Lock Haven council approves first reading to add age‑qualified, veteran housing rules and reduced parking standard

Lock Haven City Council on Feb. 3 approved on first reading Ordinance 2025‑02, an amendment to Chapter 410 of the Lock Haven zoning code that adds specific definitions and rules for age‑qualified and veteran housing and establishes a reduced minimum parking requirement for those uses.

The ordinance was proposed after a Court of Common Pleas appeal (docket number 775‑2024) involving a denial at a zoning hearing board prompted the city to clarify where and how age‑qualified and veteran housing could be permitted. The council voted in a roll call 6–1 to approve the measure on first reading.

City officials told the council and members of the public that the amendment would insert age‑qualified and veteran housing as permitted principal uses in the RL, RH and RM residential districts and set tailored parking requirements for those projects. The draft ordinance sets minimum parking at 0.75 spaces per unit for the targeted uses, plus one visitor space per 10 dwelling units and one space per employee on the largest shift; it also ties certain projects to typical HUD or Pennsylvania…