Springettsbury supervisors send Galleria Mall zoning text amendment to planning review

Representatives for a planned apartment project at the Galleria Mall asked the Springettsbury Township Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to send a text amendment petition to the planning commission and the York County Planning Commission for review.

Tom Nahilla of Barley Snyder, counsel for Galleria Apartments LLC, described the request as "to basically make that clear that in the event that a flexible development overlay is allowed, it kind of takes precedence over, in particular, the town center over." He said the language would prevent an applicant’s flexible‑overlay approval from being negated by conflicting provisions in an underlying town‑center overlay.

Randall, the township’s director of community development, told the board staff is updating the comprehensive plan and draft zoning ordinance to streamline development at the Galleria Mall site, including a proposed town‑center district that would explicitly permit multifamily residential use. Several supervisors said they supported beginning the formal review but urged caution so the change would not cause unintended effects elsewhere in the township.

Supervisors debated narrower, site‑specific approaches versus broader ordinance changes. “If what’s approved ends up applying across a broader set of parcels, then it could have effects we didn’t intend,” one supervisor said, urging that any text be drafted consistent with the comprehensive‑plan work underway.

The board voted unanimously to accept the petition for review by the Springettsbury Township Planning Commission and the York County Planning Commission, with an amendment to note review under the township zoning ordinance and the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.

Next steps: the petition will be forwarded to the planning bodies for analysis and a public hearing; any final ordinance change would return to the board for decision after the formal review and hearing process.