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<p>DALLAS TWP. &#8212; A comprehensive zoning-map redesign that would restrict oil and gas industry usage to just 10 percent of the municipality was approved by the Dallas Township Zoning Committee on Tuesday.</p><p>Under current guidelines, 75 percent of the township would be open to such use.</p><p>The proposed zoning map contains two new districts to meet the municipality&#8217;s changing needs, planning consultant Jack Varaly said.</p><p>&#8220;I think we have come up with, in the past seven to eight months, a very just approach in terms of bringing it up to date to reflect uses that exist and potential usages that could come into the township,&#8221; Varaly said.</p><p>When the Marcellus Shale gas industry moved into the region in 2008, the state had full control over the industry, Varaly said.</p><p>&#8220;Municipalities had little direct input or control over it,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;At that time, A-1 districts (Agricultural districts) were the primary district that oil and gas ancillary facilities were permitted throughout the township. Under the existing map, that took up about 75 percent of the township.&#8221;</p><p>Varaly recommended redefining the permitted uses for an A-1 district, and adding an A-2, or Rural Agricultural District.</p><p>The proposed zoning change would restrict areas the oil and gas industry could use for ancillary facilities to A-2 districts if companies get special exceptions, he said. Ancillary sites include compressor stations, metering stations, processing facilities, hydraulic fracturing water withdrawal and treatment services.</p><p>Meanwhile, a new proposed Institutional District would allow Misericordia University, Dallas School District, Ecumenical Enterprises Inc. and the planned substance rehabilitation center &#8212; in the former Wyoming Valley Health Care System off Upper Demunds Road &#8212; as uses permitted by special exception, Varaly said.</p><p>The last time the township&#8217;s zoning map was fully updated was in 1965, Supervisor and Zoning Committee member Elizabeth Martin said.</p><p>&#8220;We can&#8217;t prevent growth, but we can control it, and that is what we are trying to do,&#8221; said attorney Donald Karpowich, an adviser to the Zoning Committee.</p><p>The proposed zoning map will be presented to the township&#8217;s Planning Commission at 7 p.m. July 11. If approved, supervisors will review and vote on it at their Aug. 1 meeting.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Planning consultant Jack Varaly, standing, explains some of the updates to the Dallas Township comprehensive zoning map to the Zoning Committee on Tuesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_DallasTwp.jpg</photo0><caption0>Planning consultant Jack Varaly, standing, explains some of the updates to the Dallas Township comprehensive zoning map to the Zoning Committee on Tuesday. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Eileen Godin</p><p>egodin@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Eileen Godin at 570-991-6387 or on Twitter @TLNews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Dallas Township Zoning Committee OKs zoning-map redesign