The Crafton Borough Planning Commission on June 24 voted to recommend to Borough Council proposed amendments to Chapter 225 of the borough code (the Draft 70 zoning code), advancing the draft to the next stages of review despite sustained public calls for delay and further study.

Supporters of delaying the vote said the draft lacks a borough-specific impact analysis and would remove or relax several existing protections, including minimum unit sizes and certain parking requirements. "We are not trying to stop this process...we are asking that it's slowed down enough to ensure it's informed, transparent, and inclusive," resident Cody Sheets said, representing a petition he said carried 135 signatures. Nicole Kervin, who identified herself as a planning professional and resident, told commissioners the draft "prioritizes developer profits over resident welfare" and cited specific public-safety and infrastructure concerns she said were included in an analysis she provided to the commission.

Why it matters: The commission's recommendation sends the draft to Borough Council and to the county review process, where a public hearing and formal advertisement are required before any final adoption. Residents who oppose the draft told the commission they fear the changes could increase local traffic and parking problems, reduce minimum apartment sizes to as little as 200–300 square feet in some districts, and produce strains on emergency response and school resources without a funding plan.

Most of the public comments focused on three themes: a desire for a borough-level impact study, clearer public education about what the new code would allow, and more time for community workshops. Several speakers asked that the commission not forward the draft until those steps are completed. "Before adopting this code, we need the things that are outlined in the report, and I would request that you delay this vote until these critical issues are addressed," Kervin told the commission. Other residents urged broader outreach to longtime and older residents who do not use online notices.

Commissioners and staff responded that the drafting process had incorporated extensive public input and consultant work dating to 2022, including a diagnostic prepared during earlier phases of the project and subsequent public sessions. Commissioner AJ Viskerik, speaking as chair during the meeting, said council review and additional public review steps remain and apologized for any perception the commission was not listening. Commissioner Megan Winter and others pointed to a report staff distributed summarizing properties potentially available for redevelopment and an executive summary (an AI-assisted analysis was mentioned by multiple speakers) that some residents had produced and provided that same day.

Formal action: A commissioner moved and another seconded a motion "to recommend adoption by Borough Council of the proposed amendments to Chapter 225 of Borough Code of Ordinances titled the Crafton Borough Zoning Ordinance." The commission called for the ayes, heard several audible "ayes," and the motion passed; the commission chair announced that the motion passed and the draft will be forwarded to council for the subsequent county review and public hearing process. No roll-call vote with individual named tallies was recorded in the meeting minutes.

Next steps: Staff said the ordinance will go to Borough Council and to the county for review; per the public-notice process described at the meeting, the matter will be advertised in the newspaper in advance of a council vote and will include a public hearing. That public-advertising schedule and the county review were cited by staff as the primary opportunities for further public input and formal challenge.

The meeting recorded dozens of speakers during public comment and multiple commissioners weighing public concerns and planning priorities. Speakers on both sides described broad agreement that Crafton is a valued community; they disagreed on timing and the sufficiency of impact assessment and outreach. The commission's recommendation does not itself change the code: the draft now moves to council and county review, which will include additional public-notice and hearing opportunities.