CONNOQUENESSING TWP — The township board of supervisors discussed potentially adding a zoning ordinance — something it currently does not have — to its books during their monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 2.

The board passed a motion during the meeting that would compel the township’s planning commission to initiate the process of drafting the language of the potential zoning ordinance.

Township solicitor Andrew Menchyk says that there was some interest among the supervisors in implementing a zoning ordinance following the adoption of the township’s updated comprehensive plan in July.

“The supervisors think that it would be prudent to look at potential zoning in light of that comprehensive plan,” Menchyk said. “Under the Municipalities Planning Code, the actual text of the ordinance it to be prepared by the planning commission, and the supervisors have referred it to the planning commission for further evaluation.”

Anonymous public comments quoted within the comprehensive plan, which is available online, shared the belief that the contents of the plan would be “toothless without zoning,” and elsewhere, that “there needs to be strong and specific zoning or other ordinances/codes that will address business expansions and other types of growth and development.” Conversely, at least one commenter did not want the township to become “like Cranberry Township.”

In addition, “land use regulations/zoning” were among the top five most requested features in a community survey that drew 115 responses.

Menchyk said it was too early to tell what a potential zoning ordinance for Connoquenessing Township would look like, as the drafting process hadn’t started yet.

“There is no timeframe at this time,” Menchyk said.