Does your community have zoning?
Many times your zoning plan and local rules can be found on your municipality, township, or county's website. You can also easily type your address into the FracTracker/MWA zoning map. The zoning map shows whether or not your community has zoning and provides links to zoning ordinances, oil and gas ordinances, and comprehensive plans (if available) from the municipality and county. It also includes municipal office contact information for residents to send their questions, comments and concerns.
If none of those options give you a clear answer, your best bet is to contact your local municipal office.
Be Sure to Look For County-Wide And Local Zoning
If you consult the map or your local officials and find out you have no zoning on the local level (township, municipality, etc.) be sure to then check and see if you are in a county that has adopted county-wide zoning. If your municipality or township does not have zoning but your county does, then you must adhere to county-wide zoning rules and procedures. If your county and your township have zoning then the local zoning is what governs. The county-level zoning procedures may be significantly different from common procedures implemented by localities with zoning, so be sure to determine which rules govern your community.
The FracTracker/MWA zoning map also includes information and links on zoning for each southwestern Pennsylvania county.
Next Steps:
If your county or locality DOES have zoning you can:
- learn about whether fracked gas infrastructure has applied for zoning permits in your area, here or,
- find out if your zoning helps to protect you from the impacts of fracked gas infrastructure, here.
If your county or locality DOES NOT have zoning you can discover other ways to help protect your community such as: