Lancaster County Council approves first reading of new "retreat center" use after applicant-backed changes

Lancaster County Council voted to approve on first reading an amendment to the county’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) to add a new “retreat center” use for agricultural (AR) and rural residential (RR) zoning districts, adopting the applicant’s version of the ordinance at the request of the applicant and following discussion of buffers, parking and lodging types.

The change would create a new UDO section describing retreat-center activities — indoor/outdoor spiritual, cultural or educational programming; short-term and in-residence lodging (lodge, tiny homes, cabins); shared kitchens; event-venue and wedding uses; staff residences; and accessory services such as waste management and small on-site retail that serves guests. Planning staff described proposed density limits (for example, maximum cabins/tiny homes per acre and limits on main buildings) and parking options during the presentation to council. The applicant asked that the ordinance text reflect existing AR/RR practice regarding buffers and use the event-venue parking standard of one space per 500 square feet.

Why this matters: The UDO change creates a new, codified use category that county property owners and prospective operators can use without pursuing a site-specific rezoning. Council members debated how to balance flexibility for applicants with protections for neighboring properties — chiefly whether to require a planted buffer along parcel boundaries and how to set parking standards.

Key details and council discussion

- Staff presentation: Allison Hardin (planning staff) summarized the draft language and explained the rationale for limits on lodging density and for two parking options: an assembly-hall standard the planning commission recommended (1 space per 80 sq. ft.) and the event-venue standard (1 per 500…