MALVERN, PA — Malvern Borough Council approved a boroughwide zoning overhaul on October 20 despite opposition from residents and business owners concerned about redevelopment and potentially taller buildings, establishing new land-use regulations that affect every property in the Chester County municipality.
Council adopted Ordinance 2026-08 and a revised zoning map following a public hearing, replacing a zoning framework originally adopted in 2003. The meeting record also indicates council approved Ordinance 2026-07, updating subdivision and land-development regulations dating to 2006.
The changes establish revised residential, town-center, institutional, industrial, open-space and redevelopment districts. They also modify requirements governing building height, parking, permitted business activities, accessory dwelling units and development approvals.
Opposition centered on the newly established Green Redevelopment District and provisions that could allow buildings reaching five stories in portions of the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor and town center, subject to applicable approval requirements.
Residents and business owners raised concerns about the scale of potential redevelopment and changes to existing property designations. Some told council they became aware their properties could be rezoned only after public zoning-notice signs appeared.
The Green Redevelopment District is intended to encourage new uses on underutilized properties along Malvern’s light-industrial corridor. Borough officials have identified potential benefits including additional housing, commercial development, improved stormwater management and reduced truck traffic.
The district also incorporates the potential preservation of approximately 10 wooded acres as open space, although that objective does not establish that the land has been permanently protected.
The zoning changes follow more than two years of planning that began after the borough adopted its comprehensive plan in October 2022. Council established a task force in December 2023 to review the zoning and subdivision ordinances.
The task force subsequently held 20 meetings and four public workshops, with financial support provided in part through a Vision Partnership Program grant.
Residential provisions seek to limit oversized construction on constrained lots, clarify building-height measurements, and permit accessory dwelling units. The latter could allow property owners to accommodate relatives or create additional housing within existing neighborhoods, subject to the new regulations.
Changes affecting downtown commercial properties are intended to simplify business-use requirements, encourage restaurant and retail activity, and accommodate multiple complementary uses within individual properties.
The borough’s TC-1 district retains provisions intended to preserve the historic character of the town center.
The ordinances also establish additional opportunities to reuse historic buildings and strengthen protections for mature trees and wooded areas, including vegetation that contributes to stormwater management and soil stability.
The subdivision and land-development revisions introduce a Manual of Written and Graphic Design Standards covering building facades, landscaping, sidewalks and lighting.
The changes represent a significant shift in Malvern’s development framework, particularly where revised zoning classifications could alter the types and scale of projects permitted on individual properties.
The borough has published information about the zoning and land-development revisions at https://www.malvern.org/1438/Zoning-Land-Development-Ordinance-Amendm.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.