Planning commission recommends conditional use for Cogito Academy Lancaster charter school

The Lancaster County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of a conditional use permit for Cogito Academy Lancaster, a tuition-free public charter school planned for a 22-acre site off Shiloh Unity Road.

Staff from the planning department described the parcel as zoned professional business with a future land-use designation of municipal growth area and said the application meets technical requirements including required buffers and connectivity to adjacent residentially zoned property. Planning staff recommended approval and told the commission the Technical Review Committee’s comments had been addressed.

The recommendation matters because the commission’s approval sends the application to Lancaster County Council with the commission’s endorsement; council will have final authority on the conditional use permit.

Representatives of Cogito Academy Lancaster told the commission the school will operate as a tuition-free public charter (501(c)(3)) serving kindergarten through eighth grade and is currently planned for up to 1,000 students at the site. Cameron Gill, who identified himself as a project representative, said the applicant family of schools had already enrolled about 200 families during early open enrollment for a temporary site and would answer questions from the commission.

Commissioners focused discussion on traffic and safety at the site entrance, which is adjacent to a sharp curve on Shiloh Unity Road. Several commissioners and residents raised concerns that an entrance so close to the curve could create a hazard during student drop-off and pick-up. William Hines, the civil engineer for the project, said site-triangle analyses and plans for turn lanes show the driveways as clear of the curve and that the westbound and right-turn-in improvements required by the county will be constructed. The applicant added they plan a right-turn-in and an additional westbound right-turn-in to control access and limit roadway conflicts.

Commissioner concerns also included whether events at the racetrack across the street would conflict with school traffic. Applicant representatives said the speedway’s primary racing season is March–October, when schools have summer break, and that race events are held on Saturdays. They also said they met with the speedway owner earlier the same day and did not expect a conflict.

No members of the public signed up to speak for or against the case during the public hearing. After discussion, Commissioner Cureton moved to approve the conditional use permit and Commissioner Henson seconded. The roll-call vote was unanimous; the commission’s approval will be transmitted as a recommendation to Lancaster County Council for final action.

The record shows staff advised the commission that athletic fields and parking lots adjacent to residentially zoned property must include a Type B buffer and that a multi-use trail or vehicular connectivity is required to adjacent residential zoning; those elements were shown on the submitted conditional use plan. The applicant and civil engineer said the project would include the turn-lane improvements on Shiloh Unity Road shown on the plans and that they had met technical review requirements as of the planning staff’s presentation.

The commission’s action is a recommendation to county council; council will consider the permit at a later meeting and may require additional conditions or changes.