Peters considers zoning changes

McMURRAY – Peters Township Council and the township planning commission are considering implementing two overlay districts to its residential zoning in an effort to diversify local housing options and generate more green space.
At a workshop meeting Monday, council and the planning commission discussed the two proposed overlays – Conservation Residential and Mixed Residential.
Both residential overlays promote more housing units than current township zoning regulations allow, with the CR overlay encouraging developers to set aside more green space.
“We need zoning consistent with our comprehensive plan,” said Ed Zuk, Peters planning director. The township’s comprehensive plan was adopted in December 2013 and calls for more diverse housing.
“We want to build character and identity of the township,” Zuk said. “The two districts will be options. The underlying zoning will remain in place.”
The bulk of the township is already zoned residential, said Zuk, adding that the eastern part of Peters, however, is largely undeveloped and ripe for new development.
According to Zuk, the proposed CR overlay accomplishes multiple things – first, it gives the residential developer needed density to make a housing plan profitable. The township benefits because open space is preserved. In addition, there is no minimum lot size requirement, he said.
As the township residential zoning now stands, a developer is allowed to construct 1.2 units on one acre of land. With the CR overlay, a developer could build three units if 40 percent of the land is set aside for open space, Zuk said. Mixed Residential, meanwhile, would allow up to six units on an acre of land and there is no requirement to set aside land, he said.
“It preserves open space and gives the developer density,” he said. “We want homes and open space to be intertwined.”
Other CR overlay components include five-foot wide sidewalks and streetscape options. For example, a developer could say parking would be allowed on only one side of the street. Also, housing setbacks would not be less than 15 feet and no more than 20 feet.
“We don’t want a block, not a big monolith,” said James Segedy, the township’s land use planner. “This will add visual interest.”
Members of both boards, however, questioned if their hands would be tied if a developer made a proposal that met all the new zoning requirements but was not aesthetically pleasing. More than 70 new homes were constructed in Peters in 2013 and 362 existing homes were sold. The average sales price that year was $364,169.
“I want to be able to say no,” said Councilman Frank Arcuri.
Added Councilwoman Monica Merrell, “Just how many high-density plans are we talking about?”
Zuk told both boards that they could require a developer to submit his master plan to them before any approvals are given. That suggestion was met with unofficial approval by the township officials who were present at the workshop.
It is anticipated the revised ordinances could be ready for adoption in late spring or early summer 2016.