(13th in a series of posts on 2 W. Market St.)
Here is the latest of our “neighborhood” issues heading for a decision.
The focus is the residential property at 2 W. Market in the Northside Historical District, a parcel that also includes commercial property fronting on New St. You’ve all no doubt passed the property a hundred times, and maybe even remarked about it. Corner of New and Market.
To recap: The owners would like to use the residence for business purposes as an office for their financial services operation. The owners have petitioned for a change in the Bethlehem Zoning Ordinance. There is some history to the dispute over this property going back several years and several adjudications that readers can follow in previous posts in this sequence. But this is a fresh case.
Gadfly has previously indicated some distress at incomplete understanding from coming late to this controversy. It looks now, however, that there will be plenty of information. The Planning Commission meeting last Thursday was several hours long and particularly full of information and perspectives.
In past history the owner’s case has been both approved and rejected. And the Planning Commission just deadlocked twice 2-2 on the present petition. Now the petition goes to City Council for a hearing November 20.
The issue is significant. And it is obviously a close call.
That’s what makes it so interesting.
Gadfly likes to think of his audience as intelligent, thoughtful, deep thinkers who are willing to walk with him through the different angles of this case and provide opinions that might help inform Council’s decision.
As will be our usual procedure, Gadfly will present information first without comment or analysis, and in small chunks, so you can absorb that information and form your own questions and opinions.
Follow me, Gadfly says, as we first try to understand the owner’s position.
