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LANSDALE — A new question has come up in talks between Lansdale’s code enforcement staff and the borough planning commission — how to classify structures that are added on to a house for the in-laws?

“The borough has nothing on its ordinances or zoning code about in-law suites: detached accessory structures being used as in-law suites,” said Director of Community Development John Ernst.

Several cases have come in recently, Ernst told the commission, when a family or resident has added a new structure or converted something nonresidential like a garage into living space for family members, and in those cases, staff have directed those residents to submit applications to the borough zoning hearing board for that additional use.

“Basically what’s happening is you’re creating a second residence on a property, which is against zoning (codes) — the same address, two residences,” Ernst said.

Borough staff are looking at a model ordinance developed by Montgomery County officials that addresses accessory dwelling units, and staff have heard that more in-law suite projects may be coming up for approval soon, so the commission could save residents time and money by addressing that type of structure in the code instead of by a sometimes costly trip to the zoning board. Neighboring municipalities’ codes contain provisions that require deed restrictions preventing the in-law suite from being rented for profit by a future owner, and the borough has no mechanism for inspecting those when ownership changes, Ernst said.

“I can see that morphing into an apartment rental real fast when the mother-in-law dies,” said commission member John Chirico, a situation he and staff are trying to pre-empt.

Ernst suggested Lansdale’s codes could specify that a use would revert upon change of ownership and/or require an in-law suite license if the commission would like to see those features written into the code. Since the borough has its own electric department, codes could be written to govern each structure based on the number of electric services, or based on the parking requirements — those detailed questions are what the conversation will address in detail.

“I think it would at least be in our beset interests in looking at how we allow these particular uses to develop throughout the borough — at least using these as models — and also provide some tweaks and refinements that might be specific to Lansdale,” Ernst said.

That ongoing discussion will continue when the commission next meets at 7:30 p.m. on July 14, as will several other long-term conversations Ernst updated the commission on June 16. Staff are preparing a draft outdoor dining ordinance to allow for restaurant use of borough-owned sidewalks that incorporates changes requested by the commission and by borough council’s code committee, Ernst said, and changes include a higher amount on the liability insurance required and a minimal fee for outdoor dining licenses to be renewed each year after review with borough police.

“If there are infractions of the ordinance, or if there are a certain number of complaints, the borough has the opportunity to revoke the license for a period of time, and that can be for the remainder of the season,” Ernst said.

Those permits would likely be processed at the start of each calendar year, in order to simplify the tracking of anniversary dates, and once the ordinance is finalized it would be discussed and voted on by borough council.

Staff are also drafting an ordinance to codify recent talks about the possibility of making undeveloped industrial zones more user-friendly for residential projects, according to Ernst, and those residential projects on industrial properties would have to include “certain amenities such as trails and parks” within any proposal. Similar work is ongoing on an update to the borough’s Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, and Ernst said he and Montgomery County Planing Commission liaison Matt Schelly are looking into different options and formats as they start the 2016 update to the borough comprehensive plan.

Schelly and Chirico both suggested the borough look into developing its comprehensive plan in a map format, citing examples throughout the county of municipalities whose plans are handed out in folding maps that show different goals and objectives visually on a map.

Schelly also suggested staff and the commission look into ways to use the borough’s recently revamped website to build a user-friendly database, where residents and applicants could enter in their address and the database will provide their zoning distinct and options they have for certain projects.

“It’s all tied into parcels, and the parcels all have addresses, and the parcels are all related to the zoning districts, so that could be a nice test for that kind of thing in the future,” Schelly said, and could help make resident requests easier for staff to handle.

Lansdale’s planning commission next meets at 7:30 p.m. on July 14 at the borough Wissahickon Park building, 765 E. Main St., and borough council and its Code Enforcement and Land Planning Committee next meet on July 2 at the North Penn School District’s Educational Services Center, 401 E. Hancock St. For more information or meeting agendas and materials, visit www.Lansdale.org or follow @LansdalePA on Twitter.