Council withdraws ordinance on oil, gas activities

Monroeville Council will not be taking any action to further regulate oil and gas development in the southwestern corner of the municipality.

Council voted unanimously March 13 to withdraw a proposed ordinance that would have limited oil and gas activities to the S-1 Special Conservancy zoning district near a landfill on Thomas StreetExtension.

In January, council advertised an ordinance that would have allowed oil and gas development in the S-1 district. Under the ordinance, natural gas operations — including compressor stations, wellpads, impoundments and other activities — would have been permitted in that zoning district,

Council tabled the matter last month.

Council’s action means the municipality reverts back to the ordinance council passed in October that regulated gas to the M2 industrial zoning district asa conditional use.

Monroeville has three areas zoned M-2, including the southwestern area of the municipality near Broadway Boulevard (Route 130), Mosside Boulevard (Route 48), and the northwestern area near the Parkway East, Route 22 and Thompson Run Road. A full zoning map can be found online at http://monroeville.pa.us.

State law stipulates that oil and gas activities must be permitted somewhere inthe municipality.

After council’s vote, Lois Drumheller of Sustainable Monroeville said she hoped a dialogue couldbe kept open with the organization and the municipality.

Council also voted to remove the rezoning of the 26-acre Gateway Middle School property from its agenda. Gateway School District is seeking to have the property at 4450 Old Willam Penn Highway rezoned from residential to commercial for its possible sale.

Monroeville Council denied the application in November, but the school district resubmitted it.

“My intention is not to deny, but to take it off the agenda” to work with the school district for a better plan, said Councilman Ron Harvey, who represents the Third Ward, wherethe school is located.