Borough Council has taken action on several of the subcommittee's recommendations. You can learn more about the completed initiatives below.
- I-1 to UM: The Frog, Switch & Manufacturing, Co. tract
- Reduce parking requirements for dwellings
- Expand access to shared parking
- Fee in lieu of parking
- Minimum Bicycle Parking
- Artisan Industry
I-1 to UM: The Frog, Switch & Manufacturing, Co. Tract
The closure of the Frog, Switch & Manufacturing Company in the summer of 2023 presented a timely and unique opportunity for the subcommittee and Borough staff to evaluate reuse activities that best serve the needs of the surrounding neighborhood and support the Borough as a whole. The site was originally in the General Industrial zoning district (I-1), which allowed manufacturing, truck terminal, warehouse, and distribution uses. Borough staff and the subcommittee recommended to Council that the site be changed to Urban Mixed Use (UM), requiring a broader range of land uses, including residential, non-residential, and open space. The mixed-use zoning would also be similar to the zoning for the adjacent land in North Middleton Township.
A community survey on the topic showed strong support for the idea. 85% of the respondents were in favor of the zoning district change from General Industrial to Urban Mixed Use.
Comprehensive Plan
The best planning practice is to adopt zoning ordinance standards that a current Comprehensive Plan supports. Carlisle's most recent Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2002 and updated in 2019. The plan only addresses the "general industrial" land use activity associated with Frog, Switch Manufacturing. Along with the zoning ordinance amendments, a resolution was proposed to amend the Carlisle Borough Comprehensive Plan.
Official Action Taken
On December 14, 2023, Borough Council adopted an ordinance amending the Code of the Borough of Carlisle, Chapter 255, by amending the Zoning Map Through Rezoning Specified Parcels to UM Urban Mixed Use Housing. The resolution to update the Comprehensive Plan was also approved at the December 14, 2023 meeting.
**Dickinson College student Natalia Uro De León created a presentation on this matter, titled "Sustainable Revitalization: Reimaging & Rezoning the East High Street Corridor in Carlisle, PA. View the presentation here.**
Reducing Parking Requirements for Dwellings
The sub-committee is also reviewing parking standards for land uses and looking for potential reforms. Vehicle parking reforms can improve the efficiency of the local housing market, reduce regulations that require lot consolidation and demolition for parking, encourage infill development where parking is underutilized, remove barriers to the reuse of existing buildings for dwellings, and induce the latent demand for small scale housing in all neighborhoods.
The first proposed reform is a modest adjustment to the parking requirement for dwelling units. According to the Zoning Ordinance, a Dwelling Unit is "A living area comprised of more than one room used for living and sleeping purposes and having its own kitchen with fixed cooking, refrigeration, and plumbing facilities, and its own sanitation facilities with bath and toilet fixtures, all arranged for occupancy by one family or a single person. Each dwelling unit shall have a separate access to the outside or to a common passageway."
A text amendment to Article XXV Off-Street Parking and Loading was proposed, reducing the number of vehicle spaces for all dwellings. The current ordinance requires multifamily dwellings to provide 1.5 off-street parking spaces plus 1 parking space for each additional multifamily bedroom. Under the current ordinance, single-family homes and townhouses must provide 2 off-street parking spaces. This amendment reduces the number of off-street parking spaces 1 per dwelling unit with one bedroom or less and 2 parking spaces per dwelling unit with two or more bedrooms..
Official Action Taken
On December 14, Borough Council adopted the proposed ordinance reducing minimum parking requirements for dwellings.
Expand Access to Shared Parking
The subcommittee is also recommending that the allowable distance to shared parking be increased. Currently, Section 255-203 of Article XXV Off-Street Parking and Loading states that "one or more parking lots may be designed to service a multiple number of commercial uses... provided that all such parking is on the same lot or within 300 feet of walking distance from the subject use." A proposed amendment increases the allowable distance to 1,500 feet from the principal use.*
Increasing this distance can open up more opportunities for shared parking. Shared parking can potentially reduce development costs, provide more land area for other uses, and reduce congestion.
We have an interactive Shared Parking Map that provides a basic analysis of shared parking facilities to any destination along lines of public access at 300-foor, 750-foot, 1,000-foot, and 1,500-foot increments. View the map here.
Official Action Taken
On March 14, 2024, Council approved a proposed ordinance amendment that increases the allowable distance between shared-use parking lots for any principal use in all commercial zoning districts (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, and C-5), Urban Mixed Use District, R-4 Town Center District, and R-5 Traditional Residential District.
Fee in Lieu of Parking
The subcommittee is looking at adopting a fee in lieu of parking minimums for developers. Under the proposed ordinance amendment, developers can request a reduction in off-street parking for a one-time fee. Fee-in-lieu of parking provides the Borough with funds to manage parking demand while encouraging infill and the reuse of existing developed land that is underutilized. This pattern of development could help the Borough meet its climate action goals as well by reducing traffic generation, demolition, and associated emissions.
Official Action Taken
On July 11, 2024, Council approved a proposed ordinance amendment that allows for the conditional reduction of parking requirements if an applicable fee is paid. The reduction of parking must also be approved by Borough Council.
Minimum Bicycle Parking
Providing safe bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and facilities is a priority for Borough Council. Currently, there is nothing in the Borough Code or Zoning Ordinance requiring minimum bicycle parking. The successful approval of the Lot 1 IAC site with a minimum bicycle parking standard recommended by staff is a strong indication that minimum bicycle parking is appropriate for new businesses in Carlisle.
The LUR subcommittee will recommend a text amendment to the zoning ordinance requiring that all parking areas in new developments containing 10 or more vehicle spaces must provide bicycle parking facilities (e.g. bike racks/lockers) to accommodate the parking of at least two bicycles for every 10 vehicle spaces. These facilities should be in a well-lit location conveniently accessible to a primary entrance to the development's principal buildings, not interfere with pedestrian traffic, and be protected from conflicts with vehicular traffic.
Official Action Taken
An ordinance amendment was passed in July of 2025, requiring new developments with 10 or more off-street parking spaces to include bicycle parking for at least 2 bicycles per 10 vehicle spaces.
Artisan Industry (aka Artisan Manufacturing)
Artisan Industry refers to a land-use activity that supports small-scale manufacturing, including arts and crafts, foods, beverages, clothing, and other similar products. This land use type often includes a retail component, allowing businesses to produce and sell their items on-site.
While there are several examples of Artisan Industry in Pennsylvania, all manufacturing uses are prohibited in our central business district (C-1). This prohibition includes the small breweries that Carlisle has developed a reputation for. To open downtown, these breweries had to undergo a discretionary review process and appear before the Zoning Hearing Board.
Permitting artisan industrial space as a right with a zoning permit rather than by discretionary special exception or land use variance could provide a straightforward opportunity for a local home occupation to relocate to a brick-and-mortar storefront downtown.
The Subcommittee recommends a text amendment allowing light manufacturing in the C-1 district. Initially, it will be limited to existing buildings in the C-1 District. However, further refinement may be needed to scale this land use activity to Carlisle, including analyzing finished space floor areas.
Official Action Taken
In July 2025, Borough Council voted to adopt a zoning ordinance amendment permitting artisan industry in the Commercial, Industrial, and Mixed-Use districts.