John Keenan bought his hempfield property over 30 years ago due to the peace and the tranquility she offered.
Her son grew up in the rural area at the eastern end of the canton and now uses property to manage a organic farm that provides products at local tables and grocers.
Their lifestyle could soon change – the sprawling agricultural land just through the line of trees is targeted for the development of housing.
“If I wanted to live in a accommodation project, I would have bought a house in Wendover or everywhere and I would have a neighbor on me,” said Keenan. “This is not the style of life I chose.”
Hempfield is on the verge of a housing boom – around 300 to 400 houses will be built in the canton in the coming years, because several residential development projects are at various construction or approval stages. The canton saw a boom similar in the early 2000s.
While the developers flock to Hempfield, the canton officials said they had to travel a fine line by weighing the benefits to add to the tax plate with a potential impact on existing neighbors. Some residents said they had chosen rural locations decades ago and are now unhappy that they may have dozens of new neighbors.
“The idea is to preserve the rural character of the canton, but to allow more people to live here and discover the open area we have,” said the supervisor Doug Weimer. “It is complementary to have people who want to live here.”
John Keenan and his son Jonathan, as well as several other owners, shared their concerns with the supervisors of the canton in January about the property which neighbor – at the confluence of Route 819 and Lake Albrights and the Green Valley roads – During an audience on a change of zoning requested from agriculture to the suburban residential. They are concerned about the pressure potential on infrastructure, added traffic on route 819 and the loss of green space, among others.
In addition to growing products, Jonathan Keenan raises chickens and has sheep on the other side of Route 819. There are also other work farms in the surroundings.
“My concern is to put a few hundred houses there and have people who may not understand what life is like on a farm, maybe certain things they see may not be Attractive to hear or see, “he said.
The father and the son were happy that the supervisors of the canton prevented the making of a decision on the change of zoning. But they do not know if their concerns will continue to be heard.
Ripe for development
It is generally necessary from six to 12 months to approve a development of housing, said the director of the canton Aaron Siko. Some are built in phases. During this process, developers must obtain several approvals from voting organizations and residents are authorized to express their opinions.
Weimer said that the rules of the canton allow residential growth while demanding a space between existing houses and new houses. He and Siko think that certain parts of Hempfield will remain rural and agricultural than others, but they have agreed with infrastructure and the availability of stimulating public services.
“Even with the quantity of development, we are still considered a rural community,” said Weimer. “Seventy-five square miles and we are still not densely populated.”
The population by Mile Carré in Hempfield was 540 people in 2020, according to census data. In North Huntingdon, it was 1,168 people and in the canton of Sewickley, it was 211 people.
The population of Hempfield has oscillated approximately 41,000 since 2000, according to census data. That year, there were 16,750 dwellings, a number which increased by around 1,700 by 2020.
Developments at Grandview Estates off Swede Hill Road and on the old Cherry Creek And Valley Green Golf courses are under construction, officials said. Houses in Grandview and Valley Green start about $ 350,000 at $ 400,000.
A development offered on Baltzer Meyer Pike, named Silvis Fields, is under examination and one on Houp Lane, called the Foxfield reserve, was approved in October.
The developer Don Tosky Jr., owner of the Colony Co., associates with RWS Shuster Homes on the development of Valley Green and in the hope of buying the land next to the Keenans.
Hempfield calls on the developers, said Tarosky, because his school district is generally classified high in the state and because supervisors have invested in community infrastructure and equipment.
“Unlike everywhere we’ve ever seen (supervisors are) spending it,” said Toskyky. “We need more inventory so that these real estate agents can sell.”
About 30% of the first phase of lots in Valley Green sold, he said. However, there are domains of Hempfield which will probably never see development due to challenges with public infrastructure.
“(Hempfield is) so rural, he didn’t really make up for it,” said Tarosky.
Suffering for development
Loss of intimacy is a great concern for two couples who live nearly 15 acres of open land where 42 houses will be built for the reserve in Foxfield off Houp Lane and Brinkerton Road.
Nicholas and Jess Walton planted a few trees along their property line. Irene and John Casteel prepare for development for their septic tank.
“We see our rural district being destroyed,” said Irene Casteel.
The Waltons have gathered signatures on petitions and informed residents near development. Nicholas Walton and Irene Casteel made last trigger efforts in October to convince the canton supervisors to reject development.
It did not work – the supervisors approved it 4-1. The two said they did not feel heard by the board of directors.
“I knew where it was going and I was frustrated and crazy for sure,” said Walton.
“I think they saw signs in dollars,” said Casteel.
It is important that the neighbors of these developments highlight the concerns, said the supervisor George Reese. He launched the only vote against the development of Houp Lane and put the brakes at the request for a change of zoning near the Keenan property.
“In my opinion, it really affects the lifestyle of these people,” he said about the development of Houp Lane.
Reese wants to examine what residential development would mean for neighbors during the weighing. He said he was not opposed to growth and approved residential developments elsewhere, but growth must be controlled and the right adjustment for the region.
“You can’t just dab it in rubber just because,” said Reese.
Hempfield has not increased land taxes for 35 years and an increase in tax by 3 million for 2025 has been elected, although officials said that it could be re -examined later this year.
“Planned growth is something we use as a tool and it’s good for the community because it helps us maintain our tax plate,” said Weimer. “We must have regular and planned growth in order to continue serving the community as they are used to. It is a balance.
Renatta Signorini is a triblive journalist covering the news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be attached to signnorini@triblive.com.