By Gabbie Burton
Contributing Writer

Kennett Square Borough Council lost one council member and gained one junior council member among other agenda items during the March 2 meeting at Borough Hall. What was described by Council President Bob Norris as the lowlight and highlight, respectively, of Monday night’s meeting, council member Elea McDonnell Feit’s resignation was reluctantly approved unanimously and Aspen Carroll was also unanimously appointed as the council’s newest junior council member.

Feit, who has served as a member of council since January of 2024 and was reelected in November of 2025, shared that she originally planned to serve the full term in office but received an unexpected professional opportunity at The Ohio State University. 

“Ellie, it has been an honor to serve with you,” said Norris. “You're always well-read, you're always prepared. You've been incredibly objective and very, very active in spite of your scheduling and teaching commitments and so forth. We will miss you dearly, that's for sure.”

Feit is the second resignation of the year following former council member Julie Hamilton’s resignation in January and subsequent replacement by Michael Bertrando. The deadline for those interested in filling Feit’s vacancy is March 19. More information can be found on the borough's website. 

While council may be down one member, they gained a new junior member in Carroll. The borough resident and sophomore at Stone Independent School in Lancaster has become a regular attendee at council meetings and related events over the past few months. Carroll was the only applicant for the position and the only person to hold the position since it was previously held by current council member Juan Tafolla in 2024. 

“I think local government is pretty cool. I can actually have a say in swaying the votes of meetings by putting my voice into the mix,” Carroll said. “I like to be able to make an impact and it’s fun to get out in my community.”

While Feit and Carroll’s news were appropriately recognized at the meeting, the biggest ticket item on the agenda came in the form of an application to the Zoning Hearing Board about 313 W. Cypress St., a currently vacant Santander Bank building. Campbell Broth3rs Enterprises LLC., which owns the property, hopes to demolish the bank to build a two-story apartment building featuring 18 apartments and 37 parking spaces. 

The application to the Zoning Hearing Board is to allow the impervious coverage of the lot, which currently sits at 74% as it is a commercial space, to remain near that percentage despite becoming a residential space where zoning ordinances limit impervious coverage at 60%. 

While the decision is ultimately up to the Zoning Hearing Board, council had a discussion on whether or not to submit an opinion on the matter. Norris expressed concerns over the plan seeming too dense for the area. 

“I would suggest to the Zoning Hearing Board that it's just too dense,” Norris said, “18 apartments on that lot with all that parking, to me, I would try to get it down a little bit—but that's just my opinion.”

Comments from council members were interrupted by a member of the public, Charla Watson, who took the microphone to voice her opinion that it is not appropriate for council members to express opinions or have discussion on items under purview of the Zoning Hearing Board. Additionally, other members of the public made comments about density concerns, lack of green space at the property and parking. 

Council ultimately decided to remain neutral and not submit an official opinion on the matter to the Zoning Hearing Board. Council also did not submit an opinion on the second Zoning Hearing Board application for 115 N. Broad St. the old police station for an indoor golf simulator and wine bar. 

Additionally, council unanimously approved the 6th annual Kennett Flash Summer Rooftop Concert Series happening every Saturday from June 20 to Aug. 29 and the 41st annual Mushroom Festival slated to return from Sept. 11 to 13. 

Other developments at the meeting included tabling the request from the Public Safety Committee for a crosswalk at Union Street and Fairthorne Street.

Items unanimously passed by council included the maintenance bond and dedication agreement for Kennett Square Apartments, Anson B. Nixon capital campaign letter of support, the reappointment of Jeff Darman as borough representative for the Neil Joines Fund and approval of bills paid. 

Kennett Square Borough Council will hold the next meeting on Wednesday, March, 4 at 7p.m. at Borough Hall.