Carlisle staff outlines broad land‑use reforms on neighborhood retail, noise, EV readiness and data centers

Carlisle planning staff briefed borough council on Sept. 3, 2025, on a package of potential land‑use reforms that would loosen dimensional rules in older neighborhoods, clarify noise standards, add electric‑vehicle readiness requirements for some developments, and set thresholds for industrial uses such as data centers.

Jared Wolfson, director of sustainable community and economic development, said staff’s review examined historic land‑use patterns in established neighborhoods and the ways current zoning treats those areas as if they were suburban developments. Wolfson said that makes many traditional corner stores and small mixed‑use properties nonconforming and forces discretionary review by the zoning hearing board rather than allowing permit approval by staff.

Wolfson said the administration may recommend flexibility on front setbacks and minimum lot dimensions so small additions or conversions that conform to neighborhood patterns can proceed without multiple variances. He described common benchmarks planners use for neighborhood context — 2,500 and 5,000 square feet — and said the code currently allows a 2,500‑square‑foot “neighborhood convenience store,” but the…