This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

At its June meeting, the Annville Township Board of Commissioners voted to approve expansion plans for Unique Designs Custom Digitizing.

Unique Designs Custom Digitizing, at 345 W. Queen St., proposes to expand its property to 351 W. Queen St., which is currently a single-family home. The company intends to demolish the home and use the space for additional parking.

The plans came before the commissioners due to the requirements for the Village Overlay District.

Unique Designs Custom Digitizing is located in an area that is zoned for R2 medium-density housing. However, this section of Queen Street falls in the Village Overlay District, which is protected by Section 27-306 of the Annville Township Code of Ordinances.

According to the code, the Village District Overlay “intends to recognize, preserve and enhance the characteristic densely built and mixed use nature of Annville’s oldest quarter.”

The ordinance also outlines that the township regulates the locations of new construction and parking lots within the overlay. Per the requirements for overlay, the Annville Township Zoning Hearing Board referred the plans to the commissioners.

James Scott represented the zoning hearing board at the commissioners’ meeting.

“I am here tonight to tell you that there was not one person on the zoning hearing board that was not in favor of this development,” Scott said.

Given the recommendation from the zoning hearing board and the plans to conform with the regulations, the commissioners approved the plans with a vote of 4-0, with one abstention from board president Rex A. Moore.

Additionally, commissioners welcomed Western Lebanon Regional Police Chief Andrew Winters.

Residents and commissioners applauded the increased police presence in Annville and Palmyra after only one week of the regional police department’s official opening.

Read More: Annville-Palmyra police merger is on track to go live on May 27

Winters reported that the regional police answered 169 calls between Monday, May 27, and Sunday, June 2.

In other news, commissioners heard routine updates from standing and special committees.

Dustin Sider of the Annville-Cleona Fire Department reported that the department is seeking new members. To learn more about volunteer firefighting, contact the department through its Facebook page.

Additionally, township manager and code enforcement officer Candie Johnson reported that 31 permits have been issued so far this year, which is close to 2023’s total permits issued.

The commissioners also moved to:

  • Appoint Rebecca Gerber to the Annville Township Planning Commission.
  • Allow the fire police to assist in the Annville and Palmyra graduations.
  • Approve the reports of standing and special committees and the May meeting minutes.
  • Approve the payment of monthly bills.

The Board of Commissioners of Annville Township meets at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in the township building at 36 N. Lancaster St. and are open to the public. Next month’s meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 2.

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Jess Benninger is a reporter for LebTown. She is currently earning a bachelor's degree in English at Lebanon Valley College. When she is not writing, she enjoys hiking, listening to music and learning new things.