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Residents press Lancaster council on data‑center zoning and affordable‑housing reforms
Summary
Multiple residents urged council to strengthen a zoning amendment on data centers and to enable single‑room rentals, while a speaker complained city officials denied Right‑to‑Know records related to a water‑main bid tabulation, raising questions about transparency.
Speakers at Lancaster’s June 23 public‑comment period urged city leaders to tighten zoning rules for data centers, expand regulated single‑room rentals to address housing insecurity, and improve transparency around procurement documents.
Frank Arcolio told council he believed the city had misclassified data‑center projects as warehouses, limited public input on community benefits agreements, and omitted planning‑commission recommendations; he said a draft amendment being considered for a second reading appeared weaker than an earlier version. Taylor Raymond asked council to require conditional use for data centers, to delay final passage or adopt a curative amendment, and to give residents more time to review proposed regulations.
Housing advocates raised separate but related concerns. Natalie, an outreach worker with Tenfold, said single‑room rentals provide an attainable first step for people leaving shelters or living on fixed incomes and asked council to explore zoning changes and clear regulations that would allow safe, regulated rooming houses. Resident Perry Hazeltyne praised recent permitting reforms but urged continued focus on homelessness, citing county increases in people experiencing homelessness.
Transparency concerns also surfaced. Arthur Morris returned to council to press unresolved Right‑to‑Know requests relating to a 42‑inch water‑main bid tabulation and engineer’s estimates; he said his request had been denied and that he had not received supporting documentation. Bond counsel and staff responded during the water‑financing discussion that professional estimates and related information had been provided in the meeting packet and discussed in prior public meetings.
What happens next: Council scheduled a special meeting the following day for the data‑center zoning amendment and the ordinance’s final passage; the clerk and staff indicated public materials and packet documents are available online (PenBid for procurement postings) and encouraged follow‑up with city staff for access to records.
