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Planning commission forwards special-use permit for psychic/fortune-telling shop to Board of Supervisors
Summary
The York County Planning Commission voted to forward a recommendation of approval for a special-use permit allowing fortune-telling and related services at a retail unit on George Washington Memorial Highway, subject to conditions including an updated business license and a sign permit.
The York County Planning Commission on Aug. 13 voted to forward to the Board of Supervisors a recommendation of approval for a special-use permit authorizing fortune-telling services at a retail unit on George Washington Memorial Highway, subject to conditions requiring an updated business license and a sign permit.
Planning staff told the commission the application, filed under resolution PC25-19, seeks to bring an existing metaphysical retail business into zoning compliance by adding fortune-telling services (tarot and medium readings, chakra balancing and related spiritual services) to its permitted activities. Planning staff recommended approval with conditions that include the applicant obtaining an updated business license reflecting fortune-telling services and submitting a new sign permit for the current sign face.
The subject property is in the county’s General Business (GB) zoning district and is part of a roughly 3.8-acre parcel containing two buildings. Planning staff described adjacent uses as the York Assembly of God Church to the north, proposed townhouses for the Yorktown Crescent development to the east, and other general business parcels across Route 17 to the west. The applicant’s unit occupies about 480 square feet; county parking rules require one off-street space per 350 square feet, generating a minimum requirement of two spaces. The applicant has proposed five standard spaces and one handicapped space and has begun striping the lot.
Planning staff said the business has operated under a York County business license since 2021 for retail sales of candles, stones, jewelry and similar items; the addition of fortune-telling services was identified during a site review and requires the special-use permit to comply with the zoning ordinance. Staff told the commission that the proposed permit would bring the use into compliance and recommended forwarding PC25-19 to the Board of Supervisors with conditions addressing licensing and signage.
Jacqueline Marks, the applicant and owner, told the commission she has operated the Psychic Chakra Shop in Yorktown since 2021 and said the shop is “very calm” and “very welcoming.” She said she is “very committed to following all the zoning, all the planning, all the requirements” and that she has begun addressing the county’s requests.
No members of the public spoke during the hearing. Several commissioners said they had no issues with the request. The commission moved to forward PC25-19 to the Board of Supervisors with a recommendation of approval; the motion passed.
The commission packet lists the application address as 7812 George Washington Memorial Highway; the applicant spoke and stated the business location as 7816 George Washington Memorial Highway. That discrepancy is reflected in the record and will be resolved as part of the Board of Supervisors review and permit-processing steps. The Board of Supervisors will consider the recommendation at a future public meeting; county staff said required follow-ups for approval include an updated business license that includes fortune telling and a sign permit for the existing sign face.
