Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Haven Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves amended Haven development agreement, locks in higher rooftop fees and secures land donation
Summary
After a lengthy debate about public‑safety and school impacts, Lancaster County Council amended the Haven development agreement to raise per‑rooftop payments for public safety and schools, remove a future fee cap clause, and add a land donation; the amendment passed unanimously and the amended agreement passed second reading 6–1.
Lancaster County Council voted to approve the second reading of the Haven Development Project’s development agreement after negotiating higher per‑rooftop payments and adding a proposed land donation to support public safety and other county services.
The council first approved a motion to amend Section 4 of the development agreement to lock in new rooftop payment amounts, remove a clause that would allow future impact‑fee adjustments, and add language for the proposed land donation. Staff described the amended rooftop payments as follows: school district payment of $8,899 per rooftop; sheriff $1,000 per rooftop; EMS $1,000 per rooftop; fire $2,933 per rooftop; parks and recreation $892 per rooftop. The clause allowing future fee adjustments (Section 4.01(d)) was stricken, making the new numbers fixed in the DA.
Miss Williams, planning staff, walked the council through the specific changes: "Section 4.01b, funds for public safety — the sheriff is currently listed at $1.38; they're agreeing to make that $1,000 per rooftop. EMS is $1.28 and will be moved to $1,000; fire is $1,053 and will be moved to $2,933," she said, while confirming the school payment would remain at $8,899 per rooftop.
Why it matters: Council members repeatedly framed the votes around the cost of growth to county services. Planning staff presentations during the meeting and prior committee discussion highlighted multi‑million‑dollar estimates for ongoing operating costs and capital needs tied to build‑out of the project area. Council members said locking the rooftop fees and securing land donations helps ensure developers contribute to the costs their projects will create.
The amendment to strike the future‑adjustment clause and set the rooftop fees was approved unanimously. The main motion to approve the development agreement as amended carried 6–1 (Mister Luis opposed). Several council members said the amendment and the donated land address long‑standing concerns about whether development will pay for new public‑safety and infrastructure needs.
Next steps: Staff said the revised development agreement language will be prepared for the third reading, and the county will add precise acreage and wording for the land donation into the DA before final passage.
