Township says yes to ordinance
After months of delays and lively debate, a decision was made Tuesday in favor of South Strabane Township’s zoning provision amendment regarding oil and gas requirements.
By a 3-1 vote, township supervisors approved deep-well drilling as a conditional use only in industrial (I-1 and I-2) districts, and possibly in future mineral extraction (ME) districts. In the previous ordinance, oil and gas wells were a conditional use in all districts.
Supervisors Jack Keisling, Bob Weber and Thomas Moore voted in favor of revisions, Ed Mazur voted against and Laynee Zipko abstained. Zipko said she would not vote because of a perceived conflict of interest because of her mineral lease in the township, but she said she felt all of the supervisors could have a perceived conflict of interest because they all have leases – some within South Strabane and some outside.
“I don’t believe the board of supervisors are doing the will of the majority of the people – just a few,” Zipko said.
Representatives of energy companies and some residents complained the ordinance is too restrictive, while others said more strident rules should be enforced.
“We cannot afford to make mistakes,” said Weber, who cited studies claiming drilling can cause health problems, especially for children.
South Strabane has been working on updating the ordinance for more than four years, and planning consultant Carolyn Yagle, attorney John Smith – who represented several townships in a lawsuit that overturned parts of the state’s drilling law – and solicitor Jack Cambest have been working on revisions since early this year.
Earlier this month, planning commission voted to not recommend the ordinance because of the ambiguity of the possible ME district.
Cambest said residents could request a change to the ME district if they wanted to use their property for drilling. He said zoning changes could be made in an imminent comprehensive plan update.
In related business, supervisors approved a conditional use application from Range Resources for the proposed Munce well site on Meadows View Road in an A-1 agricultural zone, with Moore, Zipko and Mazur voting in favor and Weber and Keisling voting against. Range filed a complaint in Washington County Court challenging South Strabane’s handling of the application after planning commission recommended denying the application May 5.
Cambest said the township compromised with Range on several conditions, many of which are imposed on two other Range pads in the township – Zediker Station and Baumel.
The 44 conditions also include construction of a sound wall and a planned traffic route of Route 19 and Davis School and Meadows View roads. Supervisors, however, did not vote to sign a consent order in Washington County Court.
Max Junker, an attorney representing Range Resources, said the approval will be assessed before a decision is made on the litigation.