Of the borough boards, the Planning Commission has the longest reach over what Phoenixville looks like in ten years. It's also the one people most often mix up with something else. Here's what the seat actually is.
What the commission does
Per the borough's own description of the role, the Planning Commission:
- prepares the comprehensive plan
- recommends adoption or amendment of the official map
- prepares the borough's zoning ordinance and makes recommendations on proposed amendments to it
- prepares, recommends and administers subdivision and land development regulations
In practice the commission sees proposals before they're decisions: a new building, a subdivided lot, a change to what a district permits. It recommends and Borough Council votes.
How it differs from the Zoning Hearing Board
These two get mixed up constantly. They do close to opposite jobs.
| Planning Commission | Zoning Hearing Board | |
|---|---|---|
| Writes the rules | Yes, drafts the zoning ordinance | No |
| Applies the rules to one property | No | Yes |
| Typical business | Comprehensive plan, subdivisions, ordinance amendments | Variances, special exceptions, appeals against the Zoning Officer |
| Term | 4 years | 5 years |
If you want to shape policy, that's the Planning Commission. If you'd rather rule on individual cases against the ordinance, that's the Zoning Hearing Board.
The commitment
A four-year appointed term with regular public meetings, and a fair bit of reading. Plans and applications arrive as documents, and you'll want to have got through them before the meeting.
The Comprehensive Plan
The plan the commission maintains is a real document you can read right now. The borough's 2022 Comprehensive Plan is the current one. It's the best preparation for this seat, and it'll tell you quickly whether the work interests you.
Applying
Same form as every borough board. See how to join a Phoenixville borough board or commission, or go straight to the Planning Commission listing.