Ambridge Connection
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Social Media
  • Calendar
  • Eat Local
  • Contact Us
  • AbbyDuncan
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Social Media
  • Calendar
  • Eat Local
  • Contact Us
  • AbbyDuncan

Landowners Request Harmony Zoning Change for Oil and Gas Drilling

11/24/2014

Comments

 
PictureJohn Keppel asks council for a zoning change. Credit: Larissa Dudkiewicz
A group of Harmony Township landowners are asking the township commissioners to change some wording in the zoning ordinance to make it easier for oil and gas companies to operate here.

John Keppel, who spoke Wednesday on behalf of large landowners, said the gas companies don’t like part of the current language in the township's ordinance, particularly that drilling is considered a "conditional" use. 

Keppel said the companies would prefer the ordinance list drilling as a “permitted” use, which he said the Economy and New Sewickley ordinances have. Harmony's oil and gas ordinance was created in 2011. 

“They won’t even look at the township unless the ordinance is revised,” Keppel said.

Pictureadvertisement
Curtis Kossman, landowner and Pittsburgh-based developer, said companies could spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and still not be assured if they met the requirements, they could proceed. 

Keppel said Penn Energy is interested in leasing some of the properties in Harmony. Companies start out by making contracts for mineral rights with landowners, and Keppel said the township, through Act 13, can also bring in money from fees on each well head that is put in. 

“Consol Energy gave Greene and Washington County last year $26 million,” added Ricki Paul, owner of Harmony Ridge Golf Course.

"It will mean money to the community, and the township, and the county," Keppel said, "but they're not going to do anything he way the ordinance is standing right now."

Keppel gave the commissioners a petition for the change from the landowners whom he said together own about 500 acres in Harmony.

Solicitor Richard Start said the ordinance, as written, now requires companies to come before the board with their plans. 

“Conditional use means an applicant first has to come to this board and seek the conditions of a conditional use,” Start said. 

If the wording is changed, he said commissioners would not have the ability to analyze or impose conditions. Also, he said to amend the zoning ordinance is a 60- to 90-day process that requires a number of steps, including advertising and public hearings where community members can come and testify.

“It’s unlike amending any other kind of ordinance,” Start said. “...History tells us it will be long and lengthy.”

The commissioners will take the request under consideration. 

Like Ambridge Connection on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our weekly newsletter. 

Picture
advertisement
Picture
advertisement
Print Friendly and PDF
Comments
    Picture
    Picture

    AC TEAM

    Alan Freed
    Felicia Mycyk

     Joshua Vucetich
    Larissa Dudkiewicz
    Musinga Bayingana

    ​Ryan Donnelly 
    ​

    Picture

    Archives

    May 2024
    February 2024
    March 2023
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013

    RSS Feed

_Home I  Disclaimer  I  Privacy  I  Contact Us  l  Advertise  l Donations I Live events
Copyright © 2013- 2017  Ambridge Connection. All Rights Reserved
​Website: Business Liaison
Copyright @ 2020 Business Liaison
Photos from garryknight, Predi, erix!, klestaaaaaa, Ravi_Shah, Baugher Webmaster Services, angeloangelo, antonekom, www.tOrange.biz, Fort Meade, Ruben™, mosaic36, janetmck, Sister72, Beverly & Pack, JeepersMedia, torbakhopper, Purple Sherbet Photography, soaringbird, clevercupcakes, slgckgc, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, stillriverside, JalilArfaoui, kennethkonica, Cláudia*~Assad, StockMonkeys.com, KathrynW1, slgckgc, amslerPIX, SonnyVisions Photography, Steven Vance, USDAgov, Accretion Disc, brizzle born and bred, ThoseGuys119, scoop1942, peasap, Vox Efx, blakespot, US Department of Education, StockMonkeys.com, SpecMode, steakpinball, menegue, One Way Stock