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Council schedules public hearing for Garmin Builders zoning text amendment; hearing earliest Aug. 12
Summary
Millersville council voted to set a public hearing, no earlier than Aug. 12, on a zoning text amendment proposed by Garmin Builders that would add stand‑alone apartments (20% cap), clarify mixed‑use bulk rules, and raise a district height limit to 45 feet.
Riley Notel (counsel for Garmin Builders) and consultants asked council to set a public hearing on a zoning text amendment that would modify the borough’s Traditional Neighborhood Development district to allow stand‑alone apartments (with a 20% tract-area cap), clarify area and bulk regulations for mixed‑use buildings, provide flexibility for perimeter asphalt trails, adjust signage rules for commercial spaces set back from roadways, and raise the maximum building height in the district to 45 feet.
Why it matters: the amendment would add dimensional flexibility intended to accommodate a planned development (the same concept shown to council in February). The sponsors said density would not change, but the amendment would permit stand‑alone apartment buildings in addition to mixed‑use structures and would include dimensional clarifications for porches, lot sizes and similar features.
Council discussed several elements at length. Councilwoman Ager said not all residents support development on the tract and asked for more time to review materials; she also asked whether roundabouts mentioned in the amendment text were relevant to the project. Brandon (consultant) said PennDOT scoping has not been completed and that a roundabout at the entrance is a possible future traffic solution that could affect right‑of‑way and setback needs. Council members also discussed how mixed‑use apartment floors would be treated relative to the 20% cap on stand‑alone apartments; the applicant explained that apartments above commercial were contemplated separately from the 20% limitation on stand‑alone units.
Council authorized the solicitor to forward the ordinance to the borough planning commission and Lancaster County Planning Commission and set a public hearing date; the earliest available hearing date shown was Aug. 12, accounting for required notice periods (the applicants noted a 45‑day review requirement for LCPC). Council voted unanimously to set the hearing and transmit the draft ordinance for review.
Less‑urgent details: the amendment preserves the borough’s preferred mixed‑use buildings, keeps overall density unchanged, and adds flexibility for trail connections along the perimeter to integrate pedestrian improvements with adjacent properties. The applicants said some dimensional items (porch sizes, open‑space metrics) will be finalized in later design stages. Council members and staff will receive and review the solicitor’s and planning‑commission comments before the public hearing.
