Four reasons why I support rezoning College Avenue

Last month, Elizabethtown Borough Council held a public hearing on a proposal to change the zoning on College Avenue between Market and Spruce Streets from residential to mixed use. The latter is a designation that allows for small businesses and professional offices, similar to what you might see downtown, to open in and among the existing residential buildings.

The idea to make the change percolated from a discussion that we had on Borough Council last year.

Here are four reasons why I, as one member of Borough Council, think it's a good idea:

1. When the idea came up, I believe it was Councillor Tom Shaud who observed that a number of business already operate on that section of College Avenue. If you're keeping score, by my count, it's three: the Optibarn at 20 College Ave., Elizabethtown Sporting Goods at 59 College Ave. and Hollinger Services at 50 College Ave. Since the mixed use designation already exists on Market Street, I recall Tom saying, it would be a natural extension of that designation onto a street that already exemplifies it.
2. About seven years ago, and before I was elected, Borough Council rezoned Market Street west to the train station as a mixed use area. Since then, borough staff said at the hearing last month, no one has reported any problems or complaints with the rezoning. Given that it has worked smoothly along West High Street, and that we have a top-notch staff that would address any issues before they become problems, I would expect College Avenue to go smoothly.
3. One of the big selling points for my support is that businesses would not have carte blanche approval to open just because they're allowed in that area. Any new businesses that would want to open in one of the residential houses would need to meet design standards, such as installing buffers like shrubbery or a fence. It also would have to abide by parking requirements. And all other requirements, such as stormwater runoff remain in place. While some residents who live in the neighborhood now have legitimate concerns about the proposed change, I believe the design standards and other requirements mitigate the issues.
4. As I mentioned at the beginning, College Avenue is home to existing businesses. Because the sporting goods store and Hollinger's are in the residential zoning, they are called "existing nonconforming uses." If they were to go under, and no new business would open in 12 months, the buildings would revert to the residential zoning. And that could effectively turn them into empty shells. As Councillor Meade Bierly said at the hearing, that increases the chances that they would sit empty and become eyesores -- and decrease neighboring property values. Rezoning the area to the mixed use designation gives property owners another option to market their properties. And it will keep a main artery for town, especially with visitors to Elizabethtown College, looking nice and inviting.

These are the reasons I think rezoning of the area will work. Tell me your thoughts. What do you think about the proposed rezoning and why?

E-town wins Governor's Award for Local Government Excellence

Elizabethtown recently won a 2009 Governor's Award for Local Government Excellence for the public-private partnership between the borough and Mars Snackfood US to extend West College Avenue and the $70 million expansion of the chocolate factory's manufacturing plant.

The borough picked up the award at the 13th annual Governor's Award ceremony April 15 at the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg. Elizabethtown was one of 11 government entities from across the state to be recognized for their foward-thinking approaches to revitalize towns, create jobs and improve the quality of life for residents.

Elizabethtown's award came under the category of Promoting Community and Economic Revitalization. The program for the ceremony indicates that the borough supported the expansion at the chocolate plant for the following reasons:

• To maintain a major employer in the borough and secure the most-productive use of a large, low-impact industrial facility in downtown Elizabethtown for generations to come.
• To create a new entrance to downtown Elizabethtown and a "second square" that serves as a conduit to Mars Snackfood US, Elizabethtown College and Masonic Village.
• Spark the beginning of major economic development efforts in downtown Elizabethtown

This project is one of the most significant for Elizabethtown in recent memory, especially given that Mars' main competitor nearby announced last year that it is moving chocolate manufacturing out of the United States. For a major corporation to make such a significant investment in this community is a boon to our tax base and our efforts to boost the local economy.

As noted in other posts, the second phase of the West College Avenue project, which will include the construction of a bridge and connect with Market Street, is on target to go out for bids this summer. When that is complete, and the renovations of the Amtrak train station are done, expect Elizabethtown to become a force to be reckoned with in western Lancaster County.

Status update on West College Avenue project

For the past year or so, Elizabethtown has been working on a project to extend College Avenue west and connect with Bainbridge Street. This project was made possible in large part because of Mars Inc., and specifically its snack food division, which constructed five new production lines for Dove Chocolate at its plant that bordered Bainbridge Street. To build the plant, Mars needed to build over the existing street.

The first phase of the road construction project, from the railroad underpass to the creek, was started last year and completed by early fall. I think I can speak for all of Borough Council and the administration and say that Mars has been an incredible corporate citizen through this entire project, and especially during the past six months as it has allowed traffic to use a portion of its parking lot so vehicles can connect to the newly constructed road. This has gotten traffic flow back to relatively normal conditions, alleviating the congestion on West High Street where traffic was detoured.

The second phase of the project, which requires the construction of a bridge, is slated to go out for bids in July, according to Borough Manager Pete Whipple. He said the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, which is funding the project, asked the borough specifically to wait until July to put the project to bid because of the current economic climate. July 1 is the start of the state's new fiscal year. If the project remains on this timeline, work on the project should begin later this summer, with an anticipated year of construction.

In the meantime, the borough is working on obtaining small easements for the installation of electric and other utility poles.