to fund emergency medical services, with staff and residents urging a special-purpose fund for transparency and long-term vehicle planning; the proposal will be considered again at a work session and during fall budget deliberations.

Planning commissioners and the applicant discussed two conceptual layouts for a Gay Street parcel: a four‑unit courtyard scheme and a three‑unit option that preserves some on‑street parking. The session emphasized attainability, parking tradeoffs, impervious coverage and possible code changes affecting building coverage metrics.

West Chester University presented a concept to demolish and redevelop the College Arms block with townhouse‑style student housing for up to 420 upperclass students, a welcome center and retail space; plans include 91 on‑site parking spaces plus additional off‑site parking. Residents and several councilors raised concerns about density, parking and—

County drug-and-alcohol and coroner officials presented toxicology and fatality data and urged restrictions on kratom derivatives; council agreed to return the revised ordinance to the Public Safety committee for more work.

Borough Manager Sean presented a balanced 2027 draft budget that would replace roughly $1.2 million in stream protection fee revenue with a 1.02‑mill property tax increase, offer a mapping tool for parcel impacts, and cut program scope and fleet size to reduce costs.

Council debated joining a COG-managed countywide fire and EMS study with up to $20,000 in Westchester's share; supporters called it a chance to reexamine post-COVID service models, while opponents said an earlier 2020 study and budget constraints argue against spending. The motion failed 3-4.

Council approved a conditional-use order allowing Westchester University's 10-year master plan to proceed for zoning purposes, subject to conditions including annual enrollment reporting, consultant review responses, LEED Silver certification, traffic and pedestrian mitigation vetted at land-development stage, and construction/parking plans.

West Chester committee reviewed a broad rewrite of the noise ordinance that adds decibel thresholds, prohibited acts and exceptions; members and officials questioned how decibel meters, training and courtroom admissibility would work and asked for a clearer redline and more stakeholder input.

Regional fire and EMS leaders told the Finance and Revenue Committee that dedicated municipal taxes provide stable funding as ambulance collections and equipment costs strain services; presenters recommended a dedicated line item on tax bills to protect EMS funding from competing general-fund priorities.

The West Chester Public Safety Committee voted to send a draft ordinance limiting concentrated/synthetic kratom products to a work session after law enforcement and code officials said local-only rules would be difficult to enforce and the committee requested local incident data.

Borough leaders said they will schedule an ordinance hearing in September to repeal the stream protection (stormwater) fee after a Supreme Court decision; staff said collections stopped April 30, 2026, but the borough does not plan retroactive refunds and must find alternate funding for the $1.2 million previously covered by the fee.

A lengthy public hearing on a proposed borough ordinance to prohibit concentrated kratom products prompted testimony from users, vendors and council members; council signaled insufficient support for the ordinance as written (which included natural leaf) and directed staff to return the item to the public-safety committee for redrafting focused on concentrated products.

Councilmembers debated including a dedicated emergency medical services (EMS) tax in the 2027 budget. Proponents said a dedicated real-estate tax line creates stable funding for Good Fellowship; opponents called it an accounting shift that could discourage donations and place more burden on property owners rather than workers or nonresident beneficiaries. Council deferred to further budget analysis and stakeholder outreach.

A developer presented a revised plan for 42 townhouses at the former Burger King site at 410 S. High St.; Smart Growth recommended preliminary approval with conditions and waivers, including a required underground utility condition if the utility company agrees. Residents raised concerns about tight parking, narrow sidewalks and potential appeals; council moved the item to discussion (not consent) for a vote at the next meeting.

Councilors explored voluntary payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements with West Chester University to offset municipal costs for paving, stormwater and police; legal counsel described the State College arrangement as more of a tax-assessment settlement and any payments would be voluntary.

Aaron Flook told the Smart Growth Committee that building permits averaged about 98 per month in 2026 and the permitting office reduced average issue time from roughly 97 days to about 20 days; code-enforcement case-closure time fell from about 655 days in January to 92 days in July.

Core Development presented a preliminary plan to build 42 dwelling units (including 28 townhouses) on the former Burger King lot at 410 South High Street; the planning commission recommended approval with conditions and waivers and the committee indicated support to move the application forward to council review.

The borough's wastewater director proposed a one-year amendment to the Goose Creek Connection Management Plan to raise miscellaneous connection allowances and change EDU limits; the changes require DEP approval and were moved for committee consideration on Aug. 11.

Staff will pilot a data-driven study of the Southeast quadrant (east of High, south of Market) to examine off-street parking, permit counts and student rentals; a town hall and a set of metrics will be scheduled before any borough-wide permit changes.

A planning commission‑hired reviewer told the West Chester Planning Commission the proposed town‑center development needs clearer height and setback information and a reworked 4th‑floor treatment to better fit surrounding 3‑story streetscapes; the applicant agreed to revise drawings before the Aug. 10 voting session.

The West Chester Borough Council adopted a zoning amendment July 15 that defines data centers and allows them as a conditional use in the Industrial District, adding standards for setbacks, noise, utilities and emergency response after a public hearing with vocal opposition from residents citing the borough's community bill of rights.