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York County Council approves administrative adjustment procedure to zoning code
Summary
Council approved a text amendment allowing staff to grant limited numerical deviations (up to 10%) from quantitative zoning standards to avoid unnecessary hardship, with exclusions for sensitive standards; planning commission had recommended approval 7-0.
York County Council on first reading approved a zoning text amendment that creates an administrative adjustment procedure allowing staff to grant limited deviations to quantitative development standards.
John Buono, a county planning staff member, told council the change would let staff approve “small deviations” — for example, up to 10% less lot frontage or minor increases for accessory-unit area — without requiring a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals. “The goal of the ordinance is to introduce a new administrative procedure where staff could approve small deviations and quantitative standards in the code,” Buono said.
The amendment would exclude several sensitive standards — overlay district standards, special PD district standards, lot size/density and use separation — from administrative adjustment and establishes approval criteria to limit impacts on neighbors and ensure requests remain consistent with area character. Buono said the change keeps York County roughly aligned with neighboring jurisdictions; Richland County, for example, allows 10% deviations.
Council members who spoke in favor said the measure should save applicants time and money and reduce board workload. “I think it just common sense to planning, common sense to government, common sense to do just doing business,” Councilman Rodney said. Councilman Andy Litton asked staff to clarify the likely timeline; Buono said staff anticipated a short review similar to zoning compliance requests, on the order of two weeks for straightforward cases.
Council members also asked staff to return before second reading with additional details: specifically whether the procedure could also apply to minimum lot-size situations and a recommended fee to cover staff time. Buono said staff would evaluate whether lot-size standards should be added and suggested a modest fee similar to existing zoning compliance fees might be appropriate.
The council voted in favor; the public hearing was closed before the motion to approve. The planning commission recommended the amendment by a 7-0 vote. The ordinance advances the county’s strategic goal to simplify the code and provide solutions to identified code issues.
The council requested staff follow up with the requested cost estimate and legal analysis on whether lot-size minimums can be included before second reading.
