Sep 15, 2016 2 min read

McMURRAY – After two public hearings and plenty of citizen input, both pro and con, Peters Township Council approved both conservation and mixed-residential overlay zoning districts at its meeting Monday.

All council members with the exception of Monica Merrell voted in favor of the overlays. Councilman Frank Arcuri was not at the meeting.

The overlays sparked some controversy in the township from residents who feared multiunit developments would be constructed next to their single-family homes, which, in turn, would cause property values to drop. Peters officials, however, have said the overlays are necessary to provide additional housing options and more green space.

In voting against the two overlays, Merrell said she was concerned with how fast and how many of these developments would be constructed.

The changes, which go into effect at the end of the month, affect 2,331 acres of property zoned conservation residential and 370 acres of mixed residential. These changes are considered the first step in implementing Plan Peters 2022, a comprehensive plan for the township designed to promote growth, provide green space and promote liveability.

Residential developers in Peters are allowed to construct 1.2 housing units on one acre of land. With a conservation residential, or CR, overlay, three units could be placed on one acre if 40 percent of the property is set aside for open space.

Other components of the CR overlay include five-foot-wide sidewalks and streetscape options.

The mixed-residential, or MR, overlay would allow up to six units on one acre, while 10 percent of the land would be dedicated to open space. Also, the MR could allow for multifamily units with a limit of 24 units per building, as well as five-foot-wide sidewalks. According to the ordinance that was approved, preliminary subdivisions or land developments occurring within the CR or MR overlay districts will be submitted to the planning commission for a recommendation to council for preliminary approval.