Conewago, Penn. Rejects Plan to Rezone Airport

Conewago Township officials have rejected a proposal to rezone Hanover Airport as residential, but indicated they might still consider a proposal to rezone the area less densely.

Airport owner Betty Jane Gebhart wants to change the zoning at the site because the airport is no longer profitable under its existing use, Gebhart's attorney Tim Shultis told supervisors last month.

On Monday, supervisors denied a petition from Gebhart that would have changed the zoning at the airport from agricultural preservation to R-3, or urban residential. They said they received input from the Adams County Office of Planning and Development and the township planning commission, and neither recommended the rezoning.

"I don't think it would be in the best interest of the township because (it) is an environmentally sensitive area," said board Chairwoman Monique Keefe.

Supervisor Dwight Adams agreed with Keefe's assessment.

"Based on the layout provided (of the airport), the property is bisected by a stream," Adams said. "If it was rezoned as R-3 it would (cause) a safety issue for the west side of that area in case of a flood. If a development was put in there, the people on the west side of the stream could be stranded with no other way out."

After hearing the board's decision to deny the zoning change, Shultis said Gebhart may want to request a rezoning for R-1A, which would mean bigger lots with lesser density and could also include cluster development.

"We asked for R-3 but we are not stuck on the R-3 idea," said Shultis.

Supervisors said if Gebhart wishes to file another petition requesting to change the zoning on the east side of the property, they will review it.

"But the door (for the airport's development) is pretty much shut on the west side of the creek, unless you can come up with another access," Adams said.

Supervisors noted that any new requests would need to go to township and county planning officials first. If the supervisors do not deny the request after that review, the proposal would be brought to public hearings before further action is taken.

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