The county’s Planning Commission will discuss possible ways to respond when a structure is built someplace other than where the drawings say it will be.

Commission member and Conewango Township Supervisor Jeff Zaricnzy asked the commission to consider “setbacks and how they’re accounted for after construction.”

Setbacks refer to the distance between a municipal right of way or property line that guide where structures can be built, such as the 40 feet setback for chicken coops.

“We’ve had some situations in the county where setbacks are based on documents submitted that have not been adhered to,” he said. That can “come back to haunt the municipalities.”

The commission will discuss the issue at the April meeting.

Zariczny said these situations tend to crop up due to environmental issues like topography.

“They show something on a drawing,” he said. “What ultimately gets built is vastly different.”

Planning Director Michael Lyon said there were 240 permits last year where this could occur.

“That’s a lot of factors going into that,” he acknowledged.

Zariczny said the county “should put protocols in place” including site visits.

He said Conewango Twp. had issues when a structure was built almost over a storm drain which would have been a “nightmare for future maintenance.”

PANEL TALKS SHEFFIELD BLIGHTED PROPERTY

The planners also certified a property deemed blighted in Sheffield Township located on Second St.

“The property is falling down,” Commission chair Paul Pascuzzi said. “It checks all the boxes…. This property is in really pretty rough shape.”