A.
This chapter is compatible and consistent with the goals of the City
of Lancaster Comprehensive Plan, dated 1993, and readopted by the
Council of the City of Lancaster on April 10, 2007:
(1)
To protect and enhance Lancaster City's physical attractiveness and
historic quality while allowing for reasonable growth and development.
(2)
To strengthen neighborhoods and to make all neighborhoods desirable,
safe places to live.
(3)
To preserve and maintain the existing housing stock.
(4)
To encourage the conversion, rehabilitation, reuse and redevelopment
of existing vacant and underutilized structures in a manner consistent
with community goals and objectives.
(5)
To promote pride in ownership.
(6)
To assure housing that is affordable for people at various income
levels throughout Lancaster County, and that serves the needs of various
types and ages of households.
(7)
To increase the quantity and quality of job opportunities through
the creation of an environment which promotes and supports business
and industry and attracts new investment.
(8)
To enhance Lancaster's economic environment by providing adequate
infrastructure for economic development and maintaining public policies
and actions which support and promote economic development activity.
(9)
To increase the tax base in order to allow the City to provide services
and infrastructure and to be competitive in attracting new businesses
and retaining existing businesses.
(10)
To strengthen Lancaster City as the commercial and cultural
hub of Lancaster County and to enhance its downtown vitality.
(11)
To increase the availability and quality of employment skills
and training for Lancaster City residents.
(12)
To ensure that all residents in need of support services receive
necessary assistance.
(13)
To strengthen the nurturing environment for children and youth
in order to create a bright future for them.
(14)
To ensure that people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds participate
in the planning and decisionmaking process.
(15)
To promote education for residents so that they can handle the
demands of the workplace and the demands of good citizenship.
(16)
To ensure overall public safety for all citizens.
(17)
To implement land use strategies which protect and enhance the
built environment and contribute to the economic and aesthetic well-being
of the community.
(18)
To promote the safe, efficient movement of people and goods.
(19)
To provide needed facilities and services, including the improvement
of the City's parks through the implementation of the Parks and Recreation
Plan for the City of Lancaster.
(20)
To conserve energy, promote public awareness of energy issues
and initiate energy-saving measures.
(21)
To increase intergovernmental, interagency and private sector
collaboration in achieving the community's goals.
B.
This chapter also is compatible and consistent with the goals of
Growing Together, A Comprehensive Plan for Central Lancaster County,
Pennsylvania, as adopted by the Council of the City of Lancaster on
April 10, 2007:
(1)
Development of land will be managed effectively to plan and locate
communities with compatible land uses and densities within designated
growth areas, while preserving and maintaining valuable open space.
(2)
Vacant and underutilized land and buildings will be developed and
reused to attract residents, encourage commerce and the arts, and
reduce development pressure on farmland.
(3)
Livable, diverse-income neighborhoods will be developed to include
housing choices and a mix of uses and to promote walking and alternative
transportation.
(4)
The urban core will be revitalized and promoted with the support
of the whole region to offer clean, safe, and attractive opportunities
for business and culture, and to maintain its historic character.
(5)
Attractive, safe, walkable neighborhoods will be developed and existing
communities will be protected and strengthened to enhance the unique
character and strong sense of place of Central Lancaster County and
to promote positive interaction among residents of all ages and backgrounds.
(6)
Affordable, diverse housing choices across all income ranges will
be made available to encourage homeownership and rental properties,
and to further smart growth.
(7)
A well-maintained and efficient road network will be established
to promote continuous traffic flow and reduce congestion, with an
emphasis on truck traffic control.
(8)
An easily accessible, efficient, and affordable public transportation
system will be available to improve access to homes, jobs, shopping,
attractions, and recreation.
(9)
A planned, interconnected, and safe network of alternative transportation
options will be developed to move people and goods.
(10)
A full range of efficient community facilities and services
will be provided to serve the educational, recreational, safety and
health needs of all residents.
(11)
A well maintained, intermunicipal park system will be developed,
with due regard for private property rights, and will include parks
in all areas, clean facilities, and recreation along and in the waterways,
all connected by greenways for biking, walking, and nonmotorized use.
(12)
Air, water, and soil quality will be improved and protected,
and natural areas, waterways, and riparian buffers will be protected
and preserved in order to provide a healthy living environment.
(13)
Historic resources will be preserved, maintained, and reused
to recognize and reinforce the historic character of both urban and
rural areas.
(14)
A cost-effective sufficient, well maintained, and environmentally
sound public utility system will provide water that meets acceptable
standards and effective solid waste, sewage, and stormwater management
to protect public health and manage growth in the region.
(15)
Growing Together will result in measurable positive change in
Central Lancaster County that is consistent with the vision set forth
by residents and is accompanied by a renewed spirit of regional cooperation.
(16)
Coordinated, responsive, energetic intermunicipal leadership
will promote cooperation, efficient provision of services, regional
infrastructure planning, cooperative funding strategies, information
sharing, community participation in decisionmaking, and reduction
in local bureaucracies.
(17)
Appropriate and enforceable regional ordinances, regulations,
and techniques will be adopted to address issues such as mixed-use
development, traditional neighborhoods, compact residential areas,
and agricultural preservation.
In order to implement the purposes of this chapter, the City
of Lancaster is hereby divided into the following zoning districts,
with the designations and general purposes listed below. Wherever
the term "residential districts" appears in this chapter, those districts
described in Subsections A through and including F shall be included.
A.
R1 District (Residential Detached Dwellings). The R1 District is
the only area of the City offering a "suburban" environment for City
residents, with relatively large residential lots permitting only
single-family detached dwellings and nonresidential uses limited to
home occupations, park and recreation facilities, and day care centers.
B.
R2 District (Residential Semidetached Dwellings). The R2 District
is a restrictive single-family residential area with intermediate
lot sizes permitting only single-family detached and semidetached
dwellings and a limited variety of cultural, institutional and recreational
uses.
C.
R3 District (Residential Medium Density Dwellings). The R3 District
is characterized by the predominance of attached, or row, houses,
and smaller lot sizes. A variety of small, neighborhood-oriented or
low-impact commercial retail and service uses are permitted by special
exception, as well as a limited number of institutional and cultural/recreational
uses.
D.
R4 District (Residential High-Density Dwellings and Commercial Services).
The R4 District is characterized by the past conversion of many single-family
dwellings to two-family and multifamily dwellings and to small professional
offices and other commercial services. While this is a residential
district, a variety of commercial, institutional, and cultural/recreational
uses are permitted by special exception.
E.
RO District (High-Density Residential, Office and Institutional Uses).
The RO District is characterized by the conversion of many structures
to professional offices, or to combination office and multifamily
structures, and by a variety of office and institutional uses.
F.
MU District (Mixed Use). The MU District includes areas of the City
characterized by residential uses in close proximity to nonresidential
uses, including historic warehouses and manufacturing facilities,
many of which have been vacated by the original industries. In addition,
the MU District includes undeveloped land where new mixed-use residential
and nonresidential development with traditional neighborhood character
is recommended. A variety of residential, commercial, cultural, light
industrial and other miscellaneous uses are permitted in order to
encourage the reuse of former manufacturing structures and undeveloped
land. This is the only zoning district which permits both dwellings
and a variety of manufacturing uses to coexist. However, since the
MU District is considered primarily as a high-density residential
district, all manufacturing uses must meet certain conditions and
receive special exception approval.
G.
CB District (Central Business). The CB District is the commercial
hub of the City and serves the metropolitan area as a regional center
for government, law, finance, culture, entertainment, and support
businesses. A wide range of commercial, retail, cultural, high-density
residential, and institutional uses are permitted by right and by
special exception. In order to promote high-density development, this
zoning district permits 100% building and lot coverage and waives
all off-street parking requirements.
H.
CB1 District (Central Business Core). The CB1 District is the commercial
and cultural core of the Central Business District. In order to encourage
intense, positive pedestrian activity and consumer transactions, certain
uses that are not consumer- or visitor-oriented are prohibited on
the ground, or street-level, floors of buildings. A wide range of
commercial, retail, cultural, entertainment, and professional uses
are permitted by right and by special exception. In order to promote
high-density development, this zoning district permits 100% building
and lot coverage and waives all off-street parking requirements.
I.
C1 District (Neighborhood Commercial). The C1 District is a neighborhood-oriented
commercial area with uses serving residents of the immediate area
and is characterized by storefront businesses in combination with
upper-level dwelling units. A variety of low-impact retail/commercial
uses oriented to pedestrian traffic are permitted by right and by
special exception.
J.
C2 District (Urban Commercial). The C2 District is a retail/commercial
area located adjacent to residential districts but serving a wider
geographic area, with retail/service uses oriented more to vehicle
traffic. A variety of higher impact retail/commercial uses, e.g.,
twenty-four-hour convenience stores, are permitted by right and by
special exception.
K.
C3 District (Regional Commercial). The C3 District is a highway-oriented
retail/commercial district located away from residential districts
and serving geographic areas well beyond the corporate limits of Lancaster
City. A wide range of retail, commercial, institutional, and cultural/entertainment/recreational
uses are permitted by right.
L.
CM District (Central Manufacturing). The CM District includes historical
manufacturing/industrial areas of the City, many of which are located
in close proximity to residential districts as well as industrial
sites annexed to the City between 1947 and 1952. A variety of manufacturing
uses are permitted, with special exception approval required for those
uses with potential negative impacts on nearby residential districts.
In addition, certain commercial uses considered to be compatible with
manufacturing/industrial uses are permitted. In order to encourage
reuse of vacant or underutilized manufacturing/warehousing facilities,
other nonresidential uses are also permitted, subject to certain conditions.
M.
SM District (Suburban Manufacturing). The SM District is intended
to accommodate the most intense industrial uses, which have greater
land area requirements and need for close proximity to regional transportation
networks, including railways and limited-access highways. In addition,
to encourage reuse of vacant or underutilized manufacturing/warehousing
sites located away from the City's urban core and close to regional
transportation networks, a limited number of retail and other commercial
uses are permitted by right and by special exception, with conditional
use approval required for larger retail uses.
N.
HC District (Hospital Complex). The HC District is designed to provide
locations for facilities that are licensed in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania as hospitals and accessory uses. Accessory uses located
within the HC District may be located on a lot that is independent
of the hospital. Parking garages as accessory uses shall be permitted
in the HC District.
O.
DF District (Criminal Detention Facilities). The DF District is designed
to provide a location for criminal and juvenile detention facilities.
Uses which support the detention/incarceration facilities shall be
permitted as accessory uses.
P.
PO District (Park and Open Space). The PO District is designed to
protect and preserve public parklands, greenways, riparian areas,
and natural environments which consist primarily of grass, landscaping
and/or natural conservation areas and habitats for vegetation and
wildlife, and which may or may not include recreational facilities
and accessory uses/facilities. Privately owned land with public greenway
or conservation easements or with environmentally significant qualities
may be included in this district.
A.
Maintaining Official Zoning Map. The City is hereby divided into
zoning districts, as shown on the Official Zoning Map, incorporated
herein and made an official part hereof by reference.[1] The Official Zoning Map shall be maintained by the Lancaster
City Bureau of Planning and shall be updated promptly following formal
amendments.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Zoning Map is included at the end of this chapter.
B.
Amendment of Official Zoning Map. Any amendment of the Official Zoning
Map shall be done in strict conformity with the requirements of the
PMPC[2] or other applicable act of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
If an amendment of the Official Zoning Map is approved by City Council,
such amendment shall be made to the Official Zoning Map promptly after
official approval. In addition to the actual changes to district boundaries
or district classifications, the Bureau of Planning shall maintain
a record of all changes to the Official Zoning Map.
[2]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 10101 et seq.
C.
Zoning district map. A City of Lancaster zoning district map, which
is an unofficial document, shall be prepared to illustrate the boundaries
of all zoning districts shown on the Official Zoning Map and shall
be maintained in a current status for the purpose of distribution/sale
to interested parties. The zoning district map shall include the following
words: "See the Official Zoning Map for exact up-to-date zoning district
boundaries."
D.
Overlay districts.
(1)
CO District (Campus Overlay). The CO District provides an optional set of provisions within the core campuses of colleges. The CO District is intended to streamline the process for new buildings, additions and facilities within the core campus of a college, while maintaining more restrictive regulations in place for college uses that may occur in surrounding residential areas. The intent is to allow flexibility within the interior of a campus, while still carefully controlling uses that are outside of the core campus, including along the perimeter of a college. See § 300-19 for allowed uses and § 300-20 for dimensional requirements.
(2)
Floodplain Districts. Floodplain districts, as defined and regulated in Article VII, § 300-39, of this chapter shall be overlays to the existing underlying districts as shown on the Official Zoning Map, and as such, the provisions for the floodplain districts shall serve as a supplement to the underlying district provisions.
(3)
Historic Resource District.
(a)
The Historic Resource District is that area officially recognized
by the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service and
Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission as the Lancaster City
Historic District, also known as the "National Register Historic District."
The boundaries of the Historic Resource District are identified on
the map entitled, "National Register Historic District," and displayed
in the office of the City Zoning Officer. The historic district regulations
shall apply in addition to the zoning requirements. Those provisions
for certain uses or improvements and regulations pertaining thereto
within the historic resource district shall apply only to properties
within the area as noted on the above-mentioned map.
E.
Replacement of Official Zoning Map or part thereof.
(1)
In the event that digital data used to create the Zoning Map is lost,
corrupted or destroyed, the Bureau of Planning shall digitally prepare
a new Official Zoning Map, which shall supersede the prior Official
Zoning Map. The new Official Zoning Map may correct drafting or other
errors or omissions in the prior Official Zoning Map, or to update
base map information, but no such corrections shall have the effect
of amending the adopted zoning district boundaries, unless the procedures
are followed for a lawful amendment.
(2)
A list of the dates of future amendments, including a brief description
of Zoning Map changes, should be maintained as an appendix to this
chapter.
