USA: Anything but Muslim activity | Harmar looking at several changes in zoning regulations

...[A]n event that would require prior approval in the future, township officials cited a July religious gathering at Pittsburgh Indoor Sports Arena, where the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA Youth Auxiliary held its national conference.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Valley News Dispatch | Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
By Michael Aubele | October 21, 2011

Supervisors are debating several zoning ordinance amendments, ranging from placing restrictions on solar panels to rezoning 1 acre along Rich Hill Road.

The board likely won't give final approval to the changes until December.

Supervisors agreed on Thursday to give preliminary approval to an amendment that converts about 1 acre along Rich Hill Road from a residential zoning (R-2) to industrial (I-1).

Means said the parcel sits in the middle of hundreds of acres zoned for industrial use. While records show it was converted to residential property "decades ago," it appears on the township zoning map as industrial land, he said.


Former Supervisor Jim DiPalma owns the property and said he wanted it zoned as industrial so that a natural gas company can drill a shallow well there.

As for the other amendments, one involves restricting solar panels and wind turbines on residential and commercial properties. The amendment will address items such as how high they can be and how close to neighboring properties they can sit.

Township officials said no one development is driving the creation of the amendment. They said they want to have an ordinance in place that addresses the technologies as more families and businesses begin to use them.

Supervisors also will add a "temporary use" amendment that requires residents to win approval from the township before hosting certain events.

As an example of an event that would require prior approval in the future, township officials cited a July religious gathering at Pittsburgh Indoor Sports Arena, where the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA Youth Auxiliary held its national conference. About 1,200 men and boys slept at the facility during the weekend event.


Read original post here: Harmar looking at several changes in zoning regulations