City of York council adopts updated comprehensive plan after yearlong public process

The City of York council voted to adopt an updated comprehensive plan on March 19, 2026, following a public hearing and a presentation by RDG Planning & Design.

Amy Hazy of RDG told the council the update grew from roughly a year of outreach and analysis. "We started this process about approximately when ... March 6th," she said, and the project included listening sessions, a design workshop, an interactive map and an open house that together generated roughly 1,600 website visits and community input. Hazy described a principal shift in the land-use chapter toward an "intensity" framework that emphasizes compatibility by density, traffic generation and external effects rather than rigid use silos.

The plan identifies downtown-focused "opportunity sites," including a gateway/open-space concept and a library‑adjacent area envisioned for small performance or event uses, and recommends more flexibility for residential types in appropriate neighborhoods. Dr. Crawford and planning staff said the document is intended to guide, not replace, zoning; some code amendments may be needed later to implement recommendations.

Councilmembers closed the public hearing after no members of the public asked to speak and then moved to approve the plan. The motion carried on roll call with affirmative votes recorded by council members present. The council directed staff to follow up on implementation steps tied to zoning and engineering where necessary.

Next steps identified by staff include reviewing existing zoning for consistency with the plan's recommendations and seeking any targeted code changes needed to implement the plan's focus-area concepts, parking and pedestrian improvements, and downtown design priorities.