Cranberry Planning Commission OKs New Neighborhood Ordinance

Plans for are moving forward.

At Monday’s Planning Advisory Commission meeting, officials approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance that would reduce the amount of open space required for development in areas zoned Residential 3. Apartments and townhomes are permitted in those areas.

In exchange, open-space requirements would increase in areas zoned Residential 1, where rural single-family homes are permitted.

John Trant, Cranberry’s chief strategic planning officer, said increases in housing density would take place in Cranberry “core” areas, while the new requirements for more open space would apply to the township’s outlying areas.

Trant said 35 percent of the property in developments zoned R-3 now must be set aside as open space. Under the proposed ordinance, that amount would decrease to 30 percent. Requirements for open space in R-1 neighborhoods would grow from 35 to 40 percent.

Trant said the changes are part of the Cranberry Plan, a long-term map for the township’s growth.

To win approval for projects in areas covered by the new greater-density regulation, Trant said developers would be required to meet five of six criteria. Those criteria include pedestrian sidewalks or crosswalks, streetscape enhancements, bike lanes, elements of a , underground storm water management and green space.

The township’s Board of Supervisors may approve the ordinance at a public hearing during its Aug. 25 meeting. If approved, Trant said the ordinance also would clean up confusing and outdated language in the township’s Planned Residential Development ordinance.