No Highflyers Here: Cranberry to Comply with Airport Ordinance

Cranberry’s Planning Advisory Commission members are about to start pulling double duty.

At Wednesday’s meeting, appointed the commission to a dual role as the township’s Airport Zoning Planning Agency. Under their new duties, board members will process and review the adoption of an airport ordinance that restricts the height of future buildings in Cranberry Township to less than 200 feet. The Pennsylvania Aviation Code requires the ordinance.

John Trant, Cranberry’s chief strategic planning officer, said PennDOT’s Bureau of Aviation staff approached the township and surrounding communities months ago because of their proximity to the Butler County Airport in Butler, and the Lakehill Airport in Adams Township. The regulation ensures no structures near the airports are within striking distance of a plane. Any building that exceeds the elevation would require a Bureau of Aviation review.

Trant said the ordinance mostly is a courtesy. He does not expect any building in the township to top 200 feet, which amounts to about 18 stories. The current maximum height for a building under Cranberry’s ordinance is 110 feet, he said.

Trant said the planning commission will schedule a public hearing for adoption of the ordinance before recommending approval of it to Cranberry’s Board of Supervisors. He expects the township to adopt the ordinance in early 2012.