Zoning changes considered in Fallowfield Township

Supervisors will decide on the proposals at a March 26 meeting.

Fallowfield Township supervisors will consider a zoning amendment that will affect a handful of properties in the township during a recessed meeting later this month.

Supervisors will vote on whether to approve an amendment to ordinance 120 that will allow them to do a few different things, including update, modify and add certain definitions, add and delete uses and change a portion of the A1 zoning district to B1 and change a portion of the I-1 district to A1.

The amended ordinance would also have to also be approved by the Washington County Planning Commission before it can be accepted.

Secretary Karen Talbert said there are two parcels along Twin Bridges Road near Interstate 70 that were not included when that area was rezoned many years ago.

The township believes that was done by mistake.

The amendment will make sure the properties fall in line with surrounding zoning districts as they appear on the township zoning map.

If the amendment passes, the westbound exit of I-70 (Lover Exit), which intersects with Twin Bridges Road, will be rezoned from A1 to B1. It will affect two parcels and ratify the township’s map that already displays those parcels as being in a B1 district.

It will also affect 17 parcels in Van Voorhis, which is currently designated as an I-1 district. If approved, those properties will be rezoned to A1 and will be officially changed on the townships zoning map.

The amendment will modify definitions for “automotive repair” and “heavy equipment sales and rental.”

Under the proposed ordinance, automotive repair will be defined as “engine maintenance, repair or reconditioning, collision repair, including straightening and repainting, replacement of parts and incidental services for vehicles that have a weight that does not exceed 14,000 pounds.”

Heavy equipment sales and rental will be modified and defined as “any establishment engaged in selling, renting or leasing heavy machinery without operators, selling, renting or leasing vehicles requiring a commercial driver’s license, and those engaged in retailing new and/ or used manufactured homes (i.e. mobile homes), parts and equipment.”

One definition, for commercial vehicle repair (Class 6 vehicles and above), will also be added.

It will define that as “engine maintenance, repair or reconditioning, collision repair, including straightening and repainting, replacement of parts and incidental services for vehicles that have a weight of 14,001 pounds or greater.”

The amendment will also change uses for certain zoning districts. If approved, automotive repair will no longer be permitted in B1, I1 and I2 zoning districts.

Additionally, heavy equipment sales and rental will no longer be permitted in I1 either.

Supervisors will reconvene at 5 p.m. March 26 to decide on the matter, ahead of the regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m.