When: Warwick Township supervisors meeting, March 15.
What happened: Township supervisors approved a zoning request from United Zion Retirement Community for an apartment addition. The conditional-use application was for a new 47-unit independent living apartment building just north of the existing facility at 722 Furnace Hills Pike, north of Lititz . The zoning is for a medical residential campus in the R-2 residential zone.
Background: United Zion has more than 140 residences including skilled nursing, personal care, memory care, independent living apartments and independent living cottages.
Why it’s important: The proposed addition would add more units for independent seniors with mid-range pricing. They would include two-bedroom apartments and one-bedroom apartments with dens. United Zion CEO Sue Verdegem noted a growing demand in Lancaster County for senior living, specifically for reasonably priced housing for seniors. United Zion currently has a two-year waiting list for independent residential living, she said.
What’s next: Conditional-use approval is the first step for United Zion in the expansion of its facilities, followed by approvals of preliminary and final land development plans, traffic plans and stormwater plans. The project will require the removal of houses and a storage building along Route 501. Completion of the apartment building is projected for spring 2025.
Emergency services: Duane Ober, fire commissioner for Warwick Emergency Services Commission, presented an annual report to the supervisors with data from three of the four fire companies and two of the three ambulance services that make up the commission. Commission members include Brickerville, Brunnerville, Lititz and Rothsville fire companies and Warwick, Rothsville and Northwest emergency medical services. These emergency organizations function independently and cooperatively through WESC and assist with the following functions: recruitment and retention of volunteers, hiring of new employees, financial stability, fund drives, grants, municipal support, sufficient apparatus and staffing, response times, and community fire safety education.
By the numbers: Lititz Fire Company had 402 responses in 2022, including 212 incidents in Warwick Township; response time averaged just over 8 minutes. Rothsville Volunteer Fire Company had 92 responses in 2022, with 77 in Warwick Township; average response time was 8 minutes. Brunnerville Fire Company had 88 responses in 2022, with 40 in Warwick Township; average response time was over 9 minutes. Warwick Ambulance responded to 4,391 incidents, while Rothsville Fire Company Ambulance responded to 1,389 incidents.
New equipment: Ober said a $1.1 million ladder truck has been ordered for the Lititz Fire Company, and it is expected to arrive in early 2024. Municipalities provide funding through taxes for the commission to pay for fire equipment with the coordinated apparatus replacement plans for each station.
Regional police: Warwick supervisors acknowledged a request from East Petersburg Borough to become a charter member of the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department. East Petersburg has been a contract member and will join Warwick Township, Penn Township and Clay Township as a charter member of the regional police force.
