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Commission recommends special exception for 'York Taste and See Center' at 47 Northwest Street
Summary
The planning commission recommended approval of a special exception to allow World Taste and See Ministries to operate a community center at 47 Northwest Street and also recommended a parking variance; staff had recommended denial of the community-center special exception.
The York City Planning Commission recommended approval of a special exception to allow a community center at 47 Northwest Street and, in a separate motion, recommended a parking variance supporting that use.
Staff opened the case by reading the application and stated that staff recommended denial of the special exception to allow a community center in the UN-2 district and recommended denial of related variances. Corine Knight, who identified herself as "president of the board of World Taste and See Ministries," described the group's outreach work and plans for the property, which the ministry proposed to name the York Taste and See Center. Knight said the building would host a resource center with hygiene supplies and clothing, hot meals, after-school programming, youth events and discipleship classes.
"We plan to... make sure that there are less than 30 people in the building at all times," Knight told commissioners when describing building use and neighborhood impacts. Bill Collins, a professional engineer supporting the application, said phase one of the project would include a kitchen, restrooms, a modest activity space and code compliance oversight during design.
Knight said volunteers have used parking at By His Mercy Ministry nearby and that the ministry does not anticipate adding street lighting or enlarging the structure. She said the group has collected supportive signatures from neighbors and that opening the property to the public will depend on donations and grants; Knight added the ministry must secure site ownership before applying for grants.
Despite staff’s recommendation, commissioners moved to recommend approval. A motion to recommend approval of the special exception passed on roll call (Johnson, Burgos, Wolfe, Gaines each "Aye"). Commissioners then moved and passed a separate motion to recommend approval of the requested parking variance.
The commission’s recommendations will be forwarded to the zoning hearing board for a final determination. The applicant and supporters thanked commissioners after the votes.
