On the December 4th agenda of the West Conshohocken Planning Commission is a proposed zoning overlay that would allow “multi-family residential, small-scale retail and personal service uses, restaurant, and bar uses, parking garages, and other ancillary uses” along the Schuylkill River and Front Street in West Conshohocken.

The overlay, known as the Front Street Conditional Use Overlay District, divides the area into three sectors “to provide conditional uses that are compatible within the overlay district location and site-specific conditions of each sector as well as with adjacent uses and zoning districts.” A “Consitional Use” is an allowable use of a property, but has to be reviewed and approved by the council, which can set conditions as part of any approval.

A key part of the overlay is a requirement for “open space and/or civic space” as part of redevelopment.

The planning commission is tasked of reviewing the text of the overlay and make a recommendation to the council on whether it should be adopted. It doesn’t have to go to council right away, it can be reviewed and reviewed by the planning commission before it goes forward in the approval process.

You can read the draft text of the proposed overlay here. The meeting is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the borough hall.

Photo: Borough of West Conshohocken. Map showing three sectors of proposed overlay.