Crafton zoning hearing draws divided public comment as Belvedere residents press Land Bank and density concerns

A public hearing on proposed updates to Crafton Borough’s comprehensive zoning ordinance drew more than a dozen speakers on Nov. 17, with residents and Planning Commission members offering sharply different views ahead of council consideration on Dec. 11.

Eric Baucheff, a member of the Planning Commission and former councilor, praised the update as the result of an open, transparent process and told council it was “in a very good place” after months of work. AJ Piskieric, who said she is relatively new to the commission, echoed that view and said many citizen recommendations were incorporated.

But several residents from Belvedere Street told council they were alarmed by recent references to the county Land Bank and by perceived gaps in outreach. Dr. Greg Tarnow said most Belvedere residents “have never heard of Land Bank and really have no clue what’s going on,” and asked whether the borough had already joined the program and what that would mean for local control and possible new development.

Manager Jim Price responded that the borough is a county Land Bank participant only in an advisory capacity and that the Land Bank “does not build anything.” He said the Land Bank’s role is to acquire dilapidated buildings for rehabilitation at the borough’s request and that there are no current plans for construction on Belvedere.

Residents pressed technical and practical concerns: Crystal Beam and other neighbors described Belvedere as a one‑way dead end with poor brick paving, limited parking and a high water table. They asked for topsoil and traffic studies before any zoning change that could enable additional multifamily development. “Before any kind of construction or additional residence should be added to that street, the street itself needs to be addressed,” a resident said.

Several speakers who participated in the planning process, including Justin Marks and Corey Roma, urged council to move the ordinance forward, saying the package reflects years of compromise and that remaining changes can be made later. Mister Sheets, an online participant who identified himself as an organizer of a 133‑signature petition asking for impact studies, accused planning bodies of Sunshine Act procedural lapses and urged more rigorous impact analysis on specific items.

Solicitor Steve Corbel reminded the room that no decision would be made at the hearing; the ordinance is advertised for council consideration on Dec. 11 and council members said they would review the written submissions and testimony before then.

What happens next: Council will take up the proposed comprehensive zoning ordinance at its Dec. 11 meeting. Residents on Belvedere and elsewhere said they expect additional outreach and possible focused studies on traffic, utilities and site conditions before any final action.