Lancaster County reviews UDO draft covering tree preservation, parking, lighting, signs and building design

Lancaster County officials on Thursday reviewed Module 2 of a proposed Unified Development Ordinance, a draft that would change rules for tree preservation, parking, outdoor lighting, signs and building design across the county.

The draft proposes mandatory tree‑save areas, larger parking and landscaping requirements for new development, new outdoor‑lighting zones tied to the International Energy Conservation Code, content‑neutral revisions to the sign chapter to comply with a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision on sign regulation, and updated building‑design standards for commercial and multifamily development. Planning staff said the module is intended as a high‑level overview and that more detailed, chapter‑by‑chapter review will follow.

Why it matters: the Unified Development Ordinance sets countywide development rules that affect where trees must be saved, how much parking and stormwater control developers must provide, what kinds of lights and signs can be used, and the appearance and placement of new commercial and multifamily buildings. Changes to those rules affect property owners, developers and residents countywide, and could alter how projects are designed and permitted.

Planning staff summarized the major proposals. Allison (planning staff) said the draft’s “mandatory tree save area is intended to hit that concept of tree canopy preservation that was a component of the comprehensive plan and we understood was a council priority.” Staff noted a current 10‑foot perimeter buffer that requires evergreens, and said a county tree expert recommended about a 16‑foot buffer to sustain mature evergreens. Staff also said there would be exceptions for…