Crafton council declines to send draft zoning ordinance to county after residents demand more study

Crafton Borough Council on Monday voted down a motion to send a proposed zoning ordinance to Allegheny County for its formal 45‑day review, after several residents urged the council to pause the process and commission impact studies and public workshops.

The motion to forward the draft failed on a 1‑5 vote. Residents at the meeting told council members the draft had not been adequately vetted and that changes could affect housing size rules, signage allowances and neighborhood character. “When residents have been in a 103‑page impact analysis identifying serious concerns with the zone draft, we were ignored,” said Cody Sheets, a Crafton resident who addressed the council during the public comment period.

The zoning rewrite has been underway for roughly three years, organizers said, with the first community visioning in August 2022. The county review is a standard 45‑day step that collects county recommendations; two public hearings before council are required before adoption. Solicitor Corbel warned council members that if the borough makes material changes after county review, the ordinance would need to be resubmitted and that would reset the 45‑day review clock.

Speakers at the meeting pressed several topics they said need more study before the council proceeds: whether the draft’s removal of minimum unit sizes could allow micro‑apartments; how changes interact with building codes; and whether signage and use regulations were sufficiently defined. “I’m here to tell you that’s what this current code does,” said Nicole Kurvin, citing concerns about displacement and infrastructure strain. Laura Casey, another resident, asked, “Is your decision already made?” and sought assurance the council was not predetermined.

Council members and staff said the planning commission has recommended forwarding the draft and that the county review usually provides useful, nonbinding recommendations. Council members said they remain able to make changes after the county review and that the council controls the adoption timeline. Several councilors asked for more time to read the latest draft and suggested holding additional public workshops so citizens’ questions can be collected and answered before another forwarding vote.

The council did not adopt the ordinance and did not set a final date for further public workshops. The council meeting record shows the next steps will include more internal review by council members and potential scheduling of additional public outreach before any renewed motion to send the draft for county review.