Snyder Township Zoning

[coveredbridge]

Wal-Mart is trying to move into Antis township at the Pinecroft Rt. 220 intersection.

I'm all for a limited zoning to protect residential property owners from any type of commercial development. Something I believe that Antis township needs to implement. I believe as more people from outside the area move into the area or those who left move back into the area, and the "good ole boys" die off, a limited zoning ordinance will be enacted.

Hopefully soon, with the way the commercial developers in Blair county seemingly want the entire area to be one great big retail store or shopping plaza.

There is no such thing as "limited zoning". A municipality is either zoned or it isn't. If it is zoned, the entire municipality must be zoned, period.

Antis Township real estate tax is currently 6 mils. Implementing zoning would require at least a doubling of this tax to cover ongoing costs for legal, engineering, and administrative costs of maintaining and enforcing the ordinance. Furthermore, it would protect no one. It would only give the BOS the power to dictate land use, because as we have seen numerous times in neighboring zoned municipalities, local governments are more than willing to amend their zoning ordinances to accomodate their pet interests, often to the detriment of local residents.

[Blain]

Zoning and code enforcement is needed, and right now.

[Conan_the_Hoagarian]

There is no such thing as "limited zoning". A municipality is either zoned or it isn't. If it is zoned, the entire municipality must be zoned, period.

Antis Township real estate tax is currently 6 mils. Implementing zoning would require at least a doubling of this tax to cover ongoing costs for legal, engineering, and administrative costs of maintaining and enforcing the ordinance. Furthermore, it would protect no one. It would only give the BOS the power to dictate land use, because as we have seen numerous times in neighboring zoned municipalities, local governments are more than willing to amend their zoning ordinances to accomodate their pet interests, often to the detriment of local residents.

I admire your tenacity.

Have the bruises finally healed from the b*tch slapping you recieved in 05?

.

[150thBucktailCo.I]

Wal-Mart is trying to move into Antis township at the Pinecroft Rt. 220 intersection.

I'm all for a limited zoning to protect residential property owners from any type of commercial development. Something I believe that Antis township needs to implement. I believe as more people from outside the area move into the area or those who left move back into the area, and the "good ole boys" die off, a limited zoning ordinance will be enacted.

Hopefully soon, with the way the commercial developers in Blair county seemingly want the entire area to be one great big retail store or shopping plaza.

There is no such thing as "limited zoning". A municipality is either zoned or it isn't. If it is zoned, the entire municipality must be zoned, period.

Antis Township real estate tax is currently 6 mils. Implementing zoning would require at least a doubling of this tax to cover ongoing costs for legal, engineering, and administrative costs of maintaining and enforcing the ordinance. Furthermore, it would protect no one. It would only give the BOS the power to dictate land use, because as we have seen numerous times in neighboring zoned municipalities, local governments are more than willing to amend their zoning ordinances to accomodate their pet interests, often to the detriment of local residents.

I don't know about all that, CoveredBridge. I'm a bit behind on the technical aspects, and will have to play catch-up.

I just know that my brother is employed with an engineering and land development firm and works with a number of municipalities in Cumberland, Adams, Franklin, Fulton, (PA) townships and municipalities, as well as some in Washington county, MD in terms of zoning and land ordinances and according to him, zoning works.

And personally, I'd be willing to pay a higher cost if it meant protecting me from dumb-stuff my neighbors or a developer would want to put next to me, like a junk/scrap yard, corporate hog-farm, a Gamesa wind-mill, a Wal-Mart, landfill, or a billboard to name a few. A believe a lot of people in this township would be.

As far as legal costs, I know the township already has a municipal-expert solicitor (Andrews and Beard). We have a municipal-expert enginnering firm (Stiffler-McGraw), a township manager and secretary to cover administrative issues, and a SUPPOSED code enforcement officer to ENFORCE the current township rules and codes (but seemingly intentionally drives by a lot of violations daily, in my opinion, Like inflatable pools for instance, even though the quarterly township newsletter always has a warning about the township requirements regarding the regulations and standards those pools are to have).

I've spoken with the township solicitor a couple times about this very subject, and the lean I received from him is that he believes a limited-type of zoning could be a good thing.

I 100% agree with Blain.

Maybe this will be the next big battle in the upcoming year. The new school of thought versus the old school.

[coveredbridge]

And personally, I'd be willing to pay a higher cost if it meant protecting me from dumb-stuff my neighbors or a developer would want to put next to me, like a junk/scrap yard, corporate hog-farm, a Gamesa wind-mill, a Wal-Mart, landfill, or a billboard to name a few. A believe a lot of people in this township would be.

Sounds like you're concerned mainly with your own property. If that's the case, the best (and, in my opinion, Constitutional) way to do that is to buy the property next to you.

Maybe this will be the next big battle in the upcoming year. The new school of thought versus the old school.[quote]

Bring it on. I'm ready, as long as both sides get a fair hearing. But I would call it the Private Property Rights School versus the Give Government More Control over our Lives School.

[sandstone]

From my experiences working with 5 Blair County townships on a variety of issues, I can tell you that zoning and ordinances are both effective ways to control development, but the key to making either one work is ENFORCEMENT. The lack of enforcement of existing zoning and ordinance requirements in many townships is a disgrace!