JACKSON TWP — Supervisors unanimously voted to reject an ordinance amendment related to oil and gas well sites during a meeting on Thursday, Feb. 20.

The disapproval was in agreement with the township’s planning commission, which made a recommendation against the amendment to the ordinance about two weeks ago.

The township’s current ordinance allows for the development of oil and gas well sites in all zoning districts without any exceptions.

But the proposed amendment would have required residents to acquire conditional use approval to develop an oil and gas well site on their properties.

It also would have extended the length of minimum setbacks for unconventional gas wells to at least 1,200 feet and 3,500 feet from a school.

Other restrictions would have included limiting well sites in residential zoning districts to a maximum of three wellheads and requiring conditional use approvals to expire after two years, giving permit holders a two-year window to construct and activate their wells.

Longtime landowners were vehemently opposed to any restrictions and some cited a property rights infringement.

“I feel the amendments to the proposed ordinance severely restrict the future use of our property and the development of future wells that are planned,” resident Joshua Meyer said. “I don’t want to see that restriction.”

Newer residents expressed concerns about potential health impacts of any new gas wells being constructed throughout the township.

However, before the vote, board of supervisors vice chairman Allan Osterwise disagreed with that notion while explaining why he was opposed to the amendment.

“My experience, having been here since 2007, we haven’t had any issues relative to health and safety correlated to the wells or Vogel’s landfill,” he said. “There have been none for 10 to 12 years.”

State Rep. Stephenie Scialabba, R-12th, and Butler County chief of economic development Mark Gordon were both in attendance.

Scialabba, who made it clear she was against any change to the current ordinance, spoke twice during what was, at times, a contentious public discussion on the matter.

“I’m glad to see that they have reached the appropriate decision under the Constitution and for the township residents,” she told the Butler Eagle after the meeting went into a short recess.