Developers, board of supervisors at odds over design plans for new apartment complex in Lebanon

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Representatives of Landmark Homes of Ephrata, their attorney, and their engineer took their case to the North Lebanon Township Board of Supervisors at a recent meeting.

They explained why they think they have the best plan to build a garden apartment complex with a development design that would require certain exceptions and variances to the township’s zoning ordinance.

This would be instead of an alternate design that would comply completely with the zoning ordinance. The supervisors didn’t buy it.

The supervisors were advised in July that Landmark’s plans for a 144-unit apartment development, called Briar Ridge Commons on land southeast of the intersection of North Eighth Avenue and Kimmerlings Road, deviated from the zoning ordinance.

So chairman Dick Miller planned to represent the supervisors at a scheduled zoning hearing board hearing. But the hearing was postponed.

This week, Joseph Eisenhaurer, land acquisition manager for Landmark Homes, told supervisors that a development with six, three-story buildings with 24 apartments in each would create a nicer development with more green areas than one with 12, 2-story buildings with 12 apartments in each, as shown on a sketched alternate plan.

He said the company has successfully used the plan with the larger buildings in other developments, such as Holly Tree Apartments in Manheim and Creek Corner Apartments in Ephrata.

He said the original plan would allow a community center to be built in the development, but that would not be an option with the alternate design.

The zoning ordinance does allow Landmark to create an apartment complex on the land zoned R-2 High Density Residential and does permit 144 apartment units to be placed there.

But the original plan with six buildings would require the company to seek approval from the township zoning hearing board to place more than 12 apartments in one building, to construct an apartment building with three stories rather than 2 1/2 stories as permitted in the ordinance. This would allow the building height to be 39 feet rather than the maximum allowed 34 feet, and to make the balconies and patios 42 square feet rather than the required 72 square feet.

Eisenhauer also told the supervisors that the company preferred to only create 2.5 parking spaces per apartment rather than three spaces as required by the ordinance.  He said Landmark has found in its other apartment developments that 1.8 spaces per apartment unit is sufficient.

Supervisor Edward Brensinger said he would be willing to go along with a slight reduction in the  amount of parking spaces since the location would not result in overflow parking on residential streets.

When Landmark’s presentation was completed, Miller was about to move on to the next agenda item, but township solicitor Amy Leonard said she believed Landmark was hoping to know the board’s opinion about the two plans submitted.

Miller said the township zoning ordinance was created to provide a nice community for residents and to be reasonable to developers. Supervisor Arden Snook said a pending apartment complex in the township is being planned by another developer that will be in compliance with the zoning ordinance, suggesting it can be done.

Landmark will need to have land use plans reviewed and approved by the Lebanon County Planning Department or request a hearing with the zoning hearing board.