Cranberry Township residents have taken their zoning concerns to the county level.
On Tuesday, Cranberry resident Aaron Bolinger read from a prepared statement at a meeting of the Venango County commissioners – Timothy Brooks, Vincent Witherup and Albert “Chip” Abramovic – during a period of public comment.
Bolinger said that he represented a group of Cranberry citizens who call themselves “Project CRUTEZ,” or Cranberry Residents United to End Zoning.
“Quite frankly, we are fed up with Cranberry Township Supervisors, and even more specifically their underlings – employees and volunteer committees – imposing and attempting to impose even greater oppression upon our peaceful people in the name of generating revenue,” Bolinger read.
Bolinger, and some others, have been vocal opponents of a comprehensive plan in Cranberry Township that recommends stricter property maintenance controls, among many other things. The plan is not legally binding and the township supervisors have not yet reviewed it.
In his remarks to the commissioners, Bolinger called upon the county commissioners to provide “research assistance” in helping interested members find specific language and requirements to create a new township out of Cranberry Township and to annex it onto Rockland Township or for the people of Seneca to form their own government.
Additionally, the statement called for Cranberry Township supervisors to be elected by district.
Bolinger cited the state’s constitution in his comments and noted the right of the people to abolish or reform government.
He asked that the commissioners respond to his request within 30 days.
“We need to know the legal procedures required for each of these options, so we can decide our next move,” Bolinger said.
“We would be better off, in many ways, by either annexing into Rockland, or forming our own township or perhaps other minor government entities,” he said.
After the meeting, Venango County Solicitor Richard Winkler said that the commissioners have no authority over townships as townships are a creation of the state legislature.
