JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The Richland Township Planning Commission is recommending that the township supervisors amend the zoning map so that the former MetLife Insurance Company property is classified as a university district rather than a commercial district.
According to the Cambria County Recorder's Office, the property at 504 School House Road was formerly owned by the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown and was transferred to MetLife on Dec. 29, 1975.
Julian Beguelin, chairman of the Richland Township Planning Commission, said the zoning change would essentially return the land to its original University District classification.
In June, MetLife and the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown jointly filed a letter urging the town to make the changes.
The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the request on Aug. 12 immediately following its regular meeting at 6 p.m.
The Planning Commission unanimously gave a preliminary recommendation Tuesday that supervisors approve the proposed zoning amendment.
The planning commission is expected to vote again for approval after details about the college's plans are recorded at a public hearing in August.
The university has not yet shared its plans for the site with regulators or the planning commission, but documents jointly filed by UPJ and MetLife show the university has signed a purchase agreement.
MetLife has granted the university permission to propose changing the property's use from C-3 (commercial) to U (university) in conjunction with its planned purchase.
Zoning decisions are typically made by a town's zoning board, but the Supervisor is empowered by zoning ordinance to amend the ordinance or the town's zoning map.
According to the ordinance, the supervisors may amend the zoning map if the Planning Board initiates action by submitting a written report to the supervisors, if the Town Board of Supervisors initiates action on its own, or if the owners of 50 percent or more of the properties fronting the subject property and 50 percent or more of the properties between the two intersecting streets submit a notarized petition to the Town Supervisor.
The 74-acre site is bordered on three sides by university land, and the paperwork submitted by MetLife and UPJ includes notarized petitions from other landowners, as required by ordinance.
Russ O'Reilly is a reporter for the Tribune Democrat. Follow him on Twitter. Russell Riley.