Mar 22, 2006 By Amy Zalar 3 min read

The agricultural section of the latest version of the proposed countywide zoning ordinance essentially utilizes the regulations from the 1968 ordinance, with a few exceptions, according to the director of the Fayette County Office of Planning Zoning and Community Development. Speaking during Tuesday’s agenda meeting of the Fayette County commissioners, Tammy Stenson said one of the few changes in the proposed ordinance for agricultural land is that the minimum lot size has been increased to two acres.

Stenson said the decision to “scale back” and mostly use the current ordinance was made following a public meeting in January in which more than 200 farmers turned out to object to numerous proposed changes to the text. Farmers objected to a 10-foot setback requirement from property lines for fences and a minimum lot area of 10 acres.

Stenson previously said other controversial agricultural issues have been eliminated such as a requirement regulating where manure can be placed on a property and a requirement in which buildings could not be closer to each other than 30 feet was abolished. There is also no longer a minimum acreage requirements for the keeping of horses in the ordinance.

Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites said he agrees that the ordinance should use the 1968 ordinance wording, based on the input from the farmers.

Stenson said she is OK with the new proposal, although she said she is surprised of the number of changes that have been made since the process began. “We scaled back,” Stenson said.

To clarify, Commission Chairwoman Angela M. Zimmerlink said the only exceptions to the 1968 ordinance are the setback requirements and minimum lot size, and a provision that the municipal planning code must be followed.

The process to rework the countywide zoning, subdivision and land development ordinance began more than three years ago. The county commissioners must approve the ordinance before it takes effect. Sometime after the text is approved, the new zoning maps will be adopted. The county currently handles zoning for 32 out of the 42 municipalities in the county.

The proposed ordinance can be viewed at the county’s Web site at www.co.fayette.pa.us/

The commissioners voted to place on Thursday’s agenda a motion to authorize the advertising for furnishing, delivery and basic set up for 29 new computers and upgrading six computers for the Fayette County Adult Probation Office,4 and for the advertising and purchase of eight computers for the office of Children and Youth Services.

The commissioners voted to place on Thursday’s agenda motions for janitorial services for the Magisterial District Judge offices of Randy Abraham of Fairchance and Robert Breakiron of Connellsville at a cost of $100 per month. Angela N. Shultz of Smithfield will clean Abraham’s office and Deanna Lynn Vull of Indian Head will clean Breakiron’s office.

Zimmerlink said contracts should be reviewed with each of the county’s nine magisterial district judge offices. County manager Warren Hughes said some of the leases include janitorial services and some do not.

Vicites said all should be on the same pay rate, provided the size of the offices is the same. He said the county should review to make sure there is enough money to pay for the fees.

Zimmerlink said the two latest requests came after the commissioners initially approved services a couple months ago.