Harrisburg City Planning Commission - 6/4/2025

foot structure which was constructed in

1987. The property is bounded by Market

Street to the north, the property at 9

South Second Street to the east and

south, and South Second Street to the

west. This semi- detached structure

features elements of a modern

architectural style. Character defining

features include stone facade with

granite water table, the oversized

recessed entryways featuring curved

glass elements, the ribbon windows on

all elevations, and the asymmetric

penthouse level. There are two main

entrances on the northern elevation with

which both feature full view metal doors

set within simple frame simple metal

frames and topped with large plate glass

windows which flank full view revolving

doors topped with tall curved glass

panes. A secondary access on the western

elevation features a recessed entrance

with a full view metal with full view

full view metal double doors flanked and

topped by plate glass windows.

Fenistration otherwise is limited to

rows of plate glass windows on all

elevations and all floors. The structure

is topped with flat rubber roofs. The

western portion of the property

accommodates the Serta transfer center,

including bus shelter, bus lanes,

shelters, and seating. Although the

architectural style style differs

somewhat from other nearby buildings in

the downtown, there are others of the

same massing and design in the

surrounding blocks which accommodate

more of Harrisburg's newer development.

As the downtown neighborhood is

characterized by the diversity of its

architectural styles, age of

construction, and general building

design, and the sub the subject property

thus minimally contributes to the

architectural character of the

community.

The planning bureau staff recommends the

request be approved

uh with the following conditions.

Because the applicant is predicating

their request on driver legibility and

safety, the planning bureau recommends

that the signage limit message

transitions to limit message transitions

to six transitions per minute per pendot

guidance for billboards and previous

appro approvals for similar proposals

granted by the zoning hearing board.

Planning bureau staff recommends the

request be approved for the following

reasons. The proposed signage will

better promote publicly accessible

activities and events held by government

agencies and local nonprofits and will

not be used to advertise private

businesses other than that of the

property owner. And thus, there is a

significant public benefit component to

the proposal. Given the context of the

signage location on a large building

facade at a major major intersection in

a visually congested area, the current

sign is somewhat unnoticeable or

illegible and thus there is

justification for allowing larger

signage more conspicuous to drivers and

pedestrians. Okay. Thank you, Jeff.

Could you state your names, address, and

relationship to the project? Hi, my name

is Phil Patrina, attorney at McNiss

Wallace and um council on behalf of the

Harrisburg Downtown Improvement

District. Uh we're at 100 Pine Street in

Harrisburg. And with me here tonight is

uh yes, good evening. I'm Todd Vanderwy.

I'm the executive director for the

Harrisburg Downtown Improvement

District. Uh, our office is right there

at 22 North Second Street. I'm also a

resident of Shipo, uh, 579 South Front

Street. Okay. Thank you. Uh, you both

heard the staff report with the U one

condition. Are you acceptable with that

condition? Yes, that condition is

acceptable. Okay. Um, did you want to

add anything else to the uh, report? Um,

a few quick comments. We know you have a

full agenda tonight. Um, but we agree

with uh Mr. Knight's analysis. Um this

is a pre-existing electronically

changeable message wall sign. Uh the

existing sign is 88 square feet. It has

been there in its current form since

2008. The downtown improvement district

is now looking to update that sign with

a new and improved sign that's bigger,

clearer, easier to read, and we think

will be more aesthetically pleasing to

attract people to the downtown district

uh and to promote the citywide uh and

countywide events. So, th this is a a

significant improvement over what uh is

currently there. And uh we would just

ask for the planning commission to

recommend approval tonight uh for the

zoning uh hearing board of our requested

variance.

Okay. Thank you. Um commissioners, I

don't have any

questions. This seems to be a

straightforward period and I'm glad that

there sign is being put up so that as

you said

safety you go by there and trying to

look at it next. you know, you run into

car whatever has. So with that, Mr.

That was better than what some people

called me today.

So I just Yeah. I Are you moving it any

higher up the building or is it staying

in the same location? It's going to stay

in the same location, but obviously the

sign is larger, so it will um know it

will span from the lower window pane to

upper window pane

of that. Yes. Yeah. It does. I mean,

it's larger, but not tremendously

larger. What's about 40% more

like 5t higher approximately? Yes. Yeah.

Just it always seemed too small.

Yeah. just can't figure out how to make

it larger without giving up windows, but

it would be not quite Time Square yet.

I don't know if we're proposing anything

like that, but maybe one day. I think

the main question was people talking

about when you come across the bridge

you're coming up to the traffic light

there that there's blockage of the sign

right now with trees other elements and

poles and things that are there whether

bigger really gets as much as you want

but I applaud the improvement.

Thank you.

Yeah, I agree. The current sign's almost

unnoticeable. So this this is

improvement. I'll be hoping for

Mr.

No questions,

no questions.

Is there anyone from the public or

against this project? Start at the

middle to my

right. Appears not to

be. Commissioner is going to get a vote

on this.

Second. It's been moved and second for

approval with the one condition. All

those in f by saying I I

thank you very much. Thank you.

Okay. The next item uh is a varance

application for 1951 Hurst Streets which

is zone industrial and commercial

neighborhood which by Justin

Woodward with complete signs to install

a wall sign 50 square feet larger than

permitted by right of

25 just here. Uh no, so the applicants

were not able to have a representative

here. Um the applicant is actually uh

from a science company in Alabama and

they had a local representative and they

weren't um able to make uh the meeting

tonight. They had something come up. So

uh they had requested continuence which

I put on in front of everybody. So,

do we need a vote on it? Uh, yeah. I

think you should vote. Commissioners,

is there a second? Second. It's been

moved and second for continuation of

this project. All those in favor state

by saying I. I.

Oppos? Motion

carried. Okay. Item number three. This

is a special uh exception application

for 1025 market street which is zone

downtown center. It's filed by Stephanie

Sus events and it's to establish a use

not specifically prohibited and event

space use.

Uh

yes, the applicant is proposing to

establish an event space on site which

is classified as a use not specifically

prohibited which requires the HB

approval of a special exception

application per section

7-303.11b of the zoning code. Property

at 1025 Market Street is a.18 acre lot

featuring a one-story 9623 foot

structure which was constructed circuit

1900. property is bounded by Market

Street and the property at 1029 Market

Street to the north, Cameron Street and

the property at 1029 Cameron Street to

the east. The properties at 10 and 14

South Cameron Street to the south and

the property at 1021 Market Street to

the west. This attached structure

features elements of an indeterminant

industrial architectural style.

Character defining features include the

unusual building configuration wrapped

around the corner lot, the brick facade

with a stone water table, the decorative

brick and stone elements and bays

separated by brick pillisters, and a low

parapit wall at top the building. The

interior space is divided into two

sections. The main entrance to the

portion accommodating the proposed use

features a full view wooden door flanked

by one over one double hung windows. The

other entrance on the eastern elevation

features a full view metal door and a

recessed entrance flanked by sidelights

and storefront windows and topped with a

simple transom. There are utilitarian

access doors on the southern elevation

of the building as well. Penetration is

limited to plate glass windows on the

northern and eastern elevations,

although the property formerly featured

Florida ceiling storefront windows on

those facades as well as the southern

elevation that the owner has infilled

with metal paneling.

Um the structure is topped with a flat

rubber with a flat metal roof. While the

architecture is relatively non-escript

is reflective of the industrial

character of the surrounding

neighborhood and the Cameron Street

corridor overall and as such the

property makes a minimal contribution to

the architectural character of the

community. The planning bureau staff

recommends the request be approved with

the following conditions. Uh given the

location within the AE 100-year flood

plane and the floodway, the applicant

and property owner must ensure that any

investments into the property are

submitted to the planning bureau for

consideration and review against the

flood plane regulations and best

practices before work can commence. Uh

the planning bureau recommends the

applicant consider coordination with the

owners of nearby surface parking lots

such as 101 or 1028 Market Street to

secure leases for off- streetet parking

spaces so that patrons do not end up

parking on the sidewalks near the

property. Uh the applicant must ensure

they conform to the operations as

outlined in the submitted business plan,

including a prohibition on alcohol

consumption and having operations end no

later than midnight. Plan Bio staff

recommends the request be approved for

the following reasons. Property is

located in a mixeduse corridor with

nearby commercial, industrial, and

institutional uses, but no nearby

residential units, and thus the proposed

use should not have an adverse impact on

the neighborhood. The applicant has

provided a detailed site plan confirming

uh business plan, sorry, that confirming

that no alcohol will be uh consumed on

site and that events will not run past

midnight. As such, the proposal is

similar to a previously approved event

space use at 2307 Berry Hill Street

located in a residential neighborhood

which has not had adverse impacts on the

community. And finally, the proposed

development will activate an existing

vacant building with a use that will

accommodate the special occasion needs

of local residents, helping the helping

to activate the area on nights and

weekends.

Thank you, Jeff. You both heard the

staff report with the conditions. Um,

first, could you state your name and

address and relationship to the project?

My name is Stephanie.

I address

KD3 Design Studio representing owner and

helping with their

special located third street.

Okay. As I was saying, you heard the

conditions stated by the staff. Are you

acceptable this condition?

Yes. There there actually is no plan

construction is large enough. It has

28. The owner is working with some of

the local people around there to see

about parking.

If you can get some sort of agreement to

have that

place. Okay. Um that's the main area. Of

course, I'm always concerned with the

parking.

So, this is staff recommended to get

some leases or nearby parking lots. We

don't want parking on the

sidewalk and probably events you're

going to have a few people coming to. So

I guess by the

uh other meeting then you you'll have a

plan for that or at least look at I mean

by by zoning ordinance it's not

required.

So we were looking into it. I mean there

is there is actually a parking lot right

around the corner on 10th Street.

I think the owner has looked into that.

I'll talk to

quite aware it's not required, but we

don't want a lot of problems there.

Understand?

Okay, commissioners, that was my only

concern. And we'll start with

commission.

Uh, just a quick question. What was in

there previously? Was it a restaurant or

what was that? was actually a private

biker club. Motorcycle club. Okay. Life

motorcycle club. It was I was in there

before. It was pretty I mean it was an

open space and they had a little bar

area.

I I don't I think when I checked with

the codes I don't know they had

it just kind of happened. Okay. Yeah.

That was and that was before the current

owner didn't own the didn't own the

property at that time. What was in

there? before that. Do you know by

chance how long ago that would have

been? I think it was a furniture store

at one point. In the past? Yeah. Yeah. I

was just trying to determine if it been

a restaurant that would have already had

Yeah. But if it had already had pattern

of traffic in the past that would

support, you know, but I agree. I mean,

of course, you're going to want to find

good places for people to park, but um

yeah, that corner slowly, it needs

activity.

So, I support getting you in there.

Thank you.

recall there's been a lot of different

things in there restaurants and over the

years there's been a lot of

activities commission

yeah I'll be supporting this regardless

of the answer to this question but have

have you done much in the way of a

outreach to the neighborhood let them

know what you're up to and get their

input um well I'm part of the um church

And um

I've

done a lot of I've been doing this

for I have

a food bank. Um but this is my passion.

This is

As you already know,

um an easy city to find a space like

this. Um this is

what

showcase faces.

Commission,

most of my questions were answered in

your business plan, but just for

clarification, you said it will hold 90

people. Is that banquet style?

Yes. Um, it holds comfortably 10 to 15

tables with even more space.

Um, you know, I'm big

on

backdrops, so I do everything my

Facebook for the past.

And then my second question is, is there

a kitchen? No. So people will just be

bringing food in and and staging it on

tables. So on that um we kind of

improve. We've done a lot

of place to place.

It was all I'm sorry but dingy and black

and red and just horrible looking. Um

we've completely renovated it white and

the pictures I myself have been working

I have home that I have. So it on the

corner where that bar used to be like a

larger area where people can set food

trays. Um it has a sink where people can

wash their hands. and it has a space for

a

fridge

water. Um, so there is a designated

space for people to

put

it to tag a little bit reason that we're

limiting it

also 99 people in the

building. So that's part of it why we

you know I talked to make sure was okay

with that that we limit it in there and

anything that she's done has been has

just been paint on the walls and they

said the countertop was already there.

She just freshened it up, right?

They're not doing any they actually

aren't doing anything, you know, any

construction.

Thank you.

Commission.

Yeah. Um just pretty much echoing what

everybody else has said. Um you know,

you're saying that the capacity will be

90 people. You know, making sure that

you work out some type of parking

arrangement. I know you talked about on

the weekends, but I'm sure you'll have

events during the week as well. So, as

long as you, you know, get that worked

out with one of the nearby lots uh

rather than definitely a supporter of

this, you know, that area and that

intersection needs a lot of help and

businesses are starting to slowly come

back. So, you know, good luck to you.

Thank you. I have been trying to work to

get I got

selling the actual law parking lot. So,

they they only wanted to hear if I

wanted to buy the parking the parking

place. Don't want to buy it. But I'm

I've been very consistent into trying

for them to get me in touch with the

actual owner. See if I could get, you

know, an agreement of some

sort. We're still the owner still trying

to work with other

A quick suggestion is before I retired,

I used to work in that building uh at

the corner and we had a agreement to use

some of the parking spaces. Uh even

though they were quite busy then but now

since co I always see empty spaces. So

you might go to ABC talk to them.

I know they were very cooperative with

this suggestion. Thank you.

U with that is there anyone in the

public for against the project

start on my right?

Uh commissioners, can I get a motion?

I move to approve the application with

the conditions as stated. Okay. Is there

a second? Second. Move a second to

approve the project with the conditions.

All those in favor state by saying I. I.

Oppos

and motion car. Good luck. Thank you.

Thank you very

much. Item number four. This is a

variance and special exception

application for 1415 Sycamore Street

which is zon residential medium density

followed by Sam alley and is to

establish a convenience store on site

and to request relief from the

associated all street parking

requirements.

Uh yes. So the applicant is proposing to

establish a convenience store on site

and to request relief from the

associated off street parking

requirements. The project requires

zoning hearing board approval of a

variance application for a convenience

store use per section 7-305.7 of the

zoning code and have a special exception

application to request relief from the

off street parking requirements for such

uses as outlined in section

7-327.6 of the zoning code. Property at

1415 Sycamore Street is a 05 acre lot

featuring a two-story

481 square foot structure which was

constructed circa 1900. Property is

bounded by Sycamore Street to the north.

property at 1417 Sycamore Street to the

east and undeveloped public rights of

way to the south and west. The semi-

detached structure features elements of

an indeterminant architectural style.

Character defining features include the

formstone facade, the roll down metal

security doors, and a wide wooden

staircase on the rear elevation

providing access to a residential

apartment above. is unclear what the

main entrance is given the security

doors are locked in a closed setting,

but older images of the propo of the

property indicate that there was or is a

solid wooden door providing access to

the first floor as well as a similar

solid wooden door beside it, which once

provided access to interior interior

stairs to this upper floor.

Administration is limited to seven over

one windows on the front and side

elevations, although the property

formerly featured three sidebyside

windows on the first floor as well.

structure appears to be topped with flat

rubber roofs. The building is in a

significant state of disrepair and its

architectural features are not reflected

in any of the surrounding residential

properties. As such, the property does

not contribute to the architectural

character of the community and indeed

detracts from it. The planning bureau

staff recommends the request be approved

with the following conditions. The

applicant must ensure that the business

conforms to all specific criteria

outlined in section 7-309.2Q 2 Q of the

zoning code and the signage regulations

outlined in chapter 7-325 of the zoning

code. The applicant may not keep

products, displays, freestanding signage

or any other materials in the yard/

sidewalk in front of the building. And

finally, the applicant must allow the

codes bureau to perform a comprehensive

inspection of the entire building

property and building to ensure aspects

such as utilities and access points are

up to modern codes and to ensure the

structural stability of the building.

Flure staff recommends the request be

approved for the following reasons. The

proposed project will address a

long-standing vacant property that has

created a bleeding influence on the

neighborhood. The proposed use will

reestablish a convenience store use on

site that appears to have existed

several decades ago and reactivate a

vacant storefront space. And there

appears to be justification, sufficient

justification for the proposed variance

of special exception requests, including

the availability of on street parking

along the 13 and 100 and400 blocks of

Sycamore Street.

Thank you Jeff. Could you state your

names uh relationship to the project and

address? Um

um

project you both heard the conditions.

Are you

acceptable?

Um One of the other concerns I have is

um the size of the parking but it's not

really required is did you talk to any

of the

neighbors and what

was the neighbors are

I think there was a

story positive.

Yeah. And and just to uh clarify, I did

put a picture from the Dolphin County uh

tax parcel records on everybody's uh

desk up there. Uh that's the photo they

have from the records, which is probably

from the '9s. Um and I think uh the sign

on there says like Manor Market and

Grill, I believe. Uh so um that's kind

of even though we have nothing in the

records that there's like any merkantile

permit for the property and you go back

and Google Streets View and can't really

see any occupancy. Uh that does provide

um evidence that there was a similar use

on site.

So you're saying they were positive? For

the most part, everyone was

Okay, that's all questions I have at

this time.

Commissioner,

so you said you sent letters to the the

neighborhood people in the neighborhood.

Yes. Following up with his question and

explain to them what you're putting in

there. All right. Usually convenience

stores are one thing that gets the

public out,

but no further questions.

Mr. Reed, I'm just curious about the

proposed hours of operation.

Um, it's probably going to be

like

it work. No questions. The only comment

I have is just I think it would be it'd

be a good use of the space and

considering the way that the property is

laid out and it history it makes sense

for there be a store there.

Is there anyone from the

public? Left, middle,

right? I got a motion.

Motion to approve the conditions. Is

there a second? Second. Second for

approval with the conditions. All those

in favor state by saying I. I

oppose. Motion carries. Good luck. Thank

you.

Do you have any other business? Um, no

other business uh for tonight. Uh, next

month's looking uh like a pretty good

agenda. Probably six or seven items on

it. So,

[Laughter]

this is a good

anything commissioners for the good of

the water.

I

guess better indicator.

I do I do remember that. Um

and and to be clear, I believe this um

initiative is uh going to be focused on

economic development and maybe less so

like physical development of new

structures. But I mean that will

certainly come into play about bringing

residents new business space downtown

too and stuff.

With that, as chairman, I'd like to

recommen I'm going to work

Yeah. No. And there's a lot a lot of,

you know, a lot of that document uh

references downtown in terms of

connectivity, you know, economic

development, mixed use. Um and so I

certainly think it has um applicability

to at least as a um starting point for

some of the discussions.

Would the uh would I sign that or are

you going to sign um well if the if if

it would be coming from the planning

commission I think it would be best if

uh you signed that.

Okay. I have

nothing. Oh, yeah. I'm

sorry. Make that motion.

It's been moved and second for approval

of the letter. All those in favor state

by saying I

opposed

and motion carried. Very good. Could I

get a motion for journal?