Zoning & Subdivision Review Committee

Meeting Minutes

Tuesday – March 16, 1999 – 7:30 p.m. – MCRPC Offices

MEMBERS PRESENT	OTHERS PRESENT
Samuel Scott, Chairman	Dennis Puko, Executive Director
James Rollinson, Vice-Chairman	Lisa Holm, Planner
Clifford McCandless
Ray Foster

Mr. Scott, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. A quorum was present. A motion was made by Mr. Rollinson and seconded by Mr. Hogan to approve the Minutes of the February 16, 1999 meeting with no additions, corrections or deletions. The motion passed.

N E W B U S I N E S S

1. Proposed Zoning Map Amendment – City of Hermitage – North Buhl Farm Drive – Proposal to rezone a property from R-1-75 Single-Family Residential to Institutional – Mr. Puko reviewed this with the Committee noting that this is a one lot (100’ x 150’ lot) rezoning request located on Buhl Farm Drive north of Highland Road intersection. The current use is a single-family dwelling. He noted that immediately surrounding the property is a gas station to the south, single-family residential to the west and north, and a mostly vacant lot to the east. Further to the northeast is multi-family residential, to the southeast is commercial and institutional. Buhl Farm Drive is single-family residential from this point northward, mixed commercial and residential from the point south. Mr. Puko reviewed some of the zoning amendment review criteria noting that Hermitage and the County Comprehensive Plan would like to see this area generally stay the same way. He also noted that Buhl Farm Drive is a 2-lane minor arterial with 10,000 to 11,000 vehicles per day while Highland Road is a 2-lane collector with 8,000 to 9, 000 vehicles per day. He also pointed out that the minimum lot area in an institutional district is 30,000 square feet, but the property in question to be rezoned is only 100’ x 150’, which lacks the basic criteria to be developed in the institutional district. He also pointed out that we have seen quite a few of zoning changes, which involved only small increments of property in Hermitage. Mr. Hogan noted the fact that a lot of the zoning changes have come from an individual and not from the City. After further discussion, a motion was made by Mr. McCandless and seconded by Mr. Hogan to recommend denying this rezoning. The motion passed.

2. Proposed Zoning Text Amendment – Jefferson Township Zoning Ordinance – primarily Section 900 - Signage - Ms. Holm reviewed this with the Committee noting that overall the changes to be made are to simplify some of the regulations, deleting a couple of sections which appear to be duplicates and updating some of the terms. She also noted that in addition to changes to Section 900 - Signs, there are some changes to B-1 and B-2. The change would allow permitted uses from the B-1 Neighborhood Service to also be permitted in the B-2 Business Highway Service. She also commented that there is a final section that is being suggested for review, which deals with the size qualification for lakes, ponds and water impoundments. Currently there is no size qualification for lakes, ponds and water impoundments. She noted that anything 144 square feet or smaller would not be regulated by this ordinance. Mr. Hogan stated that the reason this arose was the Township had two people put ponds on their property, one which went on the right-of-way of the road was also on a curve. The Township had nothing in their zoning ordinance to restrict this, but they were able to work with the owner to have him move it back almost 10 feet and he put in a stone retaining wall by the pond. After further discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Hogan and seconded by Mr. McCandless to recommend approving the basic concepts of the proposed ordinance revisions. Recommendation was made to continue work between the Commission staff and the Township Planning Commission on the proposed zoning text amendments with the sign section needing better clarification. The motion passed.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to conduct, the meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Lisa Holm,

Planner

 

 

Mercer County Regional Planning Commission
2491 Highland Road, Hermitage, PA 16148
mail@mcrpc.com    www.mcrpc.com

 

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