Emmaus roundup: Street vacation, disabled parking, police chief hire on council agenda; zoning board to hear ramp variance
Council agendas: Perkiomen Street, disabled parking, personnel
Emmaus Borough Council's July 20 meeting agendas included several consequential items, but minutes have not yet been published, so outcomes are not confirmed in the record. The agendas list a public hearing on Ordinance 1288, which would vacate a portion of Perkiomen Street, and Ordinance 1289, which would add residential disabled parking in front of 217 N 7th Street.
The same agendas include personnel decisions: hiring a Police Chief and hiring four part-time EMS staff — Casey Schreiner, Ciara Cruz, Jordan Meyer, and Erick Haman. Council was also scheduled to review the 2nd Quarter 2026 Budget Performance Report and act on Resolution 2026-24, the bill list.
Because only agendas are available and minutes are not yet published, it is not possible to report vote tallies, final action on the ordinances, or whether the personnel hires were approved.
Zoning Hearing Board: Handicap ramp variance request
The Zoning Hearing Board's July 22 agenda lists one item: Appeal 10655, in which Matt Spangenberg requests a variance to install a handicap ramp measuring 5'4-1/2" x 24' within the 12-foot right-of-way at 16 S. 4th Street, in the Downtown Core District. The variance is sought from Borough Ordinance Chapter 21, Part 2, Section 21-202, which addresses permanent obstructions.
Minutes for this meeting have not yet been published, so the board's decision on the variance is not in the record.
What this means for residents
- **Perkiomen Street:** If Ordinance 1288 is ultimately adopted, a portion of the street would be vacated, which can affect access, property lines, and future use of that right-of-way. Residents near the area may want to confirm the outcome once minutes are posted.
- **217 N 7th Street:** Ordinance 1289 would designate a residential disabled parking space at that address.
- **16 S. 4th Street:** The requested ramp variance concerns whether a permanent structure can extend into the public right-of-way in the Downtown Core District.
- **Budget:** The 2nd Quarter 2026 Budget Performance Report was on the council agenda for review.
Coming up
No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents should check the borough's official meeting calendar for any newly posted sessions or continued hearings.
*Note: All items above are drawn from meeting agendas. Minutes were not available at the time of this roundup, so final decisions and vote tallies could not be confirmed. Readers are directed to the official borough records for authoritative outcomes.*