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Council postpones City Of Light/ Cross Ridge setback amendment to ad hoc committee after stormwater and density concerns
Summary
Council delayed consideration of proposed reductions to multifamily setbacks in the City Of Light/Cross Ridge development amid council concern over 0-foot setbacks near ponds, potential density increases, and stormwater implications; council sent the matter to an ad hoc development agreement committee unanimously.
Lancaster County Council postponed action on a proposed amendment to the City Of Light (Cross Ridge) development agreement after extensive discussion about setback reductions, stormwater risks, and how the changes could affect residential density.
Planning staff introduced the request as an amendment to allowed setbacks for a multifamily component; the developer representatives said the modification would allow the developer to construct roughly 340 units (the development agreement contains a higher maximum), and cited on-site constraints created by larger-than-anticipated stormwater detention ponds and existing internal road networks.
Several council members expressed concern that reducing a front setback from 75 feet to 10 feet — and allowing a 0-foot setback adjacent to a pond in one location — was unusual and could raise flooding or water-intrusion risks. One council member said, “These setbacks... are very unusual having a 0... setback next to a pond,” and urged staff and the developer to consider moving road alignments instead of altering setbacks. A planning staff member noted the MS4 stormwater requirements changed since the original 2007 agreement and that moving the existing road network would be expensive.
After members requested more detailed visuals and a clearer statement of community benefits, the council voted unanimously to postpone the amendment and refer it to the ad hoc development-agreement committee for negotiation with the Cross Ridge developers.
The ad hoc committee will meet with developers and staff and return recommendations to the council; the postponement preserves council ability to negotiate setback language and any compensating community benefits before subsequent readings.
