Penn Township Rezoning
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November 21, 2024
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Informational meeting for residents about the Penn Township rezoning
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Will also help residents with prepared comments for the joint 11/26 meeting
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November 26, 2024
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Joint Board of Commissioners and Planning Commission meeting to discuss ordinance, address questions, and hear public comments
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Residents will be allowed to comment at the meeting, or they may submit written comments before or on the 26
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This meeting will act as a preliminary hearing for the rezone matter
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January 2025
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The Planning Commission must make their recommendation within 30 days of the November 26 meeting
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Once the Planning Commission makes their recommendation, a final hearing will be held
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This meeting currently does not have a date, but if you receive our emails, we will make sure to keep you updated!
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IMPORTANT DATES
Map for Proposed Rezoning
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.
While the township is proceeding with the rezoning effort, the timeline has shifted for this project. Instead of hoping to pass a final ordinance to prepare for the rezoning by the end of the year, township solicitor Michael Korns said he expects things to pass in early 2025.
Attention!
Do you live at or near Walton Crossing, Frye, Bouquet, Walton, and Dutch Hollow roads? If so, you may be affected by this effort.
Protect PT will continue to provide up-to-date information about developments and future meeting dates. Come back to this webpage to stay up to date, or stay posted via email! Click the link below to submit our Penn Township rezoning interest form.
How to Take Action
Spread the word!
Most Penn Township residents are unaware of what's going on. Direct them to this webpage to inform them as to what's going on, or print and distribute our informational flyer!
Click to download the slides from our October informational session!
Map of rezoned area with local fracking wells
click to view in new window.
The township's previous timeline (no longer in effect)
Don't know who your commissioner is?
Check out this ward map to find out!
Click to download.
