Zoning & Subdivision Review Committee

Meeting Minutes

Tuesday – June 18, 2002
MCRPC Offices, 2491 Highland Road – Hermitage, PA

Members Present	Others Present
Samuel Scott, Chairman	Dennis G. Puko, MCRPC
Larry McAdams
Chuck Garrett
Ron Faull
Clifford McCandless
James Rollinson
Burroughs Price

Mr. Scott, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. A quorum was present. Mr. Scott noted that the Minutes of the May 21, 2002 meeting were mailed prior to tonight’s meeting. A motion was made by Mr. Garrett and seconded by Mr. Price to approve the Minutes of the May 21, 2002 meeting with no additions, corrections, or deletions. The motion passed.

N E W B U S I N E S S

1. South Pymatuning Township Zoning Text Amendment for School Conversions – Mr. Puko reviewed this with the Committee noting that South Pymatuning Township would like to amend the principal uses permitted in the R-2 Residential Zoning District to permit existing public school structures to be converted to the following uses: professional offices and services, municipal public authority and emergency services, or public or private schools accredited by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, provided such conversions comply with certain general provisions compatible with the character of adjoining residential uses.

After reviewing this amendment, he suggested the following: 1) remove the word "public" in Section I, (d), because public schools are already permitted in the R-2 District; 2) suggest referring to suitable screening in (1) General Requirements, c. because it provides specific definition for acceptable screening already contained in the ordinance, (Section 1204.2) whereas "screen planting" is not defined; and 3) remove the word "limited" in Section I, (d) in order to remove a potential conflict and add flexibility for reuse. Using the word limited, one may interpret that a school conversion could not be used for multi-family residential or non-commercial recreation, uses that are already permitted in the R-2 district and which would be no more offensive in a converted school.

There being no further suggestions, a motion was made by Mr. Price and seconded by Mr. Rollinson to recommend approval of the South Pymatuning Township text amendment with recommended changes. The motion passed.

2. Proposed Amendments to Mercer Borough Zoning Ordinance Sign Regulations – Mr. Puko stated that recently Mercer Borough had made some alterations to their sign regulations, but some concerns arose after the sign regulations were enforced and administered. Mercer Borough Planning Commission and Council held meetings, with the assistance of MCRPC, and suggested the proposed amendments to their sign regulations: 1) expand the scope of non-conforming signs to add clarity, enhance and add flexibility for the maintenance provision, and define and deal with abandoned signs; 2) create a category of signs allowed in all districts that do not require a permit and are not included in calculations of total sign area, and identify a number of types of signs for inclusion in that category. Window signage is recommended to move to this category to give more flexibility to business owners and grant more ease of administration to the zoning officer; 3) add a provision for institutional signs in residential zoning districts and clarify the language for institutional bulletin boards allowed in all districts; 4) expand the definition of a canopy and include the new definition of a carport; 5) expand the scope of signs that are permitted in all districts and not requiring a permit: governing body type signs, traffic signs and similar on premise signs such as directional, instructional and informational signs, and signs regulating the use of property such as no trespassing; and 6) expand the scope of signs prohibited which would resemble and imitate state or borough traffic control signs.

A motion was made by Mr. Garrett and seconded by Mr. McCandless to recommend approval of Mercer Borough text amendments with recommended additions. The motion passed.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to conduct, the meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Dennis G. Puko,

Executive Director

 

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

 

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