Answering Your Questions about Rezoning for a Shopping Center on Corner of East Market Street and Mt. Zion Road in Springettsbury Township
Places That Matter in Springettsbury Township
A shopping center is envisioned on the northeast corner of East Market Street and Mt. Zion Road in Springettsbury Township. It is the corner where three 19th Century homes and the iconic Modernaire Motel front the Lincoln Highway; i.e. East Market Street. Spring Lane LLC has proposed rezoning this corner in order to build a shopping center.
The York County Planning Commission voted 5-0 in recommending Springettsbury Township ‘Not Adopt’ the proposed rezoning. The Springettsbury Township Planning Commission will consider the ‘Not Adopt’ recommendation of the York County Planning Commission during their deliberation if Springettsbury Township should nevertheless adopt the proposed rezoning. The next meeting of the Springettsbury Township Planning Commission is Thursday August 20, 2015, at 6:00 PM in the Township Offices, 1501 Mt. Zion Road.
I’ve received many questions related to this rezoning request over the past few months. For the benefit of all my readers, here are the questions that have been asked the most frequently and the answers that I provided.
Are Springettsbury Township and York County meeting agendas available in advance?
For Springettebury Township go to their web site at this link and mouse-over “Agendas and Minutes” in the left column. In the pop-up column mouse-over either “Board of Supervisors” or “Planning Commission,” then click-on the appropriate ‘Agenda Year’ or ‘Minutes Year.’ Click on the date of the Agenda you are interested in. The Agenda is usually loaded several days before the meeting. Here is the direct link to the Planning Commission Agenda for August 20, 2015, at 6:00 PM, where Spring Lane LLC is item 5. D.
For the York County Planning Commission, here is the link to the web site with their agendas.
The most asked questions are “What’s the next step?” and “When’s the next meeting?” The best way to answer those questions is to summarize the meetings to-date, and the upcoming meeting.
May 28, 2015—Springettsbury Township Board of Supervisors Meeting, where Spring Lane LLC initially presented their rezoning proposal. Agenda item 7. B.
June 18, 2015—Springettsbury Township Planning Commission Meeting, where Spring Lane LLC introduced their rezoning proposal. Agenda item 8. B.
July 20, 2015—York County Local Government Advisory Committee Meeting, were the rezoning proposal was reviewed and recommendations made to York County Planning Commission. Agenda item 5. f. At the county level, the Spring Lane rezoning proposal is known as YCPC Project # 15-030.
July 27, 2015—York County Planning Commission Meeting, where the York County Planning Commission Staff Report on YCPC Project # 15-030 was discussed and the Commissioners voted 5-0 in recommending Springettsbury Township ‘Not Adopt’ the proposed rezoning.
August 20, 2015—Springettsbury Township Planning Commission Meeting, where the Spring Lane LLC rezoning request is Action Item 5. D. on the Agenda.
What’s going to happen at the Springettsbury Township Planning Commission Meeting?
I’ve gotten that question several times today. My answer is show up and find out. The Springettsbury Township Planning Commission could choose to send this request back to the Supervisors. The Planning Commission could choose to work on it during the course of their next several meetings. Like I said, show up, be heard during public comment, and find out.
What part did the historic properties play in the York County Planning Commission recommending that Springettsbury Township ‘Not Adopt’ the proposed rezoning?
While the Commissioners and their Staff noted that historic properties were involved, the primary reasons for the ‘Not Adopt’ recommendation are found in the Staff Report handed out at the meeting. Quoting the entirety of the 5 Planning Comments from pages 3-4 of my copy of the Staff Report on YCPC Project # 15-030:
1. The proposed rezoning to (C-H) Commercial Highway is not consistent with the Future Land Use of the Springettsbury Township Comprehensive Plan which designates a majority of the area proposed to be rezoned as Medium Density Residential with Mixed Use along the frontage of East Market Street.
2. The proposed rezoning would create an “island” of the (C-H) Commercial Highway District surrounded by the (N-C) Neighborhood Commercial District and the (R-1) High Density Residential District. It would appear that a “spot zoning” situation would be created.
3. The Town Center Overlay was created and adopted in 2010 to provide for alternative development options for new development in the “town center” and “gateway” areas of Springettsbury Township. During the planning process to create the Town Center Overlay, two district areas were chosen for the “Overlay.” A “gateway” area east of Spring Garden Township along the Mt. Rose Avenue and Haines Road corridors and an area west of the rezoning site along the East Market Street corridor in the “center” of the Township. The amendment proposes to create a third Town Center Overlay which would be disconnected and not an extension of the existing Town Center Overlay located to the west.
4. Rezoning the site to (C-H) Commercial Highway would not be compatible with the surrounding adjacent (N-C) Neighborhood Commercial District and uses, and the adjacent (R-1) High Density Residential District and uses located to the north.
5. Mt. Zion Road and East Market Street are congested high volume traffic roadways. Rezoning the site to (C-H) Commercial Highway with the (T-C) Town Center Overlay would allow higher volume trip generating uses than the uses permitted in the (N-C) Neighborhood Commercial and potentially increase it’s traffic volumes.
Related posts include:
- Mount Zion Commons coming in Spring of 2024
- These Places Matter in Springettsbury Township
- Bloomingdale, a Remarkable Historic Home
- The WEISER Sign in the Attic
- The Modernaire Motel, A Classic on The Lincoln Highway
- Builders of the Modernaire Motel
- Lost Landmark?
- Springettsbury Township does not need a Shopping Center at a Busy Intersection
- Letter to the Editor got Results in Springettsbury Township
- Rezoning Effort continues along Market Street and Mount Zion Corridor
