Planning Commission Approves Variances and Special Exception for 318 East Poplar Street Conversion

The York City Planning Commission on the current agenda approved multiple zoning actions to permit conversion of a former church at 318 East Poplar Street into multifamily housing, approving a definition variance, a dimensional variance, a parking variance and a special exception.

Staff presented case 5‑2026‑Z‑V for 318 East Poplar Street in the UN‑2 (urban residential neighborhood) district and recommended denial of the definition and dimensional variances and of a request to reduce required off‑street parking; staff said, however, that a special exception to permit multifamily conversion would be appropriate if the variances were granted.

Applicant Juan Cislao Garcia told the commission he purchased the property in October and described the building layout: the first floor had been used as a church, the second floor as offices and the third floor already had an approved apartment. Garcia said his plan is for one apartment per floor (three units total). He acknowledged that if the project became four units he would need to install a sprinkler system.

Commission discussion focused on whether the first floor should be retained for community or commercial use and on building‑code and parking implications. A commissioner raised the point that the building had been a church within the last six months and suggested attempting to lease the first floor to a community use before converting it to apartments.

Votes and outcomes: the commission approved the definition variance to permit multifamily conversion (roll call: Johnson Aye; Wolf/Wolfe Nay; Burgos Aye; Gaines Nay; Moore Aye — 3–2). The commission then approved a dimensional variance to allow conversion to a three‑unit layout (roll call resulted in a majority Aye). It also approved a variance to reduce the required off‑street parking and approved the special exception allowing multifamily use in the UN‑2 district; roll calls on those items showed a majority in favor (motions carried).

Staff reminded the applicant that converting a formerly nonprofit facility requires notifying city and county authorities that the property is no longer used as a 501(c) nonprofit. The commission recorded the votes and carried the motions; staff closed the case and announced the withdrawal of an unrelated case at 750 East Philadelphia.

Outcome: Definition and dimensional variances, the parking variance, and the special exception for multifamily conversion at 318 East Poplar Street were approved by the Planning Commission, subject to any permit and building‑code requirements that follow.