Jefferson Hills zoning overhaul moving forward

The new Jefferson Hills zoning ordinance will provide added clarity for residents and developers alike on what they can and can’t do in each zoning district, leaders say.

An overhaul of the borough’s zoning code has been in the works for roughly three years and is finally making its way to council members for review.

Planning commission members agreed Dec. 30 to advance the ordinance they’ve spent years working on to borough council for review. They also agreed to submit a copy of the ordinance to Allegheny County for a 45-day review period.

Commission members agreed they had thoroughly reviewed the ordinance, and it was time to move it forward.

When asked what is new about the zoning code, planning consultant John Trant said, “Everything — it’s a complete rewrite. We did take a lot of the good things that were in the current ordinance, but essentially it’s a complete overhaul.”

This is the first rewrite of the zoning code in Jefferson Hills since 2011, Trant said. There were multiple amendments made to the ordinance since that time.

Jefferson Hills’ planning commission has a sub codes committee that did much of the “advanced work” on the ordinance, Trant said.

Two special meetings of the planning commission were held in April to collect public comment and a public hearing was held in September to review the draft.

Some changes were made to address concerns.

Many of the suggestions from residents were regarding regulations on oil and gas drilling, Trant said.

While the old ordinance provided overlay districts where unconventional drilling was permitted in the borough, under the new ordinance, unconventional drilling would be allowed as a conditional use in Industrial-1 and Industrial-2 zoning districts.

The new ordinance keeps all of the regulations for oil and gas drilling from the old one that was recommended years ago by a committee created to study the issue, Trant said.

The new ordinance comes with a new zoning map.

It outlines everything from regulations on solar energy facilities to tiny homes and farm animals.

Borough council members will hold a public hearing to gather resident input on the ordinance, Trant said. That likely will come early in the new year, he said.