Westmoreland County looks to streamline development with revisions to decade-old land development ordinance

Westmoreland County commissioners on Thursday said they will support changes expected to encourage residential and land development.

“These improvements and updates will ensure that we, as the county, have a robust modern tool to guide development and strengthen the county’s position as a development-friendly partner,” said Josh Spano, deputy director of the county planning and development department.

Commissioners are slated to take a formal vote July 31 to approve the revisions to a 2013 ordinance that impacts about half of the county’s 65 municipalities.

Among the changes to the current ordinance, the fees paid by developers and property owners for the county to review plans will increase from $50 for major subdivisions to $200 and from $150 for land development to $300.

Jason Rigone, director of the planning and development department, said the fees are not increasing because the county wants to make a profit. The fees only reflect the cost of reviewing the plans, he said.

Spano said the county made less than $4,000 from project assessment fees last year.

“Residents win because it may allow for less-expensive housing and encourage denser housing, and developers win because it allows them to make the … determinations that make sense for their project,” Spano said.

The new ordinance applies to 33 of the county’s smaller municipalities that don’t have their own guidelines, including Arnold, Jeannette, Derry Township and Penn Borough.

The proposed revisions were sent by the county department of planning and development to the 33 municipalities earlier this year for input.

Insight also was sought from the county’s public works department, solicitor’s office, geographic information systems department, recorder of deeds, public safety, conservation district and local Realtors and developers, Spano said.

The plan will not affect development in the county’s larger municipalities, such as Greensburg and Hempfield, which have their own development ordinances.