[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6477135,"mediaKeyId","5713171-277bf470062d9755bcb3960e760b328a","parentId",5713171,"title","Planning Commission drops October 1 public hearing on data center, asks city to publish timeline and materials","audioSeconds",1806,"startMs",2548000,"endMs",4354000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713171-277bf470062d9755bcb3960e760b328a&start=2548&end=4354","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713171-277bf470062d9755bcb3960e760b328a/thumbnail_2548000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6477135/Lancaster-City/Lancaster-County/Pennsylvania/Planning-Commission-drops-October-1-public-hearing-on-data-center-asks-city-to-publish-timeline-and-materials","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477135-4031b5133b8c0332b68f41e05338e284/orig.mp4?Expires=1771035526&Signature=oBBEalg4UxfoCQBLhRfS~V9LrzA9FEpcNcnTrr~7YjEbrJKNGUXYFOFZOYvUDhljjOMza9Dqb1ixqLrsyePq5PknHnsQQYhwY6EkJ15Y5hklEpn9gtTWXh2e~Vlyx3oukwPMtqw6SpwnUw1toeGlpIHt22G5f9P954O9acGK0kUj76LipweQYT-rlAIhidbxFHVYvd0m3VQ8aA7xCep6-aVJqi3obX1nmVOT2YdvRJ2-25g4ttPGMEqFCO0lhKsnt8kq3wAtXulEoDvCiMqFUV3h-ttYVO1vNP0PcrEsEZoI17AnnDmNOXVoGPoliQ0Z9OanopHJgl4keTijDMMQjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lancaster, PA","date","2025-09-04T10:46:05Z","article","Lancaster City Planning Commission members voted to cancel the public hearing portion of their Oct. 1 meeting on the city’s initial zoning determination for a proposed data center, and they asked staff to make the project schedule and related materials publicly available.

The commission discussed multiple paths for public engagement after staff said City Council and the zoning process were already scheduled to consider the matter. Chris Deltz, identified in a memo as the city’s director of Community Planning and Economic Development, told commissioners that, because the planning commission has no authority over zoning interpretations, the city administration would not participate in the commission’s separate public hearing on the topic. The administration’s memo, received by commissioners the day of the meeting, said the administration understood the commission’s desire to engage but would not take part in that hearing.

Why it matters: Commissioners said they wanted public clarity about how the zoning officer reached the initial determination and how the city will handle forthcoming text-amendment hearings and appeals. The item drew sustained discussion from multiple commission members and members of the public. Commissioners voiced frustration that some documentation that reporters had obtained via right-to-know requests was not yet published on the city’s data center FAQ page.

What the commission decided: After discussion about timing and the allowed procedural options, the commission voted to: (1) cancel the public hearing portion of its Oct. 1 meeting but keep the data-center matter on the agenda for discussion at that meeting; and (2) formally request that the city clearly communicate and publish the timeline of upcoming hearings and milestones related to the data-center zoning matter (Council committee dates, Zoning Hearing Board hearing, and future Planning Commission/Council dates). Commissioners also discussed requesting in memo form the documents provided to reporters via right-to-know (RTK) requests or, if legal constraints prevent that, a staff-prepared memo summarizing how the zoning determination was reached.

Commissioners’ concerns and requests: Commissioners said their interest was educational and focused on public transparency, not an attempt to exercise decision-making authority the commission does not have. Several commissioners said they wanted the record and the public to have access to materials entered into the record elsewhere (for example, items given to reporters through RTK requests) so residents could prepare for the quasi-judicial proceedings at the Zoning Hearing Board and later hearings before Council. One commissioner asked that key dates be listed on the FAQ page for the data center so the public can easily follow milestones.

Vote and next steps: The commission approved the motions to cancel the hearing portion and to request publication of the schedule and materials. Staff said the council committee date (Oct. 6), the Zoning Hearing Board appeal (Sept. 22), and the commission’s regular October meeting (Oct. 15) would all be available as upcoming public opportunities. Commissioners asked staff to return with either the RTK-provided documents or a memo summarizing the zoning officer’s process and rationale after the Zoning Hearing Board and Council committee hearings occur.

Ending: The commission kept the data-center matter on its agenda for future discussion and directed staff to improve public access to scheduling information and materials about the zoning determination and pending text amendment.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission Meeting - September 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Lancaster City Planning Commission voted to cancel the Oct. 1 public hearing on the city’s initial zoning determination for a proposed data center and asked staff to publish the project timeline and related materials for public review.","taxTitle","Lancaster City, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania","taxId",3754,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6477140,"Planning Commission conditionally approves Sheetz rebuild, grants four waivers for 1180 Manheim Pike",762,1044000,1806000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713171-277bf470062d9755bcb3960e760b328a&start=1044&end=1806","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713171-277bf470062d9755bcb3960e760b328a/thumbnail_1044000.jpg","/articles/6477140/Lancaster-City/Lancaster-County/Pennsylvania/Planning-Commission-conditionally-approves-Sheetz-rebuild-grants-four-waivers-for-1180-Manheim-Pike","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477140-c6a24845d8f5b5f86fbae1ddf527a402/orig.mp4?Expires=1771035526&Signature=KuoJ3PSZVXderfuYkipco3DBCyF~m803Nk~3kL3aIcmCYME7b~7d71Vhnbbc-fTeQ-3Xbf1hK4wks9BhCcTsuKFyqfvzfckVtPiOBDgXQ~nkcDiausmR-~se-xOgjK-R0LPLN4qoLZ2-YPd1lY5lre24u9Pzd7wyrOFmf7MVsQm-PlYwWbiF1h0yDovlsmRUNBbjVN-K2b9Kn3~9j~oXc68wtsb2TKbm~P648evzXAiNEqMnhGCFpHylAbKuwoaiOfgSds-Rxwoz~d46xBOl5nmJfrkIor4l4143vUIMPNB5mdHEJLWYB5IQvJcezfjFxNtosyjQf106CHUxc-T1~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lancaster City Planning Commission on Wednesday voted to conditionally approve a final land development plan to demolish the existing convenience store and rebuild a prototypical Sheetz at 1180 Manheim Pike.

Terry Delo with Integrated Consulting, the project engineer, told the commission the plan covers a 2.2-acre parcel in the city’s C-3 regional commercial zoning district and proposes a 6,139-square-foot store, 38 parking spaces, a rear drive-through, and five dual-sided fuel islands (10 fueling positions). Delo said the team has received its NPDES permit and coordinated with utilities and that most technical reviews were complete.

The plan includes demolition of the existing store, a reconfigured single gas canopy (replacing the site’s two smaller canopies), and a rear drive-through lane. The applicant will provide public utilities and a stormwater management basin on the north side of the building to manage increased impervious area. Kelly Brown, identified as representing Sheetz, attended the meeting to answer procedural questions.

Why it matters: The site sits at the Manheim Pike and Dillerville Road intersection and has been the subject of multiple technical reviews and consultations with city staff and the Shade Tree Commission. The waivers approved affect streetscape and lighting standards that the city typically requires for new commercial development.

Commission discussion and waivers: Staff and the applicant described four waivers the project requested and the reasons staff recommended conditional approval. The waivers are: (1) a waiver to allow the submission to be treated as a final plan (preliminary-plan submission procedure); (2) a waiver on street-tree location tied to constraints from existing overhead and underground utilities and a retaining wall along the frontage; (3) a waiver related to tree quantity and spacing because PennDOT would not accept additional right-of-way to accommodate trees; and (4) relief from the ordinance’s street-lighting requirements, although the applicant agreed to add two additional street lights beyond the site’s own fixtures to improve illumination at Garfield Avenue and the Manheim Pike access.

Staff indicated the applicant sought to meet the intent of the Shade Tree Commission and city arborist where possible, and noted a fee-in-lieu would cover approximately three trees the site cannot accommodate; the applicant said that fee is $1,500. Delo said the project team had gone twice to the Shade Tree Commission and worked with city staff to minimize departures from the ordinance.

Other specifics discussed: Commissioners asked whether employees would be retained during construction; the applicant said the intent is to keep existing employees and relocate them to other stores temporarily as needed. The project will discontinue a diesel pump and will provide two free air machines on site. The applicant said the new store is slightly larger (approximately 1,000 square feet larger) than the existing building and replaces two gas canopies with a single canopy as part of the typical Sheetz prototype used in recent remodels.

Vote and next steps: After discussion, the Planning Commission voted to conditionally approve the land development plan for 1180 Manheim Pike, including the four waivers and modifications described at the hearing. The motion carried. As a conditionally approved plan, the developer must complete outstanding technical or administrative items identified by staff before recording the final plan and receiving permits.

Provenance: The commission heard the application presentation from Terry Delo and asked questions of the applicant’s representative, Kelly Brown, before voting to conditionally approve the plan and waivers.

Ending: City staff will continue to work with the applicant to close remaining administrative items before final plan recording. The project team and staff indicated that most technical review comments were resolved at the time of the hearing.","Lancaster City Planning Commission granted conditional approval for a 6,139-square-foot Sheetz store at 1180 Manheim Pike, including four waivers covering preliminary plan procedure, street-tree requirements and street lighting. The commission recorded conditional approval after staff said technical issues had been resolved.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6477131,"Planning staff updates commissioners on Mosaic, Thaddeus Stevens projects and minor plans",177,1825000,2002000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713171-277bf470062d9755bcb3960e760b328a&start=1825&end=2002","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713171-277bf470062d9755bcb3960e760b328a/thumbnail_1825000.jpg","/articles/6477131/Lancaster-City/Lancaster-County/Pennsylvania/Planning-staff-updates-commissioners-on-Mosaic-Thaddeus-Stevens-projects-and-minor-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6477131-2657fc311f5b243d76dbc7f1733f9dcb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771035526&Signature=cbpZK7A5hY9yimbHFkdIf3Wx8o~fAHnlnmUXlQSUIOmMrf~kZNidS-U12bB-I2WXX2K8o6obEINQyKBUhPXpMW8jo60YtbZb1Q-BhPGhV2wkOxgw7KnERDz23nhJphJqWD9RB86uAHBQpOMifYed8HOgin2KE6M~fhFTsF6KHitVWWKXv88MbONVYkRvmyal6yq6mEhVQSksxfE2QyLa23PQsI1Sa5JDaTBjt4aNTNcV3xIcTgY1kCtO0XUmMyILPsAH1qU4BT7uN3suRGM1M4Br-VALikSwYiqliIoSKxhVXAiZ8AW05rqOUS50z4pyghrV43EcpHlnaLE7q1fLSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planning staff provided a consolidated update on multiple ongoing development projects during the commission meeting.

Staff reported that the McCasky plan is progressing and that the 623 Stevens Avenue project from the Thaddeus Stevens Foundation is in its final technical review stages. Staff said a previously conditionally approved multi-use dorm from Thaddeus Stevens has not progressed; staff attributed the delay to state budget issues that appear to be holding up the project's next steps. The dorm project remains conditionally approved and retains conditions, including an MOU requirement regarding tree placement.

Staff also said they prepared a two-year minor plan amendment for Mosaic to allow an interim two-year period in which the site will not be built. That minor plan requires Mosaic to meet city conditions and to provide updates to staff every six months; staff said Mosaic had not filed required county recording documents and therefore could not record the plan at the county level until that is completed.

Why it matters: These updates indicate several projects in the city are in advanced technical review or temporarily paused, which affects timelines for development and the use of city resources for review and oversight.

Next steps: Staff will continue to monitor these projects and report back to the commission as milestones are met. For the Mosaic minor plan, staff described a six-month check-in schedule and said the two-year interim plan establishes expectations for the developer to either move forward or submit new plans at the end of the period.

Ending: Commissioners asked questions about preservation of an eighteenth-century building on the Mosaic parcel and about when developers' proposals for zoning-code updates and consultant selections will be scheduled; staff agreed to provide updates.","Planning Department staff reported on several ongoing projects, including the Thaddeus Stevens Foundation's 623 Stevens Avenue work, a multi-use dorm conditionally approved but on hold because of state budget issues, and a two-year minor plan for Mosaic that requires periodic updates and county recording.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning Commission drops October 1 public hearing on data center, asks city to publish timeline and materials

Planning Commission conditionally approves Sheetz rebuild, grants four waivers for 1180 Manheim Pike

Planning staff updates commissioners on Mosaic, Thaddeus Stevens projects and minor plans