Harrisburg Planning Commission Meeting 05/01/2024

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e

e e

moving to order at approximately 6:30

p.m. uh Commissioners you received the

April 3rd meeting minut are there any

corrections deletions

additions if not motion to approve is

there a second second it's been moved

and second for the approval of the

minutes they are all those in favor

state by staying i i i opposed

extensions motion

carried under old business um we have

this variance and special exception

application for 1728 North 2 Street

which is Zone

RM is filed by the gandia Foundation Inc

to expand the existing Supportive

Housing family used from 8 to 12

individuals and to request relief from

the associate off street parking

requirements and or request approval for

the required all street parking to be

located further than permitted by the

zoning code

uh uh yes so uh this was initially

brought up at last month's meeting um uh

the time we uh recommended a continuance

which which the applicant um concurred

with and submitted uh to the zon hearing

board um to just discuss further discuss

the issues at hand um so the re and in

that uh discussion um it was determined

that uh the applicant could do a

concurrent variance in CA in the event

that the uh zonian hearing board did not

want to Grant approval of the special

exception for relief from the off street

parking requirements um because the

applicant does own other properties in

the neighborhood at which they could

provide the parking so the variance

would be for um providing parking

outside of the 500 ft that's permitted

uh in the zoning code um and so that's

what the uh change in the application

was it was just a special exception last

month now it's a Varan a special

exception for the for both of those

requests um they are concurrent so if uh

the zoning hearing board approves the uh

special exception the variance will be

unnecessary um and we're hoping that

that's uh the step that they decide to

take on that um so I just wanted to

provide an update as to what had changed

from the last month for uh for the

planning commissioner's benefits and the

Public's

benefit um uh with that being said uh

the property at 1728 North 2 street is

a13 acre lot featuring a three-story

6369 ft structure which was constructed

circa 1900 property is bounded by kelker

Street to the north North Second Street

to the east the property at 1726 North 2

Street to the South and the property at

1721 North Front Street to the West this

detached structure features elements of

a vernacular architectural style

character defining features include

stucco facade the Stacked block massing

the large wraparound porch on the front

and side elevations with a portion on

the side having been enclosed The

prominent pediments over Windows the

Steep Gable roofs with ice stops The

prominent chimney and the attached

garage which has been converted to uh

living space and that's actually part of

the office uh component of their

facility uh the main entrance features a

wide wooden door with a full view

divided light pane topped with a divided

light trans ROM featuring Frosty glass

it is accessed by a large concrete porch

with two sets of concrete stairs

accessible from Second Street and kelker

Street there appear to be three other

entrances on the kelker street elevation

a half view divided light wooden panel

door access by a small concrete porch

and steps with metal railings an access

point recessed into the building which

is not visible from the public rway and

a half view divided light metal panel

door providing access to the converted

garage at the rear of the property

penetration also includes windows in a

variety of s sizes shapes and

configurations many of the windows are

double hung with divided light top

sashes over single pane sashes some of

the windows such as the bay window on

the side elevation feature fully divided

light windows and there are other

differentiations such as arched windows

or stained glass windows as well the

gable roof of the structure and the

Dormer bay window roofs appear to be

topped with asphalt shingles but the

front porch features a metal roof and

the converted garage features a flat

rubber roof the building is an Eclectic

Patchwork of styles and Design and it is

somewhat difficult to identify the time

frame of alterations and thus determine

whether they have achieved historic

value in their own right although this

design and style differ from most of the

surrounding architecture the building

does reflect the diverse nature of

properties on its block and thus

contributes somewhat to the character of

the streetcape and

neighborhood the planning Bureau staff

recommends that the request be approved

for the following reasons the applicant

has submitted two alternatives for

providing relief for the requested

expansion of the existing Supportive

Housing family use a proposal which

would otherwise be permitted by right

both requests are reasonable giving that

residents are not permitted to have

vehicles which will reduce the potential

impact from the expansion of the

facility's occupancy and that the

alternative site for the provision of

any required off street parking is

located uh just outside of the allowable

500 foot buffer uh in discussions with

neighbors they have indicated that the

applicant's facility has been a benefit

to the neighborhood and that they

appreciate the informal surveillance

provided by the residents on site an

expansion in the number of residents

should increase increase the positive

impact of the existing

facility thank you

Jeff could you state your name and your

address and your relationship to the

project my name is Dave Slinger um my my

home address or my genen office address

either either or both uh my office gzi

Incorporated 106 West Main Street in

nstown Pennsylvania

at

17s your your relationship to the

project I'm new newy okay um you both

heard the staff report did you want to

add anything to the

report really we can answer I mean the

report was very fome um very

well and the end um we can answer any

questions about

cenia about Serenity House itself um the

nature of this request really is just

relief from

requirements hearing board has the

ability

to Grant a special exception approval to

reduce

zoning is a parking requirement

ised to the

um so we have nine

bedrooms n

stre we have

two two and a half parking spaces are on

site we have two three St rot

through but our resents are not allow Mr

said so actual parking impact our

residents don't have as enough

so that's really the nature

of um but you do have staff so I'm sure

they drive so I'm sure there's yeah

every time I've gone to the site the two

parking

space all Commissioners I have no

questions at this time if you have any

concerns or questions and I'll start

with commissioner OU uh no it appears

that the the parking issue has been

adequately addressed so I have no

questions

okay commissioner

Mar yeah

I based on the explanation provided

around the the parking relief and given

who is at the H they they can't have

cars so I would would think that the

relief would be

granted commissioner Jordan no questions

thank you okay Joe no

questions good is there anyone from the

public for against this

project I don't see anyone for against

uh Commissioners uh can I get a

motion motion to approve is there a

second second it's been moved and second

for the approval of the project all

those in favor state by saying I I I

oppos

and Obion motion carried thank you very

thank you

very next item on the U agenda is under

new business this is a special reception

application for 300 Hill Street Hill

Avenue is Zone residential low density

it's followed by Regino

Covington with From The Heart Church

Ministries of Harrisburg is to establish

a place of worship use on

site uh yes so the applicant is

proposing to establish a new place of

worship use on site uh the proposed use

requires zoning hearing board approval

of a special exception per section

73057 of the zoning code property at 300

halil Avenue is a 1.39 acre lot

featuring a twostory

14,926 ft building which was constructed

in 1956 property is bounded by Rudy Road

to the north hail Avenue to the East

suara Street to the South and the

property is at 2415 Rudy Road and 2412

and 2416 swara Street as well as an

unimproved prop unimproved RightWay to

the West this detached structure

features elements of a non-descript

architectural style character defining

features include the beige rough face

block facade the narrow vertical Windows

along the front and side facades

two-story porch at the rear of the main

building the colored band around the top

of the original structure and the

signage indicating the former occupant

of the building the Girl Scouts in the

heart of Pennsylvania there are several

entrances around the perimeter of the

building the main entrance on the

Northern elevation features full view

metal doors topped with two PL glass

transoms it is sheltered by a small

awning additional entrances to the rear

of the building appear to be primarily

solid metal doors penetration also

features Windows in a variety of sizes

and configurations the front elevation

features narrow vertical divided light

Windows Windows on the rear of the

building are primarily divided light

with plate glass windows at top Hopper

windows windows to the rear of the

building of the main building appear to

be metal divided light windows on the

first and second floors property

features uh a 6ot high with fence with

three vehicular Gates set back from the

property line enclosing the building two

accessory parking lots and Landscaping

on site structure appears to be topped

with flat rubber and metal roofs the

sighting massing and design of the

structure diff significantly from the

surrounding neighborhood which is

primarily denser blocks of residential

row homes and thus the building does not

contribute to the architectural

character of the neighborhood the

planning Bureau staff recommends the

request be approved with the following

conditions uh the applicate should

consider installing a pedestrian walkway

and separate gate so that parishioners

and other visitors can access the

building separately from the vehicular

entrances uh the applicant should

install the proposed bicycle parking

near the main entrance and if possible

ensure that it is sheltered and finally

the planning Bureau recommends that the

applicant install landscape screening

along the exterior boundaries of the

park parking lots on site to bring the

property into conformance with the

current zoning regulations and to

prevent headlight spillover onto

adjacent Residential Properties uh

planning Bureau staff recommends the

request be approved for the following

reasons the reposed use will be similar

in intensity and types of activities to

the use that was previously on site in

which to the plan bu's knowledge created

no adverse impact for the surrounding

neighborhood and the project advances

the purpose of the RL zoning District

provided in chapter 7-35 point4 B of the

code as it establishes a low intensity

use that is compatible with the

surrounding neighborhood and advances

the Community Development objectives

outlined in chapter 7-31

I live at 22 ABY Wayne Harrisburg

psylvia and I'm the

passor okay uh you did hear the staff

report are you acceptable of the

conditions yes

sir uh did you want to add anything to

the

report well uh I appreciate Mr Knight's

um feedback we are working with the

construction firm that's uh conducting a

f ability study uh that's probably going

to highlight some of the things that you

mentioned as far as that we need to add

to be in compliance

with make

sure add everything that we need to the

building noticed you did take care of

the like parking I believe this building

was like a girl Sky of headquarters

before so I know they had traffic the

then

but um and you also agreement with

somebody in the report you said you had

in case you needed uh yes sir there's a

marshal science academy uh across the

street uh so uh you know anything about

church uh for Mother's Day Christmas U

there's some Services where we tend to

have larger uh groups and so in the

event that the parking at the facility

can accommodate uh we have an agreement

with uh Science Academy to use their

parking as spell parking I doubt that's

going to happen our church right now we

probably average around 110 attendees uh

we average anywhere from 40 to 50

parking spots and with the 42 to 4 to

onsite uh spaces and the street parking

I don't anticipate leing that SPO

parking but nevertheless we want it to

establish that's very good because I'm

sure in the future will probably get

many more people

participating uh with that I do not have

any other questions this almost

straightforward but I'll ask the

Commissioners if they have any concerns

or questions commissioner will to yes

Reverend you currently own the building

or are you just leing it no we we uh we

are in another building that's about 8

to 9 minutes away from the current uh

from the building that we intend to

purchase okay so you're you're in the

process approaching us yes all right and

you say 110 attendees is that is that

110 parishioners or on average you get

110 per per service we get 110 per

service we we live stream our services

so pre pandemic we were probably

averaging up around 165 okay during the

pandemic we uh brought up a live stream

so a lot of our members now they love

the live stream so they they watch yeah

that's pretty impressive this day and

age yeah no no questions

uh commissioner

M no I I don't have any questions or

comments I think this is a

straightforward um change of

use commissioner Jordan no questions

thank

you

Jail uh no concerns or anything like

that um just uh and it sounds I think I

saw in here that most of your uh

parishioners uh drive and maybe that'll

continue to be the case if this is about

10 minutes from where they are now but

um as part of that study um I do think

it would be a great idea to um get like

a walkway in there as well so they're

not you know sharing a space with the

cars as they come in I know that was

part of it and it sounds like it that

can be rolled into that that would be a

good good idea but no no concerns as it

is thank

you is there anyone from the public for

against this

project that's not Comm missionaries

could I get a

motion motion to

approve second second it's been moved in

second for approval with the conditions

all those in favor stay by say I I

oppose extensions motion carried good

luck you're one sounds like you're one

of more successful churches because I

know even my church there's they they're

on the zoom and they didn't come back

it's pretty empty on Sunday morning at

the church so no we're we're a good

Church

uh I'm glad to be the pastor very good

church my wife and I moved here from

Maryland our home church is in Maryland

I was assigned here about five years

ago okay great good

luck uh

Commissioners Jeff you have any other

business uh nope nothing right now

um nothing for the commission nope

oh sorry I just I just wanted to

introduce you this is this is tiersa

Cameron who's now the deputy city

solicitor and she will be doing both

this and Zoning so thank you

welcome uh look forward to working with

you guys and helping letting you guys

teach me the code and everything like

that so right now I'm kind of out of it

I'm sat in with some meetings with Jack

and he's walking into

so

[Music]

welcome they're always like this

yes been city council

11 have a light on there you haven't

seen some of in other

years you come at the right

time but uh yeah I'm sorry I missed I

usually do I usually ask who's that you

know I'm glad and brought up my back

there so yeah welcome

welcome commission anything for the good

of the

water if not got I get a motion for uh

adjournment second second standard