New subdivision and land ordinance adopted
The Fayette County commissioners Thursday adopted the new countywide subdivision and land development ordinance and moved toward adoption of the updated zoning ordinance, both of which have been in the works for years. Work on the two ordinances began simultaneously more than three years ago. The subdivision and land development ordinance, adopted Thursday, will outline subdivision rules for developers. After adoption of the ordinance, Commission Chairwoman Angela M. Zimmerlink said the fee schedule previously adopted by the commissioners would remain the same.
The commissioners also approved a motion to place adoption of the text portion of the zoning ordinance on the agenda for the June commissioners meeting. Both motions were approved unanimously with Zimmerlink and Commissioners Joseph A. Hardy III and Vincent A. Vicites approving them.
Zimmerlink cautioned that adoption of the zoning ordinance next month is for the text portion only, and not the map changes. She said one delay in adoption of the ordinance has been a suggestion by Vicites to keep the wording for the agricultural portion the same as the text in the 1968 ordinance.
As a way to alleviate the concerns of farmers, more than 200 of whom attended a public meeting in January to speak out against proposed changes, Zimmerlink proposed a meeting to go over the agricultural section of the ordinance line by line.
Vicites said he was in favor of leaving the agricultural section the way it is in the 1968 ordinance because there are too many regulations in the proposed changes. However, he said he has not received support from the other commissioners.
Zimmerlink said the overly restrictive items the farmers were concerned with, such as fencing setbacks and lot sizes, have been taken out. “I think we’re OK on most of these items,” she said.
Vicites said depending on if you are a farmer with a large farm, small farm or horses, you may view the changes differently.
Zimmerlink also said it is important to include language to preserve historical buildings and sites in the ordinance because the current ordinance does not address historical items.
Zimmerlink said she was assured that Tammy Stenson, director of the Fayette County Office of Planning, Zoning and Community Development, would send letters to all county farming organizations to go over the ordinance before adoption. “We’re on the right track. We’re definitely on the right track,” Zimmerlink said.
The commissioners also approved motions relating to the Sheepskin Trail. The commissioners voted to approve a letter to proceed for Widmer Engineering for the redesign of the Dunbar area segment of the Sheepskin Trail for $12,500, and also to approve Widmer Engineering to proceed with Phase II design.
Vicites said it has been a long time coming to get the project moving. “We had roadblocks but now with the redesign in the Dunbar area, the trail is moving forward,” he said. Vicites said monthly meetings have been held at the northern and southern ends of the trail.
“We have significant funds to make this trail happen. We can make progress in the next couple months,” Vicites said. He said the trail would be 32 miles long when completed and will go through the heart of the county. “It adds to the efforts to enhance the quality of life in Fayette County,” Vicites said.
The commissioners also voted to advertise for a company to perform title searches for the 75 gap properties the county may purchase for the southern end of the Sheepskin Trail, and voted to approve a change order to a grant application for an extension of the trail at Brown’s Run and to change the scope of work of the grant.
The commissioners also voted to change the wording in last month’s resolution that approved the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act, or LERTA, for Uniontown to make the effective date May 15, which is the date it was adopted by the Uniontown Area School District. Last month the commissioners approved the program, which grants a tax exemption of 100 percent of the valuation of the new construction and improvements to buildings within the downtown business district, effective April 27.
Although the program had been approved by the city of Uniontown, it had not yet been approved by the school district and cannot go into effect until all three taxing bodies approve it. The program will expire Dec. 31, 2008.
The commissioners also approved leases for two separate magisterial district judge offices. The office of Magisterial District Judge Mark Blair will be located at 86 North Gallatin Ave., Uniontown, at a rate of $1,600 per month; and the office of Magisterial District Judge Ronald Haggerty will be located at 601 South Arch St., Connellsville, for a rate of $1,800 per month.
The commissioners voted to reject the bids and rebid the renovation work for the public restrooms in the county courthouse after bids came in too high. County manager Warren Hughes said county employees could be used to do some of the work to help defray the costs.