June 21, 2016

Representation and parking dominated the hour-long Kennett Square Borough Council meeting on Monday, June 20.

Council voted unanimously to appoint residents to the new 11-member Advisory Commission of Latino Affairs. During previous meetings, council members expressed interest in having a group that would provide counsel on matters that impact the borough’s Latino community, which now makes up more than 50 percent of the population.

Borough Councilman Ethan Cramer said he was delighted with the response to the call for volunteers but sorry that not everyone could be accommodated. “We’re very excited that so many people wanted to serve,” he said.

Maria Eugenia Daza de Zavala, Margarita Garay Zarco, Juan Carlos Navarro, Daniela Silva, Lindsey Sweet and Teno Zurita were appointed to two-year terms, and Cornelio Guillen, Edgar Larrea, Luis Tovar, Mayra Zavala Zavala and Kathleen Snyder were approved for one-year terms.

Several residents suggested that the borough was giving preferential treatment to Latinos. Resident John Thomas questioned why more non-Latinos weren’t selected for the committee, Tracy Martin advocated a group for the borough’s Italian American population, and Jeannie Jims urged the borough to consider an advisory group for senior citizens.

Councilman Wayne Braffman said non-Latinos were invited to join the committee but few applied, and Mayor Matt Fetick told Jims that he would discuss the senior citizen option with her.

Parking concerns first surfaced with a repeat request from architect Dennis Melton on behalf of Chris Sotiropoulos to waive parking requirements for Sotiropoulos’ property at 416-418 West State Street. The pair initially addressed Borough Council at its April 18 meeting. Sotiropoulos wants to replace the existing duplex with a commercial building to accommodate three businesses; however, his plan included only four of the 25 parking spaces the borough requires.

Sotiropoulos was told in April to revise the plan so that he would satisfy the parking requirements stipulated in the borough code. On Monday night, Melton said the plan had been altered so that only 14 spaces were needed, not the original 25. But he said Sotiropoulos was still seeking a waiver for the deficit of 10 spaces, adding that a review of the area indicated that more than 100 spaces, some in nearby residential areas, regularly go unused.

Borough solicitor Marc D. Jonas explained that council could grant relief in exchange for an in-lieu fee of $470 per space. Councilmen Cramer and Wayne Braffman both expressed concern that council has yet to reevaluate its parking requirements to assure their fairness and effectiveness– a recommendation made at the April 18 meeting – but they said they saw no need to penalize Sotiropoulos in the meantime.

With Councilman Geoffrey R. Bosley abstaining because his employer owns an adjacent property and Councilman Jamie Mallon absent, Borough Council voted 5-0 to grant the waiver.

During public comment, Thomas expressed exasperation that council had granted the relief and that residential spaces were being counted to permit commercial use. “We haven’t thought this out, but we’re going to give it to this developer because he gave us money,” Thomas said. ““This is ridiculous.”

Thomas also criticized the lack of parking on Birch Street, where the Creamery, a pop-up beer garden, recently opened in the 400 block and has attracted large crowds. However, Borough Council Member Danilo P. Maffei cut him off, explaining that Birch Street was not on the agenda.

Resident Tony D’Ottavio also tried and failed to address the Birch Street parking. “All you’re doing is infringing on the residents,” he said.

Braffman reminded residents that anyone who want to address Borough Council about any issue can now submit a suggestion form. In fact, Jims applauded the procedure earlier, noting that she received a “timely response.”

In other business, Kennett Square Fire Chief Chris Plumley said the company’s new truck is due for delivery during the second week of July. He said a housing ceremony, which will include the blessing of the vehicle, would be held on Aug. 27.

Claire Finfrock, program coordinator for the Kennett Area Park and Recreation Board, invited residents to experience the improvements at Herb Pennock Park, including a new children’s playground. “It really looks great,” she said, crediting the many businesses and volunteers who made it happen.

Council also voted to accept the recommendation of the Historic Architecture Review Board for the old Kennett Fire Company building, which is being renovated for commercial use at 112 South Broad Street. Andrew Fronig, the HARB chair, said the building was not in great shape and windows and doors would need to be replaced. However, “key features of the building” would be preserved, Fronig said.

After the meeting, Maffei said he has only heard one mild complaint about inadequate Creamery parking. He suggested that “no one resident can lay claim to a parking space,” and that neighborhood spaces need to be shared. “We need to be a little more tolerant,” he said.

He added that the Creamery has a temporary permit that expires at the end of December.

“This is like a test run,” Maffei said. “If we like it, maybe we’ll do something more permanent.”