WHEATLAND, Pa. (WKBN) – The clock is ticking. Come January 1, Wheatland will officially merge with the city of Hermitage. Wednesday night, the community met to discuss possible zoning changes.
There are 15 different zoning districts in Hermitage. Five of them are proposed to be used in Wheatland during the merger.
“We need to incorporate the Wheatland properties into the Hermitage zoning ordinance to create a new map that includes the Wheatland properties,” said Mark Longietti, director of Business and Community Development for Hermitage.
The proposed map divides Wheatland into residential, industrial and a mixed-use buffer zone, but not everyone agrees with the proposed zone map.
“I am sure that more of my neighbors would disagree to you putting it to a mixed zone,” said Wheatland resident Samantha Lowrey.
Lowrey says she doesn’t want the zoning of her home to change.
“I did not move into a mixed zone use when I bought my house 11 years ago. I moved into a residential area,” Lowrey said.
Other residents are concerned about the possibility of more commercial properties coming to a mostly residential area.
“The list that he gave is so wide. Anything pretty much could come in there. There’s no parking for none of that because it’s alleys,” said Wheatland resident Darla Marchant.
Longietti says they will take into consideration the public’s comments on the zoning map.
“Our map showed a neighborhood mixed-use buffering area between residential. Folks are a little worried about that because there are residents close to Mercer Avenue and they won’t want an increase in traffic. There’s a lack of parking facilities,” Longietti said.
