To open a restaurant in Cheltenham Township:

Contact the Montgomery County Health Department Willow Grove office to  speak with Jackie Daley  (215-784-5415). She will ask questions and send to you a Plan Review Packet. Once that packet is completed, contact Jackie Daley again to ask for a Plan Review Coordinator.  Once the Plan is approved, a Health Department License should be issued. 

Cheltenham Township offers many advantages for businesses:

• Location, Location Location
  Cheltenham is an anchor point for Montgomery County, one of the wealthiest counties in the nation. Plus, our Township is only 20 minutes from Center City, Philadelphia.
• Technology
  From ISDN to fiber optics, Cheltenham has the communications system in place to allow businesses to provide state of the art services to their customers and business partners.
• People
  Cheltenham is home to a diverse, highly educated, professional and stable residential population.
• Business Friendly Attitude
  The Township has an Economic Development Task Force to work with businesses to develop new strategies and aid ongoing commercial efforts.  The task force meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Township Administration Building. Since 1998, the Township has also participated in the Main Street Program, which offers additional programs and benefits to businesses located within five designated commercial districts.

If you are considering starting a new business or relocating an existing business, please contact Main Street Manager Ruth Littner Shaw at 215-887-6200, ext. 113, for information and assistance. The following checklist will also help guide new business owners.

Checklist for Establishing a Business in Cheltenham Township

Determine Type of Use:

__ Determine if the proposed use is a permitted use by right within the zoning district or if the proposed use requires a zoning variance or special exception from the Zoning Hearing Board. If it is not permitted by right, action by the Zoning Hearing Board will be required.

__ Determine if there were any prior zoning variances or special exceptions granted for the property and if the proposed use can comply with the conditions of the prior Zoning Hearing Board decision (if any).

__ Determine if the building is a non-conforming (grandfathered) use. If so, determine if the proposed use meets the terms of the prior non-conforming use or if it is an expansion.

Determine Zoning Issues:

__ Cheltenham Township’s parking requirements are as follows:
● Retail/Office/Wholesale uses require at least one parking space for each 200 feet of floor area (or fraction thereof) not including basements used for specific use.
● Restaurants require one parking space for every 100 square feet of gross floor area, including kitchens and storage areas. For more specific information, see Section 295-221 of the Township’s Zoning Ordinance.

__ The Township’s Zoning Ordinance also governs size, quantity, number and placement of signage. A sign permit and a Certificate of Appropriateness will be required for changes to existing signs and for any new signage.

Permits:

__ If any construction, alteration, repair, removal or demolition are contemplated to the interior or exterior of an existing building, a building permit and inspection will be required. NOTE: Property owners who start work before obtaining the required permit(s) will have to pay double the standard permit fee in addition to facing possible fines.  A construction drawing depicting the proposed alterations or tenant fit-up plan must be filed with the building permit application to the Township’s Department of Engineering, Zoning & Inspections.

__ If the building or property is located in either of the historic districts, LaMott or Wyncote, proposed changes to the exterior of the building, including changes to existing or new signage or lighting, must be reviewed by the corresponding Board of Historical and Architectural Review (BHAR).

__ The Township Zoning Officer determines if a use and re-occupancy inspection will be required for the proposed use(s).

__ The Township Fire Marshal determines if a fire inspection and/or a sprinkler protection system are required.

Licenses:

__ If the proposed use is permitted by right as determined by the Zoning Officer, the next step is to obtain a license(s) from the Township’s Finance Department. A Mercantile License is required for a retail, wholesale, or restaurant business. A Business Privilege License is required for service businesses such as physicians, lawyers, dentists, accountants, etc., or for any work performed on a commission-basis or a home business.

__ Restaurants and other food handling establishments require a license from the Montgomery County Health Department. Contact the department  215-784-5415 to request a Plan Review Packet.  Once the packet is completed, call again for a Plan Review Coordinator who must approve the plan before a license will be issued.

New Construction:

If the proposed use requires the construction of a new building, then the site design and planning standards set forth in the Township’s Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance need to be followed. An applicant must submit a professionally engineered site plan and subdivision application to the Township’s Department of Engineering, Zoning & Inspections for review and approval.

Contractor Registration:

__ Contractor registration provisions and registration fees depend on the type of work.

__ All contractors, subcontractors, master electricians, master plumbers, HVAC contractors, journeyman and apprentices must be licensed annually by the Township’s Department of Engineering, Zoning and Inspections.

Township Contacts:

Ruth Littner Shaw, Main Street Manager
215-887-6200, ext. 113
          ● Cheltenham Township Main Street
          ● Facade Enhancement Program
          ● Commercial District Enhancement Plan

Carmen Reitano, Assistant to the Director of Engineering, Zoning & Inspections
267-809-1811 or 215-887-6200, ext. 213

● Use & Occupancy Permits and Inspection
● Zoning Hearing Board Determinations &  Information
● Sign Permits
● Building Permits & Inspections
● Plumbing Permits & Inspections
● Electrical Permits & Inspections
● Contractor License & Registration
● LaMott and Wyncote Historic District Boards of Historical and Architectural Review (BHARs)
● Fee Schedules for all required permits and inspections

Joseph W. O'Neill, Fire Marshal
215-887-6200, ext. 235

● Fire Inspection (including potential sprinkler requirements)

Elizabeth McBride, Director of Fiscal Affairs
215-887-6200, ext. 145

● Mercantile and Business Privilege Licenses

Bryan T. Havir, Assistant Township Manager
 215- 887-6200, ext. 112

● Economic Development Task Force
● Historic Preservation