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West Hanover resident briefs commission on proposed zoning text amendment; county staff say formal submission will follow
Summary
A West Hanover Township resident, Larry Hatter, informed the commission about a township-submitted text amendment affecting a 17-acre property, wetlands, and an easement; staff said the formal review will occur next month when the township forwards official materials.
A West Hanover Township property owner, Larry Hatter, addressed the Dauphin County Planning Commission on May 5 to describe a proposed township text amendment affecting his 17-acre parcel along Route 22 and Beaver Creek.
Hatter said an existing electrical easement and extensive wetlands constrain development on the parcel, limiting buildable area to roughly half of the site. He described discussions with West Hanover Township officials and the township zoning officer about a proposed text amendment that would allow multifamily units on the first floor in a Commercial Highway (CA) zone — a change the township would permit only if additional open-space or design standards (for example, 50% open space) were met.
"We sat down and discussed it with, they said that a text amendment that would allow multifamily units on the first floor as well as the other floors would be willing to go along with that provided that... at least 50% of open space," Hatter said. He told the commission he expects to return next month once the township transmits the official ordinance package prepared by Saltzman Hughes.
County staff confirmed they had not yet received the formal submission from the township as of the May 5 meeting and told Hatter the matter would be heard by the commission after the township forwards the official materials and the county completes its review.
Why it matters: the proposal would change how commercial-zoned frontage along a state route could be developed on constrained, wetland-impacted parcels. If the township forwards the ordinance, county staff will analyze plan consistency with the county comprehensive plan and provide written comments to the township supervisors.
No formal action was taken at the May 5 meeting; staff and commissioners said Hatter need not appear again until the formal submission reaches the county.
