The Lancaster County Planning Commission voted to forward proposed amendments that would remove private heliports as a permissible use in R‑1 residential zoning and require any private heliport to be allowed only in R‑2 zoning by special exception.

County planning staff said the Board of Supervisors requested the review after community concerns about commercial helicopter operations and landing activity on residential property. Miss Hall told the commission staff had received one formal public comment and 13 neighbor complaints by letter and email describing "noise, safety, quality of life, concerns for wildlife, environmental impact/pollution, zoning and setting a precedent for future helicopter traffic." The county does not disclose the identities of complainants, staff added.

Commissioners asked staff to clarify operational details. Staff confirmed the landowner applied for the prior special exception and that the earlier request had been for a commercial operation; staff described the proposed commercial use as transporting passengers to and from Washington, D.C. "It was a commercial pilot that was gonna essentially fly people like an Uber back and forth from DC," Miss Hall said during the discussion. Commissioners noted neighbor concerns and the potential for repeated public comment at the Board of Supervisors and Board of Zoning Appeals.

A motion to forward the proposed zoning changes removing private heliports from R‑1 to the Board of Supervisors was made and recorded in the commission’s minutes. The Chair stated the recommendation was "moving forward with unanimous approval" in the meeting record. The transcript does not include a detailed roll‑call tally but records the Chair’s statement that the recommendation advanced with unanimous support.

Next steps: the Board of Supervisors will consider the planning commission’s recommendation; the BZA has a related variance scheduled that commissioners noted could address elements of the heliport matter further.