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Council opens discussion on Cherry Street rezoning; staff to prepare zoning map amendment for public hearing
Summary
Council staff briefed members on a proposed rezoning at the end of Cherry Street from high-density residential (R3) to Urban Mixed Use; the applicant and attorney described a sketch plan for workforce housing with ground-floor commercial space and asked the council to advertise a public hearing at its next meeting.
Council staff and the applicant's attorney on Feb. 5 briefed Carlisle Borough Council on a proposed zoning map amendment to rezone a parcel at the end of Cherry Street from R3 (high‑density residential) to Urban Mixed Use. Staff said the parcel is currently for sale and bordered by parcels already zoned Urban Mixed Use; the applicant seeks rezoning to allow a mix of residential and ground-floor commercial uses consistent with borough planning guidance.
Attorney Hubert Gilroy, representing the applicant, said the property is owned by Jim Kravitz and that the OZ Fund developer Jeremy Finkets (Lancaster) is proposing workforce housing with some mixed-use elements. Gilroy described prior approvals for residential-only development on the site that did not advance and said the applicant has met repeatedly with borough staff and County Planning and appeared before the Borough Planning Commission, which gave preliminary support.
The sketch plan described two three‑story buildings, one with 64 units and a second with 48 units, and potential ground-floor space for medical or counseling offices and daycare. Gilroy and staff emphasized that the submission at this stage is a rezoning sketch plan; a separate land‑development review will follow if the rezoning proceeds.
Councilors and staff raised concerns about parking, traffic and pedestrian safety at the Louder and Cherry intersection, noting heavy student pedestrian crossings and an awkward right-of-way width at the end of Cherry Street. Staff said the zoning-stage review requires only a high-level assessment of safety and congestion; detailed traffic and pedestrian analyses are performed at land-development review. Staff also said the borough may ask the developer to address right-of-way widths if a roadway connection is proposed, but council is not required to accept a new street.
Attorney Gilroy requested the council advertise a public hearing and schedule the item for the council's next meeting; several councilors indicated they expect to vote on advertising the hearing at the next meeting rather than take action at the workshop. No rezoning ordinance was adopted at the workshop; the council's next regular meeting will include a staff memo and a potential motion to advertise the public hearing.
