Two ordinances will be up for vote tonight in Jim Thorpe borough.

A proposed zoning ordinance change would aid small downtown businesses when it comes to meeting parking requirements."It would eliminate the need for owners of smaller businesses to go to a zoning hearing, which will save both them and the borough money," said Louis Hall, planning commission chairman. "There is no off-street parking available in the downtown area so it's impossible for the business owners to provide for that. In the past they had to go to a hearing for something that was going to be granted 100 percent of the time."The initial hearing cost for a variance or special exception in the borough is $600.While most businesses will be exempt from having to provide off-street parking, it is not a catchall, Hall said."Obviously, if we have a major hotel or some large entity come in, they will still have to provide off-street parking," Hall said. "This is designed to help the small coffee shops and businesses like that."In a second ordinance up for vote tonight, council will consider reducing the speed limit on Packer Hill.The proposed change would bring the speed limit down to 15 mph from Hazard Square to Chestnut Avenue.Officials have cited safety concerns as the reason for the change.Prior discussion had council considering making the road one-way, but the public had a mixed reaction to the idea.A crash in 2015 forced the borough to take down 150 feet of guide rail.Concrete blocks were installed in its place.Thorpe's meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall along East 10th Street.