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Who should you contact to join the business association? Are there tax breaks for relocating your business to Narberth? Is there a good labor market in the area? These and other frequently asked questions are answered below. Our web site will provide some answers, but always feel free to contact us at Borough Hall. We're there 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. An answering machine is available after hours.
| Q: | How do I contact Borough Hall? | |
| A: | Narberth Borough Hall can be reached at: 100 Conway Avenue (The corner of Conway and Haverford Aves.) Narberth, PA 19072 (610) 664-2840 Email: Narberth@comcast.net |
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| Q: | Is there a local Chamber of Commerce or Business Association? | |
| A: | Yes. The Narberth Business Association is a voluntary association of local merchants. The Association meets once a month to discuss cooperative advertising, sidewalk sale days and other local issues. | |
| Q: | How do I contact the Narberth Business Association? | |
| A: | Email the President, Pat Daly @ Maido info@narberthonline.com |
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| Q: | How do I check the allowable uses for a business property in Narberth? | |
| A: | Narberth's zoning code has one commercial classification, with several amendments that specifically deal with off-street parking. Please check with the Zoning Officer, William Martin, at the Borough Hall about a particular property. | |
| Q: | How do I check the zoning on a particular property? | |
| A: | Zoning maps and regulations are available at Borough Hall (see above). | |
| Q: | How do I apply for a building permit? | |
| A: | Building Permit applications are available at Borough Hall (see above). | |
| Q: | What business taxes are assessed against Narberth businesses? | |
| A: | Business owners are required to register with the Central Tax Bureau of PA, Inc., 500 W. Dutton Mill Rd, Suite 105,Aston , PA 19014 - (610) 497-6030 or fax your application to their office. Fax #: (610) 497-0909. The Tax is assessed at 1 1/2 mills on gross receipts generated in the local community, and there is a $10.00 a year license fee. The Central Tax Bureau mails a multi-part form to applicants annually in January. The $10.00 license fee is due 10 days from the receipt of the license application. The annual tax return is required to be filed before June 30th. | |
| Q: | I have not received my tax bill for the year. Where can I obtain a duplicate copy? | |
| A: | Tax bills are mailed to all property owners on February 1st, each year for Borough, County Solid Waste and Sewer Taxes. Duplicate copies are available from the Office of the Tax Collector in Borough Hall (see above). Note: there is a $1.00 charge for duplicate bills. School Tax bills are mailed to property owners July 1st of each year. |
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| Q: | Who do I call with a question about trash collection? | |
| A: | Call Borough Hall at (610) 664-1080 with any questions. | |
| Q: | Do businesses have special trash collection schedules? | |
| A: | No. The trash collection schedule is included with the yearly distribution of the Borough Newsletter and is posted on this web site. Curb side trash is collected every Tuesday and Friday, with the exception of the second and fourth Tuesday when recycling containers are collected. Newsprint, mixed paper and cardboard is collected every Monday (Except Monday holidays). The Borough maintains two cardboard and mixed paper dumpsters, one behind the stores on Haverford Avenue and one behind Borough Hall. Brush is collected every fourth Tuesday. Leaves are collected every Tuesday in November, and the first Tuesday in December. Bulk pick-ups can be arranged for on the fourth Tuesday of every month (Except May). (Charges vary.) |
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| Q: | Do business owners have to arrange for their commercial trash to be collected by a private hauler? | |
| A: | The Borough contracts with a private hauler to collect trash and recycling according to its regularly published trash calender. If a business generates more trash than fits this schedule, the business owner must arrange for private trash collection. Special dumpsters are provided in the business area for disposal of cardboard from businesses. | |
| Q: | Is parking available convenient to the downtown stores? Are business owners given any special parking area? | |
| A: | There are plenty of metered parking spaces on Haverford Avenue. N. Narberth Avenue, Forrest Avenue and N. Essex Avenue. Long-term meters are available for merchants on Windsor Avenue (see the map of the meters in the downtown shopping area. This map is available in the Borough Office.) There are short-term spaces available in Station Circle and additional metered spots are located behind the stores on Haverford Avenue closest to the railroad tracks. One-way streets help to meter the flow in the downtown district. Additional parking is available to merchants and store owners at the lot behind the Municipal Building with entry from Haverford Avenue. This parking is a short 2 1/2-block walk from the downtown shopping area. Please check the What's Section for special parking arrangements during the parking lot construction | |
| Q: | What plans does Borough Council have for the future of the downtown business area? Are there any plans to expand parking? | |
| A: | Borough Council, headed by Mary Jo Pauxtis, has identified this as the number one priority. Council has organized a citizens committee of volunteers to study the downtown area, with the stated goals to increase parking, improve traffic flow, increase pedestrian safety and improve the overall appearance of the area. The first step was to sign a lease for additional parking behind the stores on the South side of Haverford Avenue. The July 1999 Borough Newsletter included a comprehensive questionnaire to be filled out by residents, to gauge the problems perceived by residents. Former Council President Jim Clark heads the Executive Committee of the Downtown Revitalization Committee. The Borough is providing on this website a growing directory of the local businesses with their addresses, phone and fax numbers, hours of service, email address, website address and brief business description, as available. Your Narberth-based business can be listed here too. Please contact Borough Hall for further details. |
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| Q: | What about home-based businesses? Are they permitted in Narberth? | |
| A: | Yes, home-based businesses are allowed. All businesses are required to register with the Central Tax Bureau. Home-based businesses that generate traffic should check with the zoning officer. | |
| Q: | What professional organizations are available in Narberth? | |
| A: | The Lions Club, the Rotary and the Ministers Ministerium. | |
| Q: | How is the police protection for businesses, and are crime statistics available? | |
| A: | The Police Force at the direction of Mayor Grady enjoys an excellent reputation. The police force routinely patrols and checks for open doors and suspicious circumstances. Crime statistics are available in the Borough Office. | |
| Q: | Why should I choose Narberth to locate my business? | |
| A: | Excellent retail environment, dependable transportation, small town environment, efficient government, excellent services and amenities available - lots of reasons to locate here. | |
| Q: | How far is Narberth from Center-City Philadelphia? | |
| A: | Narberth is a short distance from the center of Philadelphia:
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| Q: | What municipal services are available to businesses? | |
| A: | The Borough provides the same services to local businesses as are available to residents. These include: trash and recycling collection, newspaper and cardboard pickup, street lighting, sanitary and storm sewers. Streets are maintained and snow plowed promptly by the highway crew. The downtown business district is swept every weekday by the Borough street sweeper. The Borough maintains the parking meters and maintains the street signs and street markings. | |
| Q: | How active is the real estate market? Are the rates for commercial rentals high? | |
| A: | Narberth is a very hot real estate market, one of the hottest on the Main Line. There is an abundance of local real estate agents ready and willing to represent both the seller and the buyer. Narberth has approximately 1,500 residences including the best mix of starter homes, singles, twins, town-houses and condominiums. Over 100 homes are sold every year, in all price ranges. The market is also very active for commercial properties and rental properties. There are many office buildings with competitive rates for office space. | |
| Q: | How is the traffic in the downtown section? Do my customers have plenty of parking? | |
| A: | Downtown traffic is brisk and supports the many small shops that attract shoppers to Narberth. The town has a good cross-section of businesses important to discriminating shoppers. | |
| Q: | What does the town do to attract shoppers? Is there any cooperative advertising? | |
| A: | Local government cooperates fully with the Narberth Business Association to ensure the success of sidewalk sales, candlelight nights, parades and other community events. Cooperative advertising sponsored by the Business Association appears in local newspapers. Borough Council has actively sought the participation of the business community in listing their business on this website. | |
| Q: | Is there a vision for the future? Are there any major changes I should know about? | |
| A: | Downtown shopping areas in every small community continue to play a key role in the continued success of that community. Narberth is fortunate to have a Borough Council that is listening to residents and business owners in an effort to draft a vision for the future. The Downtown Revitalization Committee, headed by former Borough Council President Jim Clark, constantly revise their vision of the downtown area in response to input from residents. | |
| Q: | How healthy are the surrounding communities? Is there a general trend away from this area? | |
| A: | Narberth is completely surrounded by Lower Merion Township, a first class township with an excellent record of community services and accomplishments. Recently Narberth has formed a task force with Lower Merion Township to study the Montgomery Avenue commercial area. Lower Merion Township has formed a joint venture with the City of Philadelphia to ensure the safety and vitality of the City Avenue shopping areas. Narberth is a little over one mile from the corporate limits of the City of Philadelphia. | |
| Q: | Are there any tax breaks for re-locating my business to Narberth? | |
| A: | At present there are no breaks or rebates available. Montgomery County maintains an Industrial Development Authority, which may have low interest loans available to business owners. In 2001 Borough Council has formed a new Narberth Industrial Development Authority to aid the economic development of the Borough. | |
| Q: | How is the labor market? If I need to hire help, are there plenty of qualified people close by? | |
| A: | Narberth enjoys a very active market of highly professional people. There are many small employers in Narberth - the area is not dominated by a single employer. | |