Ultimately, the Comprehensive Plan is about the physical form of the city and how and where Lancaster should grow and change in the next two decades. As such, Chapter 4 of the Plan focuses on the physical characteristics of Lancaster City from a land use and community character perspective. It includes a citywide Future Land Use Map with identified land use categories, as well as policies related to development and urban design issues. Chapter 4 also includes “place-based” policies that are directed toward particular areas of opportunity or change within the city. This chapter provides the foundation for Lancaster City’s zoning map and also helps shape the City’s zoning regulations.
While the five Planning Systems in Chapter 3 provide the framework for future decisions, the Land Use Map and policies in Chapter 4 interpret that information spatially. The physical evolution of the city is a unique community development consideration that warrants special discussion in every plan. In Lancaster’s case, this discussion includes a particular focus on the Conestoga River, which represents both a community development opportunity to make Lancaster City more sustainable, prosperous, and healthy; and a physical planning opportunity to connect the city and restore one of its most underappreciated assets. Chapter 5 applies the policy direction of Chapters 3 and 4 to this unique area, with a focus on the river.
