The Gettysburg Borough Planning Commission voted on Monday to recommend allowing rooming and boarding houses by right in the NC4 district, while asking Borough Council to review the use’s definition and requirements.
NC4, formally called the Carlisle Street Neighborhood Commercial district, covers the 200 and 300 blocks of Carlisle Street and Paxton Hall. The borough’s zoning ordinance describes it as a transition between Gettysburg College properties and residential neighborhoods.
Mayor Alison Lintal urged commissioners to support the change, saying shared housing could make use of large homes and former student housing in the district while offering an attainable option for older residents, young professionals and others.
Resident Sue Cipperly also supported allowing boarding houses, but cautioned that proposed lot and setback rules could make it difficult to reuse existing buildings, including former motels. She said some standards under discussion, including 40-foot side and rear setbacks, were more restrictive than the district’s usual 10-foot setbacks.
Commissioners weighed whether the use should be allowed by right or require a special-exception hearing, and discussed whether lot-size and setback requirements would make the change practical for existing properties.
The agenda also included a separate proposal to allow no-impact home-based businesses by right in all districts, which the commission recommended.
Other meeting actions included approving a review extension through Dec. 21 for the WAREHAUS plan at 219 S. Washington St., accepting a land-development application for 488 Springs Ave., and taking no action on the agenda’s proposed recommendation to deny the Simrat application at 351 E. Water St.
