York City Planning Commission approves Safe Haven recovery home at 409 West Market Street, allows 16 residents

The York City Planning Commission approved three zoning actions that permit Safe Haven of York, Pennsylvania, Inc., to operate a licensed recovery group home at 409 West Market Street and allow up to 16 residents.

The commission voted to grant a variance to the city’s off-street parking requirement, a variance increasing the allowable group-home occupancy from the 6–8 range to 16 people, and a special exception to permit a group home at the property. The special-exception approval includes a condition that the property revert to multifamily use on any transfer of ownership.

The votes were unanimous. Roll-call tallies recorded Johnson, Velez, Burgos, Davis, Gaines and Moore voting “aye” on each motion; no “no” votes, abstentions or recusals were recorded. The commission noted the item will proceed next to the zoning hearing board, which meets on Thursday.

Courtney Beechler, representing Safe Haven of York, said the property has received a certificate of licensure from the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and will operate as a state-licensed residential facility for people recovering from substance use disorder. Beechler said the facility will offer counseling, life-skills training and peer-support programming and that the application before the commission was for recognition and permission to operate as a licensed group home.

Joe Girdich, director of operations for the applicant, described operations and staffing. “There’ll be someone there 24 7. Absolutely,” Girdich said, adding that he works daytime hours and that house managers live at the property to supervise nights and weekends, conduct drug testing, and manage sign-in/sign-out procedures. He said residents are required to have completed at least 30 days in a residential program before moving in, are expected to attend AA/NA meetings, and are subject to a 10 p.m. curfew.

Staff and the applicant told the commission that bedrooms are set up as individual single-occupancy rooms (no bunk beds), the building has three floors and that the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs inspects the facility for life-safety items such as ladders, fire alarms and extinguishers. Beechler said the applicant had identified off-street parking alternatives to be secured for any resident who brings a vehicle.

A city staff member explained the regulatory difference between rooming houses and state-licensed group homes, saying group homes must register with the state and obtain the DDAP license. The staff member also noted federal housing protections apply to group homes; the commission referenced HUD protections when discussing transfer and use conditions.

Several commissioners and a council member raised concerns about a concentration of recovery services on nearby blocks. Teresa John Askew, identified at the meeting as a council member, said she was “concerned about the concentration” of services in the area and urged the commission to be mindful of neighborhood effects. The commission acknowledged those concerns while noting there was no formal public outcry recorded at the hearing.

During discussion, the commission and staff emphasized that the parking variance request was supported by the applicant’s claim that many residents do not have vehicles and that off-street parking would be secured for any resident vehicle. The motion to approve the parking variance cited Section 1304.01.4.05.002D of the zoning ordinance; the occupancy variance cited Section 1304.01, 1.040.001 B.

The commission’s approvals carry the conditions and appeals processes specified under the city’s zoning code; the planning staff will forward the record to the zoning hearing board for its scheduled review.

Minutes from the commission meeting record that the special-exception approval includes the condition that, on transfer, the property revert to multifamily use rather than remain a licensed group home unless a new owner again secures the required state registration and licensure.