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Planning commission approves waivers to remove 13 trees at Park City Center, requires replacement planting
Summary
Lancaster City planning commissioners approved two waivers allowing the removal of 13 street trees along Harrisburg Pike and the planting of 26 larger native trees on a separate strip near Plaza Boulevard, after applicant representatives and staff said the relocation preserves urban forestry goals and protects a leased digital billboard; residents urged tree reuse and expressed concern about process.
The Lancaster City Planning Commission on July 1 approved two waivers permitting the Park City Center owner to remove 13 trees along Old Harrisburg Pike and plant 26 larger native trees on a separate right‑of‑way strip near Plaza Boulevard.
Kyle Grinstaff of ELA Group and Pat Derek, representing the mall owner, told the commission the removal is intended to address trees that are beginning to obstruct a leased digital billboard operated by tenant Lamar. Grinstaff said the applicant worked with the city urban forester to identify a replacement planting area and tree species. "We were able to place 26 new trees that would work in that area," Grinstaff said.
Staff explained the request requires two waivers because the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SDO/Saldo) typically prohibits landscape amendments. "There's a section of the SDO that allows for plan amendments and specifically it says that you can't amend landscape," a staff member said, describing the waiver language as tailored to preserve ordinance compliance while enabling the proposed change.
Some commissioners probed species mix and spacing: staff said the existing planting includes six or seven native species installed in spring 2025, with some species maturing in roughly 20 years. The proposed replacement trees are spaced about 50 feet apart, compared with a typical 25‑foot standard, and staff said that spacing leaves room for supplemental plantings if the adjacent parcel redevelops.
Several residents urged alternatives. Tony Dasher, who gave his address as the 700 block of New Holland Avenue, criticized the developer’s emphasis on tax contributions and said tree removal should not be justified primarily by property‑tax status. "That's not a cogent argument for why we would be removing trees," he said. Other commenters suggested donating or relocating the existing trees to organizations such as the Lancaster Conservancy rather than destroying them.
Commissioners moved and voted on each waiver separately. The commission approved an amendment waiver to allow the landscape change and then approved the relocation/planting plan with conditions tied to urban forester approval. Minutes show recorded abstentions and one recorded no vote on the relocation motion; staff will incorporate public comments and urban forester input into the agreements and final plan steps.
The commission said it would pass public comments and the commission’s recommendations on to planning staff for further review and any required conditions prior to final plan recording.
