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Commission approves Ewing Woods preliminary plat and variances for lot size and setbacks
Summary
The commission unanimously approved a revised preliminary plat for the Ewing Woods development (formerly Sheridan Road), allowing variances including increased block length, reduced lot frontage from 50' to 40', and reduced front setbacks; the developer said 40' frontage is needed due to topography and to meet price points estimated at $300,000–$350,000.
The Lancaster City Planning Commission unanimously approved Dec. 11 a revised preliminary plat and related variances for the Ewing Woods residential development (Case No. 2025.009.03), a project replacing an earlier Sheridan Road submission.
Chasilyn Carter (Community Development) explained the revised plat: Phase 2 covers about 26.28 acres planned for 97 single-family homes; earlier filings had described a multifamily area of roughly 18.43 acres that had been characterized for 264 units (48 townhomes and 216 apartments). Casto, the petitioner, submitted variance requests to increase maximum block length from 1,200 feet to 1,500 feet; reduce minimum frontage from 50 feet to 40 feet; reduce front setbacks from 35 feet to 25 feet; reduce the building setback along the main entry road from 35 feet to 15 feet; and to omit street stubs intended to connect to future rights-of-way.
City Engineer Curt Shonk and Planning staff flagged sanitary sewer and pedestrian access issues during review; Shonk encouraged a clean resubmittal focused on Phase 1 and Phase 2. Developer Christopher Tumblin said topography and economics make 50-foot lots infeasible for the planned single-family product and that reducing frontage preserves roughly 20% of the planned homes. Tumblin estimated the single-family homes would be priced at about $300,000–$350,000 and said they would include garages and front drives.
Andrew Lundell (Planning and Zoning) noted the zoning code requires at least one off-street parking space per unit and that approvals must comply with Planning and Zoning review. Commissioner Bob Lovell asked whether granting a 40-foot frontage would set a precedent; Stephanie Hall (Law Director's Office) replied that variances are site-specific and do not automatically bind future decisions.
Commissioner John Sigafoos moved to approve the variances as requested; Commissioner Sherry Orlando seconded. The motion passed unanimously and was carried by Service Safety Director Carrie Woody. The meeting adjourned at 10:07 a.m.
