Penn Township Rezoning
IMPORTANT DATES
Planning Commission: Workshop & Meeting -
The 1st Tuesdays of Each Month - 6 PM & 6:30 PM
Caucus Meetings -
The 2nd Wednesdays of each month - 7 PM
Business Meetings -
The 3rd Wednesdays of each month - 7 PM
Protect PT encourages residents who live in or near the affected areas to attend the above meetings so that they can gain clarity on the issue and share any concerns they may have with the PT Board of Commissioners.
PENN TOWNSHIP RESOURCES
Stay up to date with Penn Township's Records
For comments email maryperez@penntwp.org
For questions email billroberts@penntwp.org
Are you interested in appealing Penn Township’s Rezoning Decision?
Join our next meeting:
Status Update
- October 2025 -
On October 15th, a decision was reached by the Penn Township Council to approve the Penn Township Rezoning.
We still applaud and commend the community for all of the active engagement throughout this long process. Your support has helped in some ways to restrict the plan’s harms, and that is still something worth honoring.
A big thank you to all those who gave comments, raised concerns, signed petitions, and advocated for the public health and safety of your community.
Even though this news may be unfortunate to share for affected community members, we have opportunities to further engage with this.
Download our previous
PT Rezone Community Meeting Presentation
History
In 2015, Penn Township proposed expanding the current industrial zone along Walton and Melon roads, but due to outcry from residents, that proposal was scrapped. Now Penn Township commissioners are attempting to expand this industrial zone again, making way for uses like truck stops, compressor stations, gas processing facilities, warehousing, and other industrial uses. Residents do not want heavy industry disrupting the rural characteristic of their home, decreasing their property values, and potentially causing tax increases across the township.
At the October 2024 Planning Commission meeting, the Commission discussed plans to change the zoning of a large area in the township's northeast corner from Rural Resource (RR) to Industrial Commerce (IC). At this meeting we found out that the Board of Commissioners have been working behind closed doors since last year with a consultant company, Strategic Solutions, without telling the residents most affected.
Protect PT worked to quickly inform and mobilize people on this decision, making sure that residents have an input and their concerns are considered. Since then, nearly 100 residents have shown up to oppose this effort at the continued public hearings and caucus meetings.
In April 2025, the formally proposed map has been removed. More revisions will be considered thanks to the strong community efforts in expressing their concerns.
In October 2025, the Township approved a map and ordinance including a Mineral Overlay & Light Industrial Commerce zones.
Protect PT, alongside PT residents, has also been advocating for the Board of Commissioners to include in their amendments changes to the fracking ordinance giving more protections to people who live in the Rural Resource zones. These changes would be similar to actions taken by other municipalities, such as Cecil and Indiana Townships and Oakmont Borough.
Important protective changes that PT residents have asked for include:
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An increase of setbacks to 2,500 feet from protected structures;
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Information about what a gas well operator proposes to do in the Township with the development of a new well, including traffic controls, pollution controls, safety concerns, emergency response concerns, and all other aspects of well development;
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A ten-year plan for future proposed development associated with the gas well at issue;
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Bonding and insurance in a minimum of 25 million dollars in the event of accidents involving people and property;
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Adequate studies and documentation of the proposed plan and its effects;
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Specified fines and penalties for failure to comply with the ordinance, which the current ordinance neglects to address; and
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Appropriate enforcement mechanisms in the event that a well pad operator fails to abide by properly enacted regulations.
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