Mercer residents enjoy living in their Victorian homes, but eyebrows are raised when professionals and business people are making a living in them.

Mercer council Tuesday revised the zoning ordinance, so people can both work and live in the Victorian homes. A result of three years of work, the zoning ordinance is the first revision since 1986.

A 1998 community plan indicated the Mercer residents wanted to keep the historical aspects of Mercer, said Dennis Puko, Mercer County Regional Planning Commission executive director.

Yet, "larger, older homes lose their economic viability as homes," Puko said. So, a residential mix zone -- R-3 -- was created for the gateway streets of South and North Erie streets and East Market and West Market streets, which permit low-impact businesses in houses, such as professional offices.

As a result of objections from West Market Street residents and a few council members, a compromised was reached. A R-3 house can only be re-used as a professional office, instead of a new use for a house, Puko said. Also, council must give permission for a re-use of a R-3 house as a professional office or other low-impact business.

Also, screening from other residences must be provided, Puko said.

Also to keep the Victorian flavor in the commercial area, new businesses will be built closer to sidewalks. The new ordinance requires new commercial buildings to be built within 10 feet of the setbacks of neighboring buildings, Puko said.

Because Route 19, or Erie Street, represents the gateway to Mercer County from interstate highways, the ordinance calls for landscaping and vegetarian screening around new businesses along that street, Puko said.

While keeping the Victorian flavor, council also apparently wanted to allow for economic growth in an undeveloped area. The ordinance is open to flexible use of a vacant area along the East Venango Street hill, but with permission of council, he said.

Because the ordinance addresses key objects of the community plan, the planning commission plans to submit it as a candidate for an award by the Pennsylvania Planning Association, Puko said.