Lansdale Borough Council and several of its committees have discussed vacancies along Main Street for several years. Closures of pharmacies, bank branches and a hardware store brought the discussion back to the forefront in April, when borough officials resumed talks on a vacancy fee. The vacancy fee tactic was first broached by Mayor Gerry Herbert, who continues his support of the idea. The fee would be charged to owners of empty storefronts if they don’t present plans for new occupants or developments. Council’s code committee recently discussed similar codes already in place in Pottstown, Lock Haven and elsewhere in Pennsylvania. Lansdale’s director of community development, Jason Van Dame, reported that Pottstown has adopted something similar, along with a commercial safety inspection program. Van Dame said the code department is still gathering information, including possible exceptions from a vacancy fee for owners or landlords who are caring for their properties. Lansdale’s borough council next meets on Wednesday, May 15, at 7 p.m., and the code enforcement committee next meets on June 5 at 7:30 p.m., both at the borough municipal building, 1 Vine St.
Source: The Reporter; 5/6/2024