New rules limit gas pumps in Cranberry
CRANBERRY TWP — A new ordinance will likely limit the number of gas stations in Cranberry Township to 17 while mandating the stations better fit in with the township’s streetscape plans.
The ordinance, approved by the township supervisors on Thursday, limits fueling stations along the Route 19, Route 228 and Freedom Road corridors, and prevents new stations from being constructed on the same side of the road within 2,500 feet of an existing or proposed gas station.
Additionally, new stations will be permitted by right to have electric vehicle charging stations, rather than needing to gain township approval to add such structures.
Kyle Beidler, the township’s strategic planning officer, said the 2,500-foot buffer will prevent fueling stations from being “on every single piece of (Cranberry’s) corridors.”
“There’s 10 existing fueling stations, and there’s, approved, two additional ones, in the township right now,” Beidler said. “With this 2,500-foot buffer, that would allow for a maximum of five additional gas stations throughout the entire township, on the (Routes) 19, 228, Freedom Road corridors. That would potentially put us at a maximum of 17 gas stations in the future altogether.”
Another provision of the ordinance adds requirements for how the gas stations should look, encouraging the convenience store, rather than the fuel pumps, be built closer to the road.
“What we’re really trying to do is emphasize that the primary building directly connects with the pedestrian-scapes, the streetscape, so all these uses would require streetscape enhancements,” Beidler said. “The intention is really to encourage the building to front onto those streetscape enhancements and keeping all fueling stations, accessory uses, back behind that structure.”
The board additionally approved conditional use requests by two businesses seeking entry to the township.
Big Blue Swim School, which offers swimming lessons to children between 6 months and 12 years of age, was given the go-ahead to move into the Streets of Cranberry, at the current locations of three storefronts.
Acs Machining, a family-owned CNC machining company, was also granted approval to move into a 5,000-square-foot building on North Boundary Road near Interstate 79.
