Crafton council weighs next steps on redrafted zoning code after county review

Crafton Borough Council spent substantial time on Sept. 24 reviewing a redraft of the borough zoning ordinance that the county planning office returned with comments.

Resident speakers raised concerns about minimums and parking. Cody Sheets said removing minimum square-footage requirements and not requiring a borough-wide impact analysis could allow cumulative pressure on infrastructure: “I think it's unreasonable to have no square footage requirements … and mildly reckless … to not have any impact analysis done.” Nicole Kurvin, another resident, asked specific questions about climate resilience, small-business displacement, and parking impacts following the county’s review comments.

Planning staff and Solicitor Steve told council the county submitted 17 comments, most of them de minimis (typos, cross references) and that the borough legal team and the planning commission had analyzed whether subdivision technical standards should live in the Saldo (subdivision and land development ordinance) or remain in the zoning code. Staff recommended retaining certain technical design provisions in the zoning code to avoid creating a loophole.

Three paths and schedule

Planning staff presented three alternatives for council: 1) accept the “clean code” posted online and move to the formal public notice and hearing process; 2) take more time for internal review before deciding; or 3) propose substantive revisions, which would return the draft to the planning commission and the county for another review cycle.

Solicitor Steve summarized the public-notice requirements and timeline if council chooses to proceed: two newspaper advertisements (at least one week apart)…