Vote set for May 3 on new drilling rules
No significant changes expected
Murrysville council plans to vote May 3 on a new ordinance governing gas and oil drilling in the municipality.
No substantive changes are expected to be made to the ordinance before then, chief administrator Jim Morrison said.
After allowing 45 days for the Westmoreland County and Murrysville planning commissions to review changes to the ordinance, council held a public hearing April 5 and heard from those for and against unconventional drilling.
“This is a pale imitation of what was promised,” resident Allison Holt told council. “This ordinance allows a well pad within 750 feet of a home. It is a huge disappointment. You can and should do better,” she said.
“Personal property rights are not absolute. I want to hear from each one of you why you want to allow a small number of people to make money while endangering the health of others,” said Amy Mayberry.
“Council doesn’t owe anyone an explanation,” countered Mike Stanovich. “We had an election. It was a landslide. Fracking won. The people not for fracking lost. This is a ridiculous process.”
In a written opinion, attorney John Smith of Canonsburg made the case that oil and gas activities appear to be treated differently than other industrial land uses in Murrysville. Murrysville uses an overlay district approach to permit gas drilling in areas zoned for rural residential use.
Mr. Smith, who was hired by some Murrysville residents to give an opinion on the municipality’s current law and pending ordinance, wrote: “As council is aware, it is forbidden to pass any ‘special laws’ for one industry or it runs afoul of Article III Section 32 of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
The ordinance appears to treat zoning for oil and gas drilling as a mere policy decision rather than a ‘constitutional’ decision that impacts individuals’ inherent constitutional rights.”
After the hearing, council voted 5-2 to advertise the ordinance for the May 3 vote, with David Perry and Jeffery Kepler opposed.