Decision could come Tuesday on 820 new homes in Indian Land

If the Avondale project meets resistance in Lancaster County, it won’t be a moratorium that does it.

Lancaster County planners had Avondale on their agenda July 21, with developers asking for a rezoning and submitting their development agreement to the county planning commission. The plan is for 820 new homes on almost 180 acres. Avondale sits between Calvin Hall and Harrisburg Roads in Indian Land.

Before the planning commission meeting, Lancaster County Council approved a moratorium for Indian Land. The decision halts new rezoning requests for nine months, giving planners time to catch up with ordinances and other tools needed in the fast-growing area. The moratorium does not impact ongoing planning projects.

“The Avondale project was submitted before the pending ordinance doctrine was approved for the moratorium,” said Penelope G. Karagounis, county planning director.

The 820 new residences, down from 1,010 on a previous master plan, include 400 single-family homes, 220 senior residences and 200 townhomes. There was a discrepancy between the latest master plan and the Avondale ordinance as to how many residences would be allowed, 820 or up to 1,020.

Planning staff also noted common open space is not allowed for calculating building density, which would impact the proposal. There are concerns that duplexes may be planned in single-family areas, though county rules wouldn’t allow them there. The master plan notes 4 acres for public use in one section, where the requirement may be twice that amount.

Planning staff recommended denial of the rezoning to planned development, both for specifics to Avondale and a general opposition to such districts.

“Although Lancaster County currently has 26 (planned development districts), planning staff has consistently recommended denial of these proposals,” read the recommendation prior to the July 21 meeting. “This is due to the fact that such developments place a tremendous strain on county services.”

Planned development districts have contributed to the need for a code re-write, it said. A new unified development ordinance is underway with planners hoping to have it complete by the time the moratorium ends. Planned development districts likely will be replaced in that update with mixed use districts, combining residential and commercial uses with more definite standards.

A planning commission recommendation will carry weight, but ultimately not decide the fate of Avondale.

“The planning commission will make a recommendation and then forward it to County Council,” Karagounis said.

This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Decision could come Tuesday on 820 new homes in Indian Land."