City of Chester fights illegal dumping with new greening initiative for vacant lots

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A vacant lot at the corner of 9th and Morton streets in Chester was a haven for abandoned and stolen vehicles for years.

The illegal dumping ground was such a free-for-all that a U-Haul rental business set up shop on the gravel lot. Anyone looking to rent a moving truck could call the number listed on a sign advertising the operation.

“People would do long-term parking, just park there. It was just a huge lot,” said Barron Lacy Sr., who has lived in Chester for 35 years. “People would shortcut through it to avoid traffic lights. It was an eyesore.”

Today, the cars and the grey surface are gone, making way for trees and grass. The site is one of 10 city-owned vacant lots that have been converted into green spaces as part of an initiative between the City of Chester and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

“Whoever lives in any community should have the ability to, within a five-minute walk from your front door, be able to enjoy green space,” Chester Mayor Stefan Roots said. “Chester is blessed with over 250 acres of park land, but a few of these parks are very big, and they’re not always convenient, particularly for walkers.”

The sites are just a few of the hundreds of vacant lots in Chester. Widespread urban flight has caused the city’s population to shrink by half since the mid-20th century. Buildings have been abandoned because many residents can’t afford property taxes. And years of disinvestment have led to neglected homes getting demolished.

“Over the years, instead of rehabbing houses, because property values were so low, they would just tear down the house and bury the foundations. They didn’t do it properly,” said Lacy Sr., who also works as a land care specialist for PHS. “I have a house next door to me that needs to be torn down. It’s past being rehabbed.”

Not only are the neglected sites eyesores for neighbors and passersby, but they’ve also become convenient dumping grounds. In 2024, the city collected more than 5,500 tons of trash dumped illegally, according to city officials.

The 10 converted lots, totaling about 100,000 square feet, are located near residential areas, small business hubs and major travel corridors. PHS is working with a local landscaping business to maintain the properties.

“The program really serves as an incubator for landscaping businesses to grow their skills and thrive,” said Melissa Stutzbach, director of land care for PHS.

“So, not only are we improving quality of life, but we’re also investing those funds directly back into Chester and providing that economic opportunity.”

PHS’s LandCare Program has transformed more than 12,000 vacant lots across Philadelphia. The initiative in Chester marks the first time the nonprofit is expanding the program beyond Philadelphia.

The greening efforts in Chester are a part of the city’s Chester Partnership for Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative through the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office to combat gun violence in Chester.

Studies have found that creating green spaces not only improves mental health, but it also reduces overall violent crime. Community members also hope the green spaces will improve air quality in Chester, which faces pollution from incinerators and oil refineries. According to the University of Pennsylvania, the city’s asthma rate is twice the statewide average.

Stutzbach said the new green spaces in Chester will serve as “blank canvases” for residents to create their visions for their communities.

“There’s already been a barbecue held on one of those vacant lots within the last couple weeks. So, community members take advantage of the spaces to get together,” she said. “Kids love to play on our vacant lots. We’ve had weddings on our vacant lots. So, it’s really for community use and benefit.”

Roots said the city is open to development on the properties with the condition that developers replace the greened lots elsewhere in the city.

As for the space at 9th and Morton, the city of Chester had its work cut out encouraging residents to remove the abandoned vehicles. “No Parking” signs were posted on the lot, vehicle owners were contacted, and auto mechanics were informed that the city would tow any cars left behind.

“It was the day that we brought the tow trucks out that it really hit home for those folks that we’re not playing,” Roots said.

The mayor said he’s certain the U-Haul operator is still in business — but not on a city-owned lot.

“Now with it being fenced off and cleared, they wouldn’t think of doing it again, and that’s the objective,” Roots said.

Chester resident Lacy said the lot is now mellow and calming, and he believes the neighbors have already begun to take pride in the space. He said he looks forward to seeing kids playing in the spaces and families hosting barbeques.

“My heart is with youth, and I want to see the youth be able to have a safe space for them to play,” Lacy said.