For decades, several commercial businesses have operated on a strip of land owned by Eastern Enterprises Inc. between SR 117 and the Conewago Creek in Mount Gretna.

In 1972, when the township approved a zoning map, that strip was divided into two districts — C-1 neighborhood commercial and residential forest — with the businesses also straddling those.

Eastern Enterprises won approval from the township zoning hearing board Tuesday for a special exception to extend the commercial district beyond the district line and into the forest residential district for two of those businesses, Hickey Architects and La Cigale.

Hickey Architects.

That approval allows Eastern Enterprises to proceed with developing a subdivision plan to create two deedable lots with the end goal for the two businesses to own the land.

“The tenants have expressed an interest in buying the property they’ve been leasing for 20 years,” Gene Otto III, of Eastern Enterprises, told the zoning hearing board. “We need to find out if we can subdivide.”

Besides approving the special exception, the zoning hearing board also approved several variances dealing with the sizes of the lots, setbacks and number of parking spaces required in the C-1 district.

Because both buildings housed commercial enterprises long before the township adopted a zoning map or zoning ordinance, the buildings are non-conforming structures. The variances allow for smaller lot sizes, fewer parking spaces and tighter setbacks of the existing buildings.

The bigger of the two lots was known for decades as “Midge’s Stand,” a popular  hangout and gathering place for children and teenagers with pinball machines and pool tables, juke box and dance floor. Food also was available. Occupying that spot today is La Cigale, a retail store offering a variety of products from the south of France and specializing in fabrics woven in France and sewn in Mount Gretna and elsewhere into tablecloths, placemats, runners, towels and more.

Hickey Architects occupies what formerly was Henderson’s, which sold newspapers and magazines as well as gift items such as candles, stationery and dish towels. Open seven days a week, Henderson’s also boasted a display case with penny candy — which did cost one cent.

While all approvals were unanimous, the zoning hearing board attached one condition — neither building can be changed outward or upward. If owners want to expand, they will need to return for another proceeding.

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