North Strabane strikes down proposed zoning change
North Strabane Township supervisors are going back to the drawing board on a proposed zoning ordinance following a public hearing Tuesday.
The township supervisors were surprised by a map for a comprehensive rezoning amendment, provided by the township’s planning consultant, Carolyn Yagle.
“This is not what we’ve been working on for the last year and a half,” said supervisor Marcus Staley.
The map Yagle presented changed an agricultural area in the northeastern part of the township, zoned A2, to an A1, which is also agricultural land but without sewer access and with a lower intensity residential development.
Supervisor Brian Spicer said the reason he’s opposed to the change is primarily because of the sewer access. He said that area is already serviced with sewers, which is why it was zoned A2. He also mentioned since mobile homes are allowed only in A1 zones that have sewer services, the change would allow mobile home parks to develop in the area.
Joe Sites, the township engineer, said that ultimately, the township wants to “keep as much of the rural character of the township as possible.”
The supervisors said this change was not something they expected, or worked on over the past year of planning. During the public hearing, members of the planning commission said the change was not something they recommended. Frank Siffrinn, the township manager, also said the recommendation did not come from him.
“I was opposed to changing the A2 to A1,” he said. “That recommendation did not come from staff.”
Supervisor Robert Balogh asked Yagle how this change became part of the amendment.
“There’s no way this is getting approved,” he said.
Yagle told him it had been something she worked on with the township’s previous planning coordinator, Paulette Moyar, who retired last year. She said the map, along with the comprehensive rezoning amendment, “captures” what’s been outlined in the township’s comprehensive plan, which was updated in 2016.
Township solicitor Gary Sweat said Yagle will need to present to the board a new plan that maintains that particular area as an A2 zone. Sweat said the township will then go through the review process again and hold another public hearing.