Swatara Township supervisors advance Horst zoning map amendment

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Following a public hearing May 21, the Swatara Township Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed to advertise an amendment to the zoning ordinance rezoning two parcels behind BG’s Market from general commercial (C1) to medium-density residential (R2) at its monthly meeting Thursday.

If the amendment is not passed, developers will be limited to commercial uses such as retail establishments, restaurants, and gas stations. If it is, developers will be limited to R2 uses such as townhouses, single-family detached and semiattached dwellings, and conditional uses such as bed-and-breakfasts and short-term rentals.

In all cases, developers will need to meet ordinance requirements such as setbacks and parking.

Iona Investment Group hopes to build around 25 townhouse-style apartments on the parcels, though they will not be bound to this plan if the ordinance is adopted.

Surrounding lots are primarily zoned R2 already, with the exception of two lots totaling around .8 acres that are zoned GC but used for residential uses.

Supervisors debated whether to also advertise for the rezoning of both of these parcels, with Dean Patches in support of doing so for consistency and Joe Motter opposed as one of the property owners has voiced opposition to such a change.

Though no official vote was taken, Patches asked Rick Kreitzer his opinion, and Kreitzer said he preferred to act only on the two parcels requested by Iona Investment Group and handle the others later if necessary.

Solicitor Colleen Gallo advised that, separate to this issue, the board should review the township’s zoning map to see how much land is zoned for various uses and whether current zoning assignments make sense.

Supervisors also unanimously agreed to direct both a residential forest district and an ordinance governing data centers (which would place them in the industrial zone) to county planning. If any use, such as data centers, is not addressed specifically by a zoning ordinance, a developer can make a case to place it in any zone, so Gallo advised that the board move quickly on the ordinance.

Earlier this year, Patches summarized potential changes to residential forest as changing large lot regulations from applying to two-acre lots to applying to five-acre lots, requiring engineer plans for structures on site, and not allowing the clearing of trees for conversion to agricultural uses, noting that land clearing would not be allowed save for where necessary for houses, driveways, septic, and similar uses.

In other news, the board:

• Unanimously approved the advertisement of a public hearing June 24 on a cable franchise agreement with Comcast.
• Discussed a resident’s concerns with a neighbor parking in the line of sight of his driveway on Fairway Drive, no action taken.
• Unanimously authorized the completion of a Chapter 102 permit application form for the Charlene Newswanger poultry house.
• Heard that the Community Development Block Grant is seeking applications. The township has, in the past, had difficulty qualifying for these grants due to stringent resident income requirements and has not received funds in around 15 years.
• Unanimously approved minutes, reports, and payable bills.
• Unanimously authorized Gallo to send a letter to the owners of 400 Donna Drive about a chicken seen on the property, as the township directed them to relocate the animal by June.
• Held an executive session to discuss potential litigation.

The Swatara Township Board of Supervisors will have its next regular meeting at 7 p.m. July 9 at 68 Supervisors Drive.