Board adopts ‘Legacy R2’ district to regularize 535 formerly repealed R2 parcels

The Lancaster County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 27 voted to create a Legacy R2 district and rezone all parcels that previously carried the old R2 classification into the new LR‑2 district.

County planner Andrea Pruitt said the change is intended to resolve enforcement and clarity issues left by the old ordinance’s repeal. “A total of 535 individual parcels comprising approximately 1,450 acres in total would be affected by the proposed zoning amendments,” Pruitt told the joint session of the board and Planning Commission. She said the legacy district would allow staff to update permissible uses while reinforcing shoreline environmental protections and would not permit new parcels to be rezoned into LR‑2.

Residents who spoke during the public hearing offered mixed reactions: Bill Novajoski, Green board president, told the board he supported the proposal as a practical solution that preserves existing master plans and safety standards. Other speakers asked for assurances that existing neighborhoods would not face retroactive parking or road upgrades unless redevelopment occurs.

After the Planning Commission reiterated its unanimous recommendation for approval, a board member moved to forward the LR‑2 ordinance with a finding of good zoning practice; the chair called the question and the motion carried by voice vote. The board did not set a separate public vote condition or effective date in the discussion recorded at the meeting.