City and county map development pressures: sewer capacity, subdivisions and need for attainable housing

County and city officials reviewed current development inventories and infrastructure capacity, saying Lancaster is experiencing rapid growth that will require coordinated planning.

Allison Harden, Lancaster County's development services director, told the meeting the county had approximately 53,942 tax parcels as of Jan. 31, 2025, and identified about 188 residential or mixed-use subdivisions in the county with several thousand approved lots. Harden said an estimated 15,000 lots are in a development called Edgewater on the south-to-west side of the county; county staff highlighted that most approved lots are in the southern portion of the county.

Harden cited the county comprehensive plan projections discussed in recent planning work: previous state estimates had suggested Lancaster County could reach 130,000 to 160,000 residents by the early 2030s; the most recent census counted just over 100,000. "We don't have a choice for them coming. They're coming," Harden said of inbound residents. The county is asking where new residents will live, work and how the county will provide roads, sewer and services.

City staff described the City's wastewater capacity and the role of the Walden Sewer District. City presenters said the city's wastewater treatment plant has a daily flow of about 2,500,000 gallons and a permanent permit for 7,500,000 gallons per day; city staff said they have a permit to increase capacity from 7.5 to 11 million gallons and are investing more than $12 million to optimize the plant. The city also identified several subdivisions and projects inside the city limits with planned unit counts: Rosegate (176 lots, mostly built out), Battleton by Arrowood (357 lots, 38 homes built), Granite Falls (278 lots planned; vertical construction expected spring 2026), Scarlet Grove (321 lots), Red Rose Village (approximately 238 units, 62 townhomes), and a former Spring property south of the city proposed for roughly 1,084 units with about 22% townhomes and 14 acres set aside for commercial use.

City staff said about 2,780 potential residential lots are inside the city and emphasized efforts to achieve a mix of housing types and price points, including workforce and attainable housing for households at approximately 60% to 120% area median income ranges. City leaders said attracting commercial development often follows added rooftops, but downtown infill projects require significant building rehabilitation and upfits.

Officials discussed annexation boundaries tied to water and sewer delivery and noted coordination with the Walden Sewer District on who will serve various areas. Both county and city officials urged continued coordination on infrastructure, environmental cleanup (including the Old Spring Mill site) and grant-seeking to make industrial and commercial sites usable.