Preserving Chester Heights While Respecting Property Rights
- Marta Kathryn Driscoll
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Historic Preservation Matters
Chester Heights has a unique history, distinctive architecture, and historic places that contribute to the identity and character of our Borough.
As our community continues to evolve, thoughtful preservation of those resources is an important conversation and one that I have supported for many years.
I also recognize and appreciate the many residents, volunteers, and community members who have worked over the years to preserve the Borough’s historic character and resources.
My Prior Work on Historic Preservation
In 2023, while completing graduate work at the University of Delaware, I authored a policy paper titled Embracing Our Future, Preserving Our Past, which explored how Chester Heights could implement a historic preservation framework that balanced preservation goals with property owner rights, transparency, and practical implementation.
At that time, a bipartisan effort was also underway to draft a historic preservation ordinance that attempted to create a balanced and collaborative approach to preservation.
The Earlier Preservation Framework
The 2023 framework included discussion of homeowner-focused concepts such as:
adaptive reuse opportunities,
conditional use flexibility,
additional dwelling opportunities within historic structures,
lot averaging concepts
dimensional flexibility,
and other practical tools intended to help property owners preserve historic resources while maintaining reasonable use of their property.
Importantly, the earlier approach reflected the understanding that preservation works best when communities pair reasonable protections with meaningful flexibility, incentives, and collaboration with the homeowners who are ultimately responsible for maintaining these historic structures.
The 2026 Historic Preservation Ordinance
On May 18, 2026, Borough Council adopted a new Historic Preservation
The adopted ordinance establishes:
a Historic Resources Commission,
Class I and Class II historic classifications,
additional review procedures,
demolition restrictions,
expanded notification requirements,
and overlay zoning regulations that apply in addition to underlying zoning regulations.
Why I Voted No
While I continue to support historic preservation as a goal, I voted against the ordinance because I believed the final structure moved significantly away from the more balanced and incentive-based approach that had previously been discussed.
In my view, many of the homeowner-focused provisions and tradeoffs discussed during earlier preservation efforts were not ultimately reflected in the final ordinance.
As adopted, the ordinance places substantial emphasis on regulatory oversight and procedural requirements while offering very little in the way of meaningful homeowner incentives, flexibility, or practical trade-offs for the residents who will bear the long-term financial and regulatory burden of maintaining these historic properties.
My vote was not a vote against preservation.
It was a recognition that good intentions alone do not eliminate the real financial, legal, and property-rights impacts that regulatory ordinances can create for homeowners.
Best Practices in Historic Preservation
Successful historic preservation efforts are generally built through:
broad public engagement,
homeowner collaboration,
educational outreach,
clear standards,
transparency,
and practical implementation strategies that encourage long-term participation and trust.
As both a Borough Councilmember and a historic homeowner, I understand the importance of preserving Chester Heights’ historic character. I also understand the long-term financial, maintenance, and regulatory realities that historic property owners face. Historic preservation cannot succeed long-term if homeowners are treated primarily as regulated parties rather than partners in preservation.
Community Input Matters
If you are a resident, historic homeowner, or someone who cares about the future character of Chester Heights, I encourage you to review the adopted ordinance and stay engaged in the public process moving forward.
In particular, I believe additional discussion is warranted regarding:
homeowner incentives,
adaptive reuse opportunities,
dimensional flexibility,
implementation standards,
and long-term impacts on historic property owners.
If you would like Borough Council to revisit homeowner incentives, flexibility provisions, and additional protections for historic property owners, I encourage you to respectfully share your thoughts with Council.
Residents may contact Borough Council at:
Additional Resources
For residents interested in learning more, I have prepared the following resources:
a comparison of the 2023 preservation framework and the adopted 2026 ordinance,
links to the earlier 2023 draft ordinance,
and my 2023 policy paper discussing balanced historic preservation approaches.
This comparison summarizes several of the key differences between the earlier bipartisan preservation framework discussions and the ordinance ultimately adopted in 2026.
I encourage residents to:
review the 2023 draft ordinance,
compare it to the adopted 2026 ordinance,
and participate in future Historic Resources Commission discussions as this ordinance evolves over time.
Historic preservation should not regulate homeowners without also working in partnership with them.
In Your Service,
Borough Councilwoman, Chester Heights
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