Borough Council Approves Liquor License Transfer, Preliminary Subdivision Application

conducted a few orders of business, like the transfer of a liquor license and the approval of a preliminary subdivision application, at its meeting Thursday night.

Borough Council approved a resolution for a liquor license transfer from another municipality to 114 S. Olive Street, Ariano Restaurant.

The transfer was approved in a 6 to 1 vote with Councilmember James Cunningham voting against it.

Cunningham said his vote was no reflection of the business or owner but he was concerned with the number of liquor-licensed establishments in the area.

Council President Pete Alyanakian said approving a liquor license is done on a case-by-case basis and after talking with the police chief who said he didn’t expect to see a public safety impact with an additional liquor license, he was happy to support the resolution.

Approval of Preliminary Subdivision Application

The council also approved the preliminary subdivision and land development application for the property at 235 E. Jefferson St. with five in favor, one abstention and one no vote. Councilmember Peter Williamson abstented and Cunningham voted no.

The property is a three-story Victorian house at Edgmont and Jefferson streets near McDonald’s.

Williamson said a group called, Overlook Circle, proposed a four-story condominium project there with underground parking and surface parking in the back.

The planning commission has reviewed the application three times and recommends the borough council approve it, preliminarily, with 23 conditions to the applications which the applicant has agreed to, Williamson said.

Cunningham said his vote was more of a protest vote since the project "in isolation" is a good project, but he is concerned with the future of the community.

Currently there are about six units at the property and this application would bring about 24 units which would sell for around $300,000, Cunningham said. 

"That tells us that not many people are going to be able to afford to live in this type of housing in Media," he said.

Cunningham said the borough prides itself on diversity and being "everyone's hometown" but borough police and employees live outside of the borough because they can not afford to live in Media.

"I just want to sound a word of warning to the planning commission, this council and future councils, community will be what you want it to be," he said.

Alyanakian said when an applicant is compliant we have to vote on the merits of the plan.

"Anytime you can add to the residential base of the community, I think it’s a victory for us and I’ll certainly be supporting this plan," he said.

Amending of Billboard Ordinance

The council also authorized the solicitor to draft and advertise an amendment to the billboard and sign ordinance.

Williamson said many surrounding municipalities are currently having issues with billboard ordinances but fortunately the borough was ahead of the game and already had a long time billboard ordinance in place. However, the solicitor will look into better language for the ordinance regarding electronic or "changeable" billboards, Williamson said.