As Penn Township officials continue to weigh a series of zoning changes aimed at increasing economic development, resident Darlene Leslie is worried her quiet home will be disturbed by traffic, noise and pollution.
Leslie lives in the eastern portion of the township, about three miles from Bushy Run Corporate Park — one of the industrial- zoned territories in the community.
Under the proposed zoning plan, the industrial commerce district — which allows for developments such as eateries, warehouses and office spaces — could be expanded at the corporate park.
Leslie’s home, zoned rural resource, has been in her family for 56 years. She is worried further industrial development will pollute her private gas, water and sewage, congest local roadways and lower nearby property values.
“It really breaks my heart,” said Leslie, a board member of local environmental nonprofit Protect PT. “I’ve seen so many farms go under that were there when I was younger.”
The township also has proposed the creation of new zoning districts for Harrison City-Export Road and near the intersection of Route 130, Pleasant Valley Road and Sandy Hill Road — which is slated for a turnpike interchange.
The new districts would allow for mixed-use development along Harrison City-Export Road — including housing and commercial entities — and retail properties by the future turnpike interchange.
The turnpike announced the interchange in October 2021, specifying its approximate location in August 2023.
It will be built sometime between fall 2035 and summer 2038. The turnpike in November unveiled preliminary designs for the $60 million to $90 million project. Some of the primary changes include making room for interchange exits and entryways by shifting portions of Pleasant Valley, Sandy Hill and Nike Site roads.
Proposal aims at economic development
The zoning changes are intended to diversify the township’s tax base — a goal laid out in the township’s 2020 comprehensive plan, community development director Bill Roberts said.
About 84% of the township’s real estate taxes come from residential taxpayers, according to township secretary/manager Mary Perez.
And residences account for about 32% of the township’s 30 square miles, according to 2019 data from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. Nearly 35% is mixed forest, and about 18% is agricultural.
Residents have expressed concerns about language addressing truck stops and landfills being proposed for the zoning code, Roberts said.
“It’s not that we’re promoting them,” he said, “but in zoning, if you don’t address it, it comes through as just a right, a natural right. If you address it, put a definition to it, you can regulate it at that point. So it actually gives you control.”
The changes would preserve some areas of the township for industrial or commercial development, Roberts said.
“Otherwise, in all honesty, they’d be eaten up by houses immediately. Penn Township is where everybody wants to build houses right now,” he said. “It’s a good school district. It’s got all kinds of good positives. Our role is to try and keep that bedroom-type feel but still allow development in a controlled fashion.”
Though some of Bushy Run Corporate Park remains undeveloped, Roberts estimates it will be fully built out in the next three to seven years.
“These are actions that are getting out in front of that, anticipating that development ahead of time so it just doesn’t go out there … and get away from us,” he said.
The industrial commerce expansion would extend existing roads in the corporate park, Roberts said, decreasing stress on nearby narrow, rural roadways.
But Leslie still has concerns development — particularly industrial — could negatively impact her home and those nearby.
“The reason why your bedroom community increased in population was because it was clean and beautiful area with wonderful schools, police departments and emergency personnel,” she said to township officials during a recent meeting. “That’s what made people move out to our area. Do you want to live in the city that you work in?”
Residents voice concerns
A project steering committee has worked with the planning commission and board of commissioners on the zoning change proposal for about a year.
Dozens of residents have packed township meetings in recent months to express their concerns about the changes. Residents filled nearly every seat and lined the back wall of the Penn Township Municipal Building in late November.
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About 20 residents spoke during the public comment period, voicing concerns about impacts on agricultural land; noise, light and pollution generated by a potential increase in industrial developments; loss of property value; and development of additional fracking wells and gas compressor stations.
“Zoning is always controversial,” Roberts said. “Zoning will always fill the chairs.”
Solicitor Michael Korns told residents none of the zoning changes would have an impact on oil and gas developments. The township’s mineral extraction overlay district defines where oil and gas developments are allowed, Roberts said.
Dominick Pangallo Jr. is concerned his family’s more than 100-acre farm will be impacted. The zoning proposal would rezone his property from rural resource to industrial commerce.
The township also is considering the request of neighboring farm owners, who asked that their property be rezoned to mixed-density residential so they can build single-family homes on the land.
“They’re trying to take everything my parents did,” said Pangallo, whose father purchased the farm in 1942.
The property is split among Pangallo, his brother and his nephew. A former dairy farm, Pangallo now boards horses on the property.
Pangallo and his brother would like to build houses on the land in the future for their grandchildren.
“It doesn’t look like it’s going to benefit me at all — or my grandchildren or any of our family,” he said.
Under the township’s zoning proposal, Pangallo would be able to build single family homes on his property on a minimum of two acres even if the land is rezoned to industrial commerce.
Township weighs input
Accounting for resident feedback, the township has adapted its zoning plan to include buffering and setbacks between residential and industrial properties.
Resident comments also prompted the township to create a heavy industrial zoning district to regulate high-impact developments. This includes any development involving noise, vibration, environmental impact, emissions, risk of fire or significant traffic impacts.
About 38 parcels originally zoned industrial commerce are proposed for the heavy industrial designation. They are in the southeastern portion of the township near its border with Jeannette and in the north central portion of the township near the turnpike, Roberts said.
“We’ve listened. I don’t think there’s any fair complaints out there that say we did not take into consideration what was being spoken,” he said. “We did. We took it to heart.”