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Planning commission recommends approval of multiple variances for LifePath shelter project
Summary
After attorney presentations and technical discussion, the Planning Commission recommended approval of a batch of variances for LifePath’s proposed emergency shelter across five parcels (West Philadelphia Street and North Hartley Street), covering parking, setbacks, impervious surface and loading requirements; staff had urged denial of many of the variances.
The York City Planning Commission on its zoning docket recommended approval of a set of technical variances to permit LifePath Christian Ministries’ proposed emergency shelter project that spans multiple parcels on West Philadelphia Street and North Hartley Street.
Staff opened the case and detailed 11 variance requests across five parcels, concluding with recommendations of denial for the listed variances (including surface parking, off-site parking to serve a shelter, interior landscaping, maximum impervious surface, front building setbacks, required parking counts and loading berths). In response, Chris Vedder, attorney with the law firm Morris and Vedder, told the commission the application involves an integrated project of two tracts and that many of the requests are technical variances needed to "make this wonderful project come alive." Vedder proposed conditions, including restrictive-deed language and combined tract descriptions, to ensure parcels remain tied together for the project.
Vedder summarized submitted materials (narrative, floor plans, redacted sales agreement, subdivision waiver requests) and explained how supplemental parking on tract 2 to the south of West Philadelphia Street would serve the facility on tract 1, noting that North Hartley Street is a signalized intersection providing a controlled pedestrian crossing.
Following presentation and limited questioning, commissioners made and passed a sequence of motions recommending approval of the variances, including motions for a parking surface lot variance, off-site parking to serve the emergency shelter, reductions to interior landscaping requirements, allowances for maximum impervious surface, front-building setback variances, reduced required parking counts, parking in setbacks and front yards, and a variance for required loading berths. Each motion passed on roll call with members present recorded as "Aye." Commissioners and the project team exchanged follow-up procedural clarifications about land development and stormwater approvals being handled in a separate process.
The commission’s recommendations will be forwarded to the zoning hearing board, which will hold the final hearings and issue determinations on the requested variances.
