Feb 23, 2024 By Karen Mansfield 2 min read

AHN Canonsburg Hospital

North Strabane Township Supervisors held a public meeting Tuesday to take comment on a zoning text amendment to its zoning ordinance governing permitted uses in an R-3 zoning district.

Officials from Allegheny Health Network and Canonsburg Hospital have requested a zoning ordinance change that would make hospitals, medical clinics, and medical offices permitted uses in the R-3 zone.

The proposed amendment would include updated language for definitions related to hospitals and medical offices; standards for specific uses related to nursing homes and hospitals; and would update the list of authorized uses allowed in the R-3 zoning district.

Currently, Canonsburg Hospital is operating in the R-3 zoning district as a non-conforming use.

R-3 authorized, conditional, and special exemption uses range from single-family dwellings, multi-family dwellings, nursing homes, and day-care centers to places of worship, schools, and public utility buildings.

A large turnout attended the hearing and spoke in support of the proposed amendment.

In November, AHN announced plans to build a state-of-the-art, 300,000-square-foot, all private-room hospital on AHN Canonsburg ‘s existing campus in North Strabane Township. Construction is expected to begin this year and will open in 2027.

Additional facilities, including a medical office building and a potential future cancer center, are planned for the campus.

AHN Canonsburg was established in 1904 and the current Canonsburg Hospital has been in operation since 1983.

Hospital officials would like to have township officials rework the ordinance so that the hospital can remain in its current location. During testimony, AHN officials said they aren’t seeking a variance or special exceptions.

In an email statement on Thursday, the health network said, “AHN is committed to working closely with the North Strabane Board of Supervisors and other community leaders to address all the relevant zoning designations and requirements, and any changes that may be necessary, to advance our plans to build a new, state-of-the-art Canonsburg hospital on our existing Medical Boulevard campus.”

AHN said it looks forward “to working closely with the community and township in the coming weeks as the facility development phase kicks off and plan to share additional details once available.”

Supervisors will vote on the request at the March 26 meeting.