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Council holds public hearing on annexation, proponents say site will support advanced manufacturing
Summary
At a Sept. 22 public hearing, proponents urged Lancaster City Council to annex and rezone about 163.43 acres along Route 33 for an advanced manufacturing facility; the city received no oral opposition during the hearing. Planning staff and the Planning Commission have recommended approval.
Lancaster City Council opened a public hearing Sept. 22 on a proposed annexation and zoning map amendment covering roughly 163.43 acres transferred from Greenfield Township, proponents said. Craig Moncrief, attorney for property owner Mark Powers, told council the site on both sides of Route 33 offers direct highway access and a buffer from the city's main residential area and is intended to host an advanced manufacturing facility that would create jobs and expand the tax base.
Moncrief said the application was developed in coordination with city and county officials and that Planning Commission and city staff recommend approval. "This proposal, developed in lockstep with both the city and the county, is necessary to accommodate a planned advanced manufacturing facility," he said.
President Porter invited opponents to speak; none appeared. Porter closed the hearing and confirmed that opponents would have been allowed a rebuttal only if they had previously spoken. At the time of the meeting, the annexation and related zoning ordinances were pending further readings under the council's legislative schedule rather than being voted into law at the hearing.
Why it matters: Annexation and rezoning for large parcels can enable industrial investment but also change land‑use patterns and local service demands. Council members did not debate the merits during the hearing; the record shows proponents emphasizing economic benefits and site suitability.
What happens next: The annexation and zoning measures remain on the council agenda as ordinances at later readings. Council will take any future legislative votes in subsequent sessions according to the city's ordinance schedule.
