LANCASTER TWP — In the first public meeting on the topic since the start of the pandemic, township residents Monday discussed future updates to the township’s comprehensive plan, a document that guides township officials on the course for the next 10 years.

Updates to the plan were started in 2019 but postponed due to the pandemic. The current comprehensive plan was adopted in 2004.

Michelle Brummer, senior planner with Gannett Fleming, Inc., discussed the previous draft of the comprehensive plan, which was put together at the end of 2019, and asked residents whether portions of the draft plan should be updated to reflect changes in the area since 2019, or whether there was a need to start from scratch.

The previously drafted plan discussed keeping the rural character of the township intact, potentially changing and updating zoning around the township, and expanding water and sewer services along the Route 19 corridor.

“The pressures of development, the desires for conservation, and what the population wants from their community change as the years go on,” Brummer said. “It’s important to take a breath, look out as far as you can, try to look 10 years, and say, how do we want our community to look in 10 years?”

Residents discussed multiple angles to approaching development and maintaining infrastructure in Lancaster. While some focused on the idea preserving scenic farmland, others highlighted a need for amenities such as grocery stores and gas stations in the township. Still others focused on protections for residents living near developments.

“There’s only one thing that will preserve the farming and agricultural feel, and that’s called being able to make money farming,” said resident Tim McNulty, who owns Strawberry Ridge Golf Course. “It would be wrong to put a plan in that is going to limit larger tracts of land to be developed for their potential economically.”

“When you’re looking at changing the zoning, especially on the commercial side, you should hold meetings with the business owners that are here in the township,” said resident Connie Domhoff. “Get their feelings about it and see what they think should be done, where it should go, where it shouldn’t go.”

Sylvia Wack encouraged fellow township residents to show up to future meetings related to the comprehensive plan.

“The more people we have, the more public input we have, that’s what the whole thing is for,” Wack said. “That’s what we’re hoping for.”

Supervisors Chairman Joe Plesniak hopes to return to an earlier point in the plan development process.

“We want to kick it back to the steering committee and have them drive it instead of us,” Plesniak said. “We want them to have public meetings.”

Ben Levenger, of Downtown Redevelopment Services, which is working with the township on a contractual basis, said a website soon would be made available where residents can view the progress on the plan and submit comments. He also expressed interest in holding “stakeholder” meetings in coming months to spread awareness of the plan development process, and to gather feedback from residents.

“A lot of things have changed in three years, and it’s not just due to development,” Levenger said. “It is the changes in people’s lifestyles that have also impacted things.”

Future meeting dates for the comprehensive plan process are not scheduled but are anticipated to be coming soon, Brummer said.

“Tonight was really to take the pulse,” Brummer said. “It will be up to the township to decide how much funding they want to put toward it, and do they feel they need to start from scratch? It’s still going to be some more committee meetings of some sort.”