Frequently Asked Questions
On this page we will answer questions that come before Borough Council Meetings or questions our residents have asked. It is our way of keeping you informed. For more information contact us at:
oxfordboro@zoominternet.net
Amending and Establishing Ordinances
Ordinances are laws enacted by a municipality such as a Borough. The Borough’s own Code of Ordinances was updated in 2007, and is continually revised and supplemented. The Borough Code can be accessed on this website by clicking on the “Oxford Borough Code of Ordinances” page. The Borough Code may also be accessed for review at the Borough Hall.
Oxford Borough Council has a Codes Committee comprised of three Borough Council Members, the Zoning Officer and the Borough Manager. They typically meet monthly, on the fourth Monday of the month, 6:30 p.m. at the Borough Hall, to discuss and review existing ordinances or to establish new ones.
Ordinances cover everything from Administration to Health and Safety, from Streets and Sidewalks to Zoning, Licenses and much more. They are established to keep order, keep people safe, or to maintain a fair process for all. Some of our ordinances prohibit a Borough resident from keeping livestock and provide a definition of livestock. Some ordinances deal with snow removal or the repair and maintenance of sidewalks, while others deal with Zoning issues and direct where business or industry can be located. We frequently use ordinances regarding property maintenance to ensure our residents are safe.
Understanding and interpreting ordinances in order to enforce them is a difficult job which is left to our Solicitors, Codes Enforcement, Zoning Officer or Borough Manager. It is not unusual for the validity of our ordinances to be challenged. That is why our ordinances go through a review by our Codes Committee, Zoning and Codes Enforcement Officers, Borough Manager, Solicitors and sometimes specific consultants.
From time to time, we may amend an ordinance, which may include adding or deleting parts of an ordinance. We can establish a new ordinance such as our rental property inspection ordinance. In order to do that the Borough is required by law to advertise the change in a newspaper of general circulation, and to hold a hearing at a public meeting such as our Council meeting. Council needs to approve the advertising of the ordinance. Some ordinances also need to go to the Chester County Planning Commission for an Act 247 Review. The County will review the ordinance and provide any questions, suggestions or concerns that should be considered by Council. Once that process is satisfied, the ordinance will come before a public meeting for a hearing.
When a hearing is held to consider the enactment of an ordinance, audience members are asked if they have questions or concerns and given appropriate time to voice them. Thereafter, the ordinance may be considered for a vote or tabled for more work. If the ordinance is considered for a vote, a Council Member will move to have the ordinance approved, which motion requires a second, and then a vote is taken by Council. If the majority approves the ordinance, it is entered into the ordinance book and can then be enforced.
We publish new ordinances on our website once they have been approved. It is a good idea for Borough residents to visit our website frequently to see what changes have been made to our Borough Code.
I hope this helps answer some of your questions about ordinances. If you have more questions, please contact the Borough Manager, Betsy Brantner at 610-932-2500, ext. 302.
Why Does The Borough Support OMI and the BID?
Borough Council has supported Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. (OMI) since the organization was formed in 2002. Since that time, their collaboration has brought millions of dollars of grant money and personal investment to the Borough of Oxford, while keeping it thriving and growing.
The Borough has brought in nearly $4 million since 2002 in grants through Chester County Department of Community Development alone. These grants were used throughout the Borough for waterline, storm water improvements, hydrant upgrades, paving and streetscape improvements. Another $250,000 worth of grants has also come into the Borough from state and federal funding as park grants, shared municipal services and policing grants. Securing that funding was in no small way due to the fact that we have a thriving Mainstreet/BID program.
Bringing in grant money to the Borough is a prime example of how the Borough works for you, but OMI also works for Borough residents, business and property owners as well. As we know, grant money is tax dollars. They may come from real estate transfer taxes, property taxes, etc. but they originate from taxes. The Borough feels it is vital to the health, safety and vitality of our town to keep some of those tax dollars here.
What the Borough has discovered through their grant securing progress, is that federal, state and county funders want to make sure their funding is spread over a wide population with a great need. This is why collaboration with other groups such as OMI is so important to funders when they are designating where grant monies will go.
Recently, during our streetscape project the Borough was fortunate to receive $1,250,000 in grant funds. OMI also contributed $200,000 to the project for streetlights, banners, and streetlight accessories from a HUD grant that they had secured. But there is more.
OMI has also brought in $125,000 of façade improvement grants, which was put with another $125,000 of personal funding by property owners.
OMI has also contributed $60,000 for the Town Center Study completed in 2007 and they made a contribution of $3,000 to the current parking study. Oxford Area Chamber also contributed $500 to that same study. Studies like these are a requirement when seeking funding.
The Kiosks in town have also been contributed by OMI to the tune of $30,000. Those kiosks are used not only to advertise Borough events but also borough ordinances or other vital information for our residents.
The Borough Public Works Department spends many hours cleaning and maintaining streets and sidewalks and OMI also assists in that effort. OMI contributes $20,000 each year in Downtown beautification to enhance and maintain landscaping, and sidewalk cleaning. OMI contracts with Titan Disposal Services for trash removal in the business district twice a week for an annual expense of $3,000.
Last year a Business Development Facilitator was contracted by OMI to promote and foster economic growth and development in the BID. The business district’s vacancy rate fell from 25% to 9%, which it is important to note, also decreases crime.
Bringing visitors to the Borough to promote our business is also an important piece of the puzzle. If we want less crime, abandoned buildings and more services for our residents we need to bring shoppers in to support our businesses. OMI is an active member of the Chester County Visitor’s Bureau which promotes our Art Gallery, and retail and restaurant businesses. That is another $2,000 annual expense which OMI covers.
Affordable advertising for local businesses in the BID district is also assisted through OMI’s contracts with local newspapers at the cost of $3,600.
There are also 50 events which OMI hosts each year all providing customers to all local businesses who purchase, fuel, food and shop while they visit.
OMI has also been instrumental in retaining the historic flavor of our Borough through their creation of design guidelines as a part of their façade funding projects.
Recently, OMI Contracted with Allied Barton for their Downtown Ambassador Program, which will assist with security and a helping hand to all shoppers in the BID district.
At a difficult economic time, when other towns are decaying and closing up, it is vital for the Borough and OMI to collaborate and pool our resources to preserve our Borough and our cherished small town lifestyle.
Council supports OMI because it makes sound financial sense and yes, even common sense. After all, the joint effort has brought in over $6 million to our town.
