Chester meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Chester council agenda: budget, annexation, rezonings; minutes pending

The Chester City Council met July 27 for a regular meeting and a special called meeting, and the Public Safety Committee met July 29. Minutes for all three meetings have not yet been published, so no decisions or vote tallies are available. The most consequential item on the regular meeting agenda was the second reading of the FY 2026-2027 budget and tax levy ordinance.

Budget and tax levy

Ordinance 2026-005 (second reading) would adopt the FY 2026-2027 budget appropriations and set the tax levy. No dollar amounts or rates were listed in the agenda.

Annexation and zoning

The regular meeting agenda included second reading of Ordinance 2026-010 to annex 9.273 acres on Colonial Heights Road, submitted by I58 Inc. Also on second reading were ordinances 2026-007, 008, and 009 to rezone properties to Neighborhood Commercial at 121 College Street, School Street, and 104 School Street. First readings of ordinances 2026-011, 012, and 013 would rezone multiple locations to Multi-Family Dwelling, including parcels 201-02-03-013-000 and 069-00-00-025-000.

Other business

The agenda included a stormwater study presentation by Bowman engineer McSwain Armfield and an update on the one-cent sales tax. The council also entered executive session to discuss contractual matters for splashpad installation and wastewater services (Chester County Wastewater/Chester Metropolitan). The regular meeting also included a public forum, committee reports, and departmental updates.

Special called meeting

A separate special called meeting on July 27 included executive sessions on contractual matters for the Fire District and FORD, with possible action to follow.

Public Safety Committee

The Public Safety Special Called Committee met July 29 for an executive session regarding a Police Department personnel matter.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings were listed for the next 14 days.

Chester City Council Tackles Budget, Annexation, and Rezoning in Late-July Meetings

Chester City Council convened multiple times in late July, with the FY 2026-2027 operating budget and tax levy, an annexation on Colonial Heights Road, and several rezoning ordinances among the most consequential items on packed agendas. However, minutes have not yet been published for any of these meetings, so final votes and outcomes cannot be confirmed from the available record.

Budget and Tax Levy

Council scheduled a special meeting on July 20, 2026, at City Hall to discuss the fiscal year 2026–2027 operating budget. A regular meeting on July 27 included Ordinance 2026-005 for second reading, covering FY 2026-2027 budget appropriations and the tax levy. Because minutes are not yet available, the vote tally and whether the ordinance passed are not confirmed in the record.

Annexation and Rezoning

The July 27 regular meeting agenda included Ordinance 2026-010 for second reading, proposing annexation of 9.273 acres on Colonial Heights Road by I58 Inc.

Multiple rezoning ordinances were also on the agenda:

• Ordinances 2026-007, 2026-008, and 2026-009 (second reading) — reclassifying properties to Neighborhood Commercial at 121 College Street, School Street, and 104 School Street.
• Ordinance 2026-011 (first reading) — rezoning two parcels (201-02-03-013-000 and 069-00-00-025-000) to Multi-Family Dwelling.
• Additional ordinances 2026-012 and 2026-013 (first reading) for rezoning to Multi-Family Dwelling at multiple locations.

No vote tallies are available, as minutes have not been published.

Stormwater and Sales Tax Presentations

The July 27 regular meeting agenda included a stormwater study presentation by Bowman engineer McSwain Armfield. A one-cent sales tax update was also scheduled.

Executive Sessions: Fire District, FORD, Splashpad, and Wastewater

A special called meeting on July 27 included executive sessions to discuss contractual matters involving the Fire District and FORD, with possible action to follow.

The regular meeting that same day included an executive session on contractual matters related to splashpad installation and Chester County Wastewater/Chester Metropolitan, also with possible action afterward.

Public Safety Committee

The Public Safety Special Called Committee met on July 29 to hold an executive session regarding a Police Department personnel matter. No other items were listed.

What We Know and What We Don't

All five meetings from the past two weeks are listed as "agenda only" — minutes have not been published for any of them. That means the items above reflect what was scheduled for discussion or action, not necessarily what was decided. Vote tallies, amendments, and final outcomes will be confirmed only when minutes become available.

Coming Up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents should watch for posted agendas and the eventual publication of minutes from the July meetings, which will confirm council's actions on the budget, annexation, and rezoning ordinances.

Chester council weighs annexation, rezoning, fee hikes; minutes not yet published

The Chester City Council on June 22 took up a full slate of proposed ordinances and fee changes — including the annexation of 9.273 acres on Colonial Heights Road, commercial rezoning for three properties, and a $10,645 hospitality tax request for a local festival. Because the meeting’s minutes have not yet been published, it is not possible to report which items passed, were amended, or were tabled. All actions described below were on the agenda as proposals or first readings.

Annexation and rezoning lead the agenda

The most consequential item was the proposed annexation of two parcels totaling 9.273 acres on Colonial Heights Road, submitted by i58 Inc. The annexation required two ordinances (2026-010 and 2026-011), which were listed for first reading. Separately, the council scheduled a first reading of zoning changes for three lots — 121 College Street, School Street, and 104 School Street — to Neighborhood Commercial. A separate ordinance (2026-002) for golf cart regulations was up for a second reading, meaning it could have been adopted that night, but the outcome is not yet known.

Fee amendments and festival funding

On the administrative side, the council considered amendments to the city’s fee schedule. Bulk waste collection fees were proposed to increase from $50 to $100, and aquatic membership fees were suggested to rise from $15 per month to an unspecified new amount (the agenda listed “from $15/month” but did not give the proposed new rate). The council also reviewed a $10,645 hospitality tax request to help fund the Cornbread & Sweet Potato Festival.

An executive session was scheduled for a lawsuit update and a contractual matter; no action was anticipated during the public portion of the meeting.

What happens next

Because the city has not yet posted official minutes, residents and business owners affected by the proposed annexation, rezoning, or fee changes are advised to monitor the city’s website or contact the city clerk’s office to learn the outcome of the June 22 meeting. The next regular City Council meeting will be posted on the municipality’s official calendar once scheduled.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings were listed in the data provided for the next 14 days. Residents should check the City of Chester’s official meeting schedule for future council, planning commission, or board of adjustments dates.