CLEARFIELD – Clearfield County is looking to bring its Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) up to date with state and federal regulations.
On Tuesday, the board of commissioners authorized Planning Director Jodi Brennan to proceed with the formal procedures in order for the county to adopt proposed SALDO amendments.
A SALDO offers counties and municipalities a degree of protection against unwise, poorly planned growth. It also protects the property values of all land owners and the interests of developers.
Brennan said if a municipality doesn’t have its own SALDO, it falls under the county. There are about 30 boroughs and townships covered under Clearfield County’s SALDO.
Over the last year, she said it’s come to the county’s attention that its SALDO hasn’t been updated to current state and federal regulations for about 25 years.
“It really came to light last year,” Brennan said. “We had some [members of the] public really upset over a dollar store going in, in Bigler Township.”
She said dollar stores are beginning to open up in traditionally residential areas, and people are concerned about how it will affect their homes and community.
While the use can only be controlled through a zoning ordinance, she said there can be design requirements to address some of these concerns when there are two conflicting land uses.
Brennan said she, along with the Planning Commission, have worked with a consultant to recommend a series of amendments to the county’s SALDO.
She said they have streamlined the ordinance combining similar subject areas and eliminating redundancies, as well as adding design regulations in “town centers” to minimize conflicts.
“… One size doesn’t fit all,” she said, “and we know boroughs will be more impacted by certain types of land development, so we do have some additional requirements there.”
Brennan said the new requirements are mostly related to parking, lighting, signage, screening, landscaping, etc. “I don’t think we’ll have any negative feedback; I think it will be all positive.”
She said many land developers are already following these “best industry standards,” and so she doesn’t foresee there being any issues.
The commissioners then voted to authorize Brennan to proceed with the formal procedures like advertising the ordinance and scheduling/hosting a public hearing in the matter.