Jan 10, 2013 By Deana Carpenter 4 min read

Nearly 100 people packed the South Fayette Senior Center for the public hearing held Jan. 9 and those who spoke were concerned that the township’s draft comprehensive plan limits future commercial development in the township.

Before the comment portion of the hearing, Carolyn Yagle of Environmental Planning and Design, who worked with the township on the comprehensive plan, presented an overview of it to commissioners and residents. Under the municipal planning code, the township must adopt a new comprehensive plan every 10 years.

Although different than a zoning ordinance, the plan is used as a guideline for future goals and development of the township. Yagle said the plan looks at land use, housing, traffic and infrastructure, natural and civic resources and demographic analysis. In 2010, surveys were sent out to about a third of township residents asking for feedback on the future of the township. About 11.8 percent of the surveys were returned.

Yagle noted there were several primary aims of action in the plan. “None of the actions in the draft comprehensive plan recommend changing the township’s existing zoning district boundaries or the land use within the zoning districts,” she said.

Most of the residents who spoke at the meeting were against the “Rural Conservation” district proposed in the comprehensive plan. According to the plan, two blocks of land along the southwest border of the township would be designated as a Rural Conservation area while one small piece of land west of the township would become Rural Residential. The plan states, “These pieces of land are currently largely established as agricultural, residential, wooded or open space.”

The document also states that because of the limited development that has taken place in that area, combined with its topography, “makes it best suited for conservation, strategically placed residential development as well as mixed-use nonresidential development within the township’s planned economic development district area to take full advantage of convenient access slated to/from the proposed Southern Beltway.”

Township manager Ryan Eggleston told residents that there is “no proposed zoning change in accordance with the comprehensive plan.”

Resident Matt Cochran asked the board to look at survey responses from residents who own large amounts of property. “You need to get more public input from significant landowners,” Cochran said. He added that a lot of changes have occurred since the 2010 date of the first survey. He said the comprehensive plan included large conservation areas, but “you need tax-friendly growth and commercial and industrial growth.”

Resident Bill Sray was concerned that the comprehensive plan could lead to the taking away of residents’ property rights.

“Your plan leans more toward home development than economic development,” Sray told the board.

“We need commercial development,” said resident Fred Cardillo. He said that he was never contacted for any input on the comprehensive plan. He added that he spoke with about 100 landowners and none of them ever received a survey. “We all agree we don’t want a bunch of people deciding on what to do with our property,” Cardillo said. “We should be looking at ways to increase revenue.”

Cardillo fears that the property will eventually be rezoned. “I know how things happen,” he said.

Resident John Alan Kosky added, “The comprehensive plan concerns us all.” He said that 80 residents own about one-third of the land in the township. “These people have lived here 60, 80, 100 years,” he said. He added when the Southern Beltway is completed, it will provide even more growth to the township. “Look what an interchange did to Southpointe,” he said.

“We are lacking economic development,” resident John Deklewa said. He added that he thought the comprehensive plan should be “rehashed.” He would like the board to invite the owners of the 50 largest parcels of land in the township to a meeting to talk about their opinions of the plan. “I believe they were overlooked in this plan,” he said.

Residents can view the comprehensive plan on the township’s website, www.south-fayette.pa.us. Written comments on the plan will be accepted until Feb. 1.

After the township receives all comments and letters, the comprehensive plan advisory committee will meet and the final document will be refined. The final step is will be adoption of the plan by the board of commissioners.