Wheatland, PA Zoning Update
Project Overview
In 2022 the voters of the Borough of Wheatland and the City of Hermitage approved the merger of the borough into the City. The City of Hermitage contracted E Holdings to conduct an existing land use inventory, review of existing ordinances, facilitate public engagement, and propose zoning map amendments.
The goal of the merger was to apply the City of Hermitage’s zoning to the Borough of Wheatland, and to disturb the existing fabric of Wheatland as little as possible.
Core Services Performed:
- Public Visioning Meeting
- Stakeholder Coordination
- Community Visioning Planning
- Condition Assessment & Documentation
- Data Management
Client: Ferguson Township, PA
Prime: Makin Engineers & Consultants
Timeline: 2022-2023
Engagement & Planning
To understand the existing conditions of Wheatland, the project team traveled Wheatland several times, studied both Wheatland’s and Hermitage’s zoning, and spoke with stakeholders within Wheatland to learn the functions and the needs of the borough. Iterations of the proposed zoning were brought to the steering committee and some stakeholders, and was refined over time to best reflect the land use in Wheatland and the goals of the project.
Public engagement included a steering committee, stakeholder outreach, and public meetings to educate about the merger and zoning. The steering committee regularly met with the project team and assisted in coordinating meetings with stakeholders and to plan public meetings. Stakeholders which were contacted include large property owners in the area, property owners for which there may not have been a suitable zoning district in Hermitage, and property owners in areas where zoning may have been intentionally changed. Public meetings were scheduled within Wheatland, to make the process as accessible as possible to local residents. There was one public meeting specifically about the zoning in Wheatland, as well as one planning commission meeting and one public hearing, both in Hermitage.
