Whitpain Township officials considered a possible draft ordinance for a limited conversion of vacant office space to residential uses during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, February 4.

This conversion was initially reviewed and addressed in the Township’s Comprehensive Plan Update in 2024, officials said, noting that no decisions have been made.

Tuesday’s presentation discussed “the creation of a zoning overlay district in the southeast corner of the Township where office parks are located,” officials said.

A cap of no more than 1,000 new dwelling units would be permitted in the overlay district. The project would meet requirements for parking, green space, buffering, outdoor recreation and other features. 

“Whitpain will consider if it makes sense that projects within the overlay district be subject to an attainable housing component that would mandate 10 percent of total dwelling units be set aside for those making between 80 percent to 120 percent of the household median income in Montgomery County, which would equate to $75,000 to $112,000,” officials said.

“In the coming weeks and months, the Board will carefully digest and review the presentation and seek the best path forward for our community,” said Board Chair Scott Badami. “A key part of this process is obtaining input from our community, and I look forward to hearing from neighbors at future Board meetings on this topic. We want to get this important issue right and the more participation we get, the better the outcome will be.”

The presentation is below:

Image: Whitpain Township