Penn Township Rezoning
IMPORTANT DATES
Wednesday, May 14th 7 PM
There will be a Public Hearing on May 14th, 2025, at 7 PM at the Penn Township Municipal Building to discuss this matter. We at Protect PT, encourage you to attend and give public comment!
Penn Township Caucus Meetings
Penn Township's Caucus Meetings are the 2nd Wednesday of the month - these meetings are considered a workshop and often where agenda items are discussed for inclusion at the Business Meeting. Votes will be taken at Caucus Meetings on resolutions, simple motions and properly advertised ordinances.
Protect PT encourages residents who live in or near the affected area to attend the above meetings so that they can gain clarity on the issue and share any concerns they may have with the PT Board of Commissioners.
Take Action
Stay up to date with Penn Township's Records
For comments email maryperez@penntwp.org
For questions email billroberts@penntwp.org
Sign up for a Free Yard sign to represent your concerns
Download our previous
PT Rezone Community Meeting Presentation
In 2015, Penn Township proposed expanding the current industrial zone along Walton and Melon roads, but due to outcry from residents, that proposal was scrapped. Now Penn Township commissioners are attempting to expand this industrial zone again, making way for uses like truck stops, compressor stations, gas processing facilities, warehousing, and other industrial uses. Residents do not want heavy industry disrupting the rural characteristic of their home, decreasing their property values, and potentially causing tax increases across the township.
At the October Planning Commission meeting, the Commission discussed plans to change the zoning of a large area in the township's northeast corner from Rural Resource (RR) to Industrial Commerce (IC). At this meeting we found out that the Board of Commissioners have been working behind closed doors since last year with a consultant company, Strategic Solutions, without telling the residents most affected.
Protect PT worked to quickly inform and mobilize people on this decision, making sure that residents have an input and their concerns are considered. Since then, nearly 100 residents have shown up to oppose this effort at the continued public hearings and caucus meetings.
Now, in April 2025, the formally proposed map has been removed as of the last meeting on April 9th, 2025. More revisions will be considered thanks to the strong community efforts in expressing their concerns.
Status
Protect PT, alongside PT residents, has also been advocating for the Board of Commissioners to include in their amendments changes to the fracking ordinance giving more protections to people who live in the Rural Resource zones. These changes would be similar to actions taken by other municipalities, such as Cecil and Indiana Townships and Oakmont Borough.
Important protective changes that PT residents have asked for include:
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An increase of setbacks to 2,500 feet from protected structures;
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Information about what a gas well operator proposes to do in the Township with the development of a new well, including traffic controls, pollution controls, safety concerns, emergency response concerns, and all other aspects of well development;
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A ten-year plan for future proposed development associated with the gas well at issue;
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Bonding and insurance in a minimum of 25 million dollars in the event of accidents involving people and property;
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Adequate studies and documentation of the proposed plan and its effects;
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Specified fines and penalties for failure to comply with the ordinance, which the current ordinance neglects to address; and
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Appropriate enforcement mechanisms in the event that a well pad operator fails to abide by properly enacted regulations.
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