# Public Hearing | Housing Barrier Reduction Zoning Amendments | October 13, 2026

The City of Chester, Pennsylvania, held a public hearing on October 13, 2026, on proposed Housing Barrier Reduction Zoning Amendments. Planning and Zoning Director Paul Fritz described targeted changes intended to make housing development and reuse of existing buildings easier, rather than rewrite the zoning ordinance. Proposals include removing the R3 density formula in the C1R and C2R mixed-use districts; allowing residential-only development in those districts while limiting first-floor commercial requirements to a smaller downtown core; removing the prohibition on new housing within 800 feet of I-95; reducing residential off-street parking requirements to one space per dwelling unit; allowing qualifying on-street parking to count toward requirements for some changes of use; and clarifying when loading zones are required. The amendments would not waive existing use, building and fire code, accessibility, floodplain, stormwater, land-development, or public-safety requirements.

No procurement activity, contract awards, spending decisions, or votes were identified at the hearing. The ordinance was scheduled for a first reading the following day, with a second reading anticipated October 28; two readings are required for passage. The director said further zoning packages may address topics including short-term rentals and conversion of single-family homes to two-family homes, but timing and scope were undetermined. The proposals are zoning-regulation changes that may affect future housing development and reuse opportunities.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 13, 2026

### Sources
- [Public Hearing | Housing Barrier Reduction Zoning Amendments | October 13, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWWiqHXAFRQ) - City of Chester, PA