[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6475653,"mediaKeyId","5732219-3ed78dc40ddd840ccdf71d17c742ac57","parentId",5732219,"title","Commission declines to recommend on 371 West Philadelphia Street zoning appeal after lengthy public testimony","audioSeconds",4056,"startMs",1521000,"endMs",5577000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732219-3ed78dc40ddd840ccdf71d17c742ac57&start=1521&end=5577","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732219-3ed78dc40ddd840ccdf71d17c742ac57/thumbnail_1521000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6475653/York-City/York-County/Pennsylvania/Commission-declines-to-recommend-on-371-West-Philadelphia-Street-zoning-appeal-after-lengthy-public-testimony","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475653-ee5c60053655ca04c9c5a3b656bb43a4/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607825&Signature=j45wysvofvsGXHDOmMvt0uAS4vpj97Ujdm8foavS9CHYGawz2rlSlsFbs-A-7eMhgPHiio1nGkAQWq5UFMV2EzDu~kQk478ALGdA--lIHSWMirKm-ioZ6tTer2V5TF7iDwaQ66zFXoca304kPTDNADx5O--R6LPNElGJaXUf1cmimueOp2Eq2IjIwVl5bKn9kLTBwxt7IftvKOcNIBelRAIBlUYnNssDVg6plU13put~K7Ey54lCPh0apQSV7BIH6hHMaU4WraFQYhIUCs4OfkXcDqFDL44uB18rnQ8y5k7p8w0ukwjCvc4FF0X-SzycG-GenfB2auj7nU~QR0ENqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","York City, PA","date","2025-09-08T17:28:53Z","article","After extended testimony from property owners, the applicant and several neighbors, the York City Planning Commission on Tuesday voted to make no recommendation to the Zoning Hearing Board on an appeal and related variance for 371 West Philadelphia Street.

The case centers on a garage on West Philadelphia Street that the current owners say has been used for truck and hydraulic repairs since at least 1986 and was purchased by their clients in 2023. The owners and their attorney, John Ogden, argued the site is a valid nonconforming commercial use that was not abandoned when the long‑time operator died in 2021. The property’s current tenant, Nathaniel (Nick) Cheatham, said he sought an occupancy permit to operate a repair and programming business and later received a zoning determination letter that prompted the appeal and a parallel variance request.

City staff and multiple neighbors raised competing claims. Staff said the city’s zoning officer found the current activities exceed the scope of a historic hydraulic‑repair operation and may now be classified under the broader motor‑vehicle sales, repair and rental use — a category the zoning officer concluded would not be permitted in the surrounding UN‑2 residential district without relief. Residents and adjacent business owners argued about the nature of past uses: some neighbors said the site historically repaired pallets and hydraulic jacks, not full vehicles, and expressed concerns about parking, noise, and impacts on the nearby historic neighborhood.

Several nearby property and business owners — including Charles Miller of Miller Brothers Vacuum Cleaner Hospital — told the commission they do not recall vehicle repairs at the site and said additional customer parking and vehicle storage would worsen an existing shortage of on‑street parking in the block. The property owners and applicant countered that the building retains truck‑scale doors, ceiling hoists and an interior layout consistent with vehicle service and that the business historically accepted quick drop‑off and pick‑up service.

Tammy Harvey Basset, director of Economic and Community Development, addressed the commission and said the city must verify building‑code and zoning records with the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) and the city’s building‑code official before recommending a position; she recommended the commission allow the zoning process to proceed with zoning staff and UCC review.

After discussion, commissioners voted to make no recommendation to the Zoning Hearing Board, a procedural outcome that leaves the zoning appeal and variance to the Zoning Hearing Board for a de novo decision. The roll call on the motion to not make a recommendation recorded unanimous support from members present.

The case will proceed to the Zoning Hearing Board, where the parties may present evidence on whether the prior use was nonconforming and whether abandonment occurred, and where the variance request (if still necessary) will be considered under the ordinance’s hardship and minimal‑variance standards. The commission’s record notes that staff looked for evidence of change of use and that a key legal standard cited in discussion was the zoning ordinance language stating a nonconforming use may be presumed abandoned when associated operations cease for more than one year unless intent to continue the use is shown.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","York City Planning Commission Board Meeting 9/8/2025","oneSentenceSummary","After extended testimony and neighborhood comment, the York City Planning Commission voted to make no recommendation to the Zoning Hearing Board on a dispute over the use of 371 West Philadelphia Street, leaving the appeal and variance decision to the zoning board.","taxTitle","York City, York County, Pennsylvania","taxId",4891,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6475658,"Planning commission recommends conditional approval for redevelopment of former Dentsply campus, asks parties to resolve recreation fee and pump-station easment",1370,136000,1506000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732219-3ed78dc40ddd840ccdf71d17c742ac57&start=136&end=1506","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732219-3ed78dc40ddd840ccdf71d17c742ac57/thumbnail_136000.jpg","/articles/6475658/York-City/York-County/Pennsylvania/Planning-commission-recommends-conditional-approval-for-redevelopment-of-former-Dentsply-campus-asks-parties-to-resolve-recreation-fee-and-pump-station-easment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475658-7a66d1b6bdc6ed8cc3c59e75804cf7a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607825&Signature=ju7nra~oKFKWt8DHFOjfFEE1c38sMBYthginFSAgBum0rkqUg44BuwWpNLYN8amRqIRAF15E9OHa03vyLCV2gnjveSMesHxL1lOtiHE9ooKAERnCK7tEdxGRWwvp4rPDPsNJKkV7gg1eblGg8kIRsDJnwVq9ZQVSu9FT4sWlGhiOTBUToTM26T3EG2E867a-Z~Ah8vJFB0W2LQfWgdfE56E9QB5Ui3Z27NHnnVHXGcHrxm6DvU78wSGJaXAfH5H2USN7cxi9FwLF65Mvdj1O6doDzxQQlZfvahK1wSodBycj3UOR33T0jwBYEENz3ZAelw1rePtOxIyTkoGWt8Mxew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The York City Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended conditional approval of two linked land‑development plans to redevelop the former Dentsply campus along College Avenue, but commissioners said outstanding engineering comments — in particular a recreation-fee calculation and an easement for a stormwater pump station — must be resolved before the plans advance to City Council.

City staff told commissioners it had identified two “big items” that remain unresolved: the computation and possible payment of a recreation fee in lieu of on‑site public recreational space, and a dedicated easement or subdivision agreement to assure long‑term access to a pump station at the southeast corner of the site. Staff recommended tabling the items until those issues were resolved, but the commission voted instead to grant several conditional approvals and waivers and to require the outstanding items be satisfied before final approval is transmitted to council.

The proposals cover two separately filed plans on adjoining parcels west of Grantley Road. York Realty Partners is proposing a conversion of the former campus buildings at 500 West College Avenue (branded in the filing as “The Lofts at York Creek”) into 178 residential units with some commercial space, and a new infill subdivision on the adjacent lot at 550 West College Avenue (the “Towns at York Creek”) for 62 townhomes. Joe Stein, the project manager, told the commission the applicant seeks to “repopulate that portion of the city” and has coordinated with the York County Economic Alliance on extending the Codorus Creek Trail through the site and transferring land for the trail.

Stein described amenities for residents and the public, including internal courtyards and rooftop decks, and said the project team has tried to negotiate options for satisfying the city’s subdivision and land‑development ordinance requirement for public recreational space. ‘‘We’ve been trying for several weeks, if not months, to try and resolve the recreation fee issue,’’ Stein said, noting that the ordinance’s formula and its application to dense infill redevelopment created ambiguity about whether on‑site space, off‑site improvements (such as trail extension), or a fee in lieu should apply.

Staff and the applicant also discussed a stormwater‑related pump station at the southeast corner of the property that is currently accessed through the former Dentsply parking lot. Stein said the project team had been coordinating with Bukart Horn (the trail engineer) and the York County Economic Alliance to accommodate service access along the Codorus Creek Trail, but that no easement or recorded right‑of‑way currently appears on the development plans. The commission required that an appropriate easement or access plan be recorded or otherwise resolved before final approval can be sent to council.

Commissioners voted to waive the preliminary‑plan stage and to recommend approval of the preliminary plan for 500 West College Avenue; they then voted to recommend approval of the final land‑development and subdivision plan for 500 West College Avenue conditioned on resolution of the outstanding engineering comments and the recreation fee. For 550 West College Avenue the commission approved waivers including (1) a waiver of the preliminary plan, (2) a waiver of the 75‑foot clear‑site triangle on internal streets (reduction to 45 and 30 feet at stop‑controlled intersections was requested), and (3) a waiver tied to projects greater than one acre. The commission also recommended final approval for 550 West College Avenue conditioned on the same two outstanding items: satisfactory engineering comments and payment or negotiated accommodation of the recreation fee.

Commissioners and the applicant discussed a limited set of engineering and zoning waivers requested for the townhome plan, including a requested variation from the stormwater‑management requirement and the clear sight‑triangle reduction on internal streets; Stein said the Fire Department had reviewed vehicle‑tracking plans and that staff had reviewed most engineering comments.

A member of the public, James Campbell, asked about the status of several small, unimproved grass lots in the neighborhood; Stein said York Realty Partners is not acquiring those unimproved lots and that some parcels will remain with the Redevelopment Authority of York for future action. The commission’s approvals were by roll call; votes recorded for the motions to recommend approvals and waivers were unanimous on the board members present.

The commission’s conditional approvals mean the projects can move forward in the review process but will not be transmitted to City Council until both the recreation‑fee issue and the pump‑station easement/access are resolved and the outstanding engineer comments are satisfied.

Votes recorded during the meeting reflect the commission’s conditional path forward: the body approved preliminary waivers and motions to recommend final plan approval conditioned upon satisfaction of engineering comments and recreation‑fee arrangements. The applicant and staff said they intend to continue negotiating the recreation‑fee calculation and the trail/pump‑station access plan ahead of the next review steps.

The commission’s recommendations now become part of the administrative record sent to City Council and to permitting staff; the council and the city engineer will review the engineering corrections, easement language, and any fee‑in‑lieu calculation prior to final municipal approvals.

","The York City Planning Commission recommended conditional approval Tuesday of land-development plans to convert the former Dentsply campus into 178 loft units and 62 townhomes, but flagged unresolved recreational-fee calculations and a pump‑station access easement that must be settled before the projects go to City Council.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6475648,"Votes at a glance: York City Planning Commission actions on variances, conversions and blight certifications",8711,1511000,10222000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732219-3ed78dc40ddd840ccdf71d17c742ac57&start=1511&end=10222","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732219-3ed78dc40ddd840ccdf71d17c742ac57/thumbnail_1511000.jpg","/articles/6475648/York-City/York-County/Pennsylvania/Votes-at-a-glance-York-City-Planning-Commission-actions-on-variances-conversions-and-blight-certifications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475648-4efea6589d48e21e8414ca0a1d64fe40/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607825&Signature=JrRFB2npNEMVafY5qPdVMkNLw2SLIBDp2qHZnoPW2~pTqmDP3Tb7yjMQh6PGaLzCY7MelntKaPnQplP5HlCpPEiCXdFUc9NFyPyY0hGj3~UgVSUIG0cLJuFjGRpi7m~Z9DMF3Y43PsmqsIAJLnrKV4nYfpF-rXhIMOENMzLLFPlcRBocYDjCPTl6EmCdjC2jazswgdJtWl1OylEaaxqFXvpO5iLCVXzyGp5gUmUhANrj-tZWuU~QAnNbrkU3Gn9FGmxyXczW4XfwjDPh5hAuc9OP5ZpUNjUAQrQdG~HES2hpRmks5QBVVzEEJzgV1fy-~SoDFjwfQie7GpKnOJKOUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The York City Planning Commission on Tuesday handled a sequence of zoning variances, special‑exception requests and blight certifications. Below is a concise summary of formal actions the commission took and the outcomes recorded by roll call. Where a vote count or mover/second was recorded in the transcript, it is noted.

Key zoning motions and recommendations

- 51 Hamilton Avenue (day spa): The commission recommended approval of a use variance to operate a day spa and approved a parking variance reducing the required off‑street spaces; both motions passed by roll call.

- 204 South Albemarle Street (conversion to two units): The commission recommended approval of a definition variance and a dimensional variance to allow conversion of a single‑family dwelling into a two‑unit multifamily dwelling, and it approved a variance to waive the special‑exception requirement that a property be vacant for two years. The commission also recommended approval of the special exception to permit multifamily use; all motions passed by roll call.

- 227 Springdale Road (motor vehicle sales/repair): After applicant testimony, the commission recommended approval of a variance to allow motor‑vehicle sales, repair and rental at this UN‑2 property and also approved a variance to reduce the number of off‑street parking spaces required; both motions passed by roll call.

- 26 other routine or site‑specific variances were handled in sequence (see actions list below). In several cases the commission discussed the property’s prior commercial use and the similarity to earlier construction or vehicle‑oriented operations before voting.

Blight certifications

The commission certified multiple properties as meeting the city’s blight criteria (examples recorded in the meeting): 33 East South Street; 32 East Maple Street; 230 Grantley Street; 21 Columbia Avenue; 541 West King Street; 910 West Poplar Street; 344 South Pershing Avenue; 47 Columbia Avenue; 222 South Sherman Street. For each property the commission found the photo evidence and staff letters justified certification under the criteria discussed (typically: unsafe/dilapidated condition, vacant greater than one year and/or public‑safety concerns). Several owners have submitted or signaled intent to submit permits or appeals; certification activates the city’s next administrative remedies under the blight ordinance and gives staff authority to pursue correction or demolition options consistent with statute and municipal code.

Other procedural outcomes

- 371 West Philadelphia Street: After extended testimony, the commission declined to make a recommendation to the Zoning Hearing Board and voted to leave the appeal/variance for the zoning board’s de novo review.

- Several items that required coordination with the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) or building‑code staff prompted staff and the commission to request additional investigations prior to final approvals (sample: cases that implicated hazardous materials, fire‑risk concerns or permit history).

What happens next

Approved recommendations will be forwarded to the Zoning Hearing Board or City Council as applicable. Certified blight properties will enter the city’s enforcement workflow; owners may file appeals or submit permits to cure violations. For cases that required additional verification, staff indicated it will work with applicants and the UCC/building‑code office to provide additional information to the appropriate hearing body.

Complete list of formal actions (as recorded in meeting transcript)

(Only actions recorded in the transcript are listed. For each item, the commission’s recorded vote is shown where available.)","At its meeting the commission recommended approval of several variances and special exceptions for small commercial and residential conversions, approved motor‑vehicle use variances for two properties with parking variances, and certified a set of vacant properties as blighted for follow‑up enforcement.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission declines to recommend on 371 West Philadelphia Street zoning appeal after lengthy public testimony

Planning commission recommends conditional approval for redevelopment of former Dentsply campus, asks parties to resolve recreation fee and pump-station easment

Votes at a glance: York City Planning Commission actions on variances, conversions and blight certifications