Cranberry will soon put in place three new zoning districts inspired by the past.

Members of the township Planning Commission and board of supervisors met in a special joint session Monday to review the steps township staff have taken to prepare for the new districts.

The session ended with endorsements of the three new districts: Town Center, Traditional Neighborhood Development and Mixed-Use Corridor.

When all are in place, Cranberry's northern half will be zoned in a way that encourages architectural diversity and a mix of commercial, retail and residential uses in a proximity that hearkens to the day when Main Street was a walkable destination for office workers, shoppers and residents.

The new Town Center district will cover about 80 acres at the corner of Route 19 and Rochester Road, across from the township municipal center. The land currently is farmed by the Meeder family. Cranberry assistant manager Dan Santoro said the family is supporting the zoning change but has no immediate plans to develop or to sell.

The concept of town center zoning is to mix a bit of residential use into a primarily commercial and retail development with walkable streets, camouflaged parking and smaller buildings with interesting architectural detail.

The Traditional Neighborhood development zone is envisioned for a 500-acre tract next to the new Graham Park, north of Rochester Road and west of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the town center development.

It is the flip approach of its neighboring new district, mixing a bit of retail and commercial into a primarily residential area. Again, the district will emphasize walkable streets, garages to the rear, and an eclectic collection of housing styles.

Santoro said the Planning Commission and supervisors agreed that the Traditional Neighborhood district will overlay the existing district. Known as SP-1, the existing zone is a commercial district that allows a range of business uses but no residential use.

Santoro said staff considered recommending an overall rezoning but, out of concern for existing adjacent property owners, decided the overlay would be better. He said the handful of businesses in the area -- a small grocery, a casket distribution center -- will have more options this way, should they ever sell their property or develop themselves.

The third zoning district is for a 30-acre parcel, also owned by the Meeder family, north of its Rochester Road property at the corner of Route 19 and Ogleview Road. It is now zoned for use as a business park, but the family has pressed for a rezoning that would allow them to complete a deal with a local developer who wants to build retail on the site.

Santoro said staff believes retail use is more appropriate for the land but wants a new district there that will tie in with the Town Center district to the south. "We want to work in some new performance standards that will be similar to the Waterfront in Homestead," Santoro said.

The district will feature smaller, two-story structures oriented toward a main street.

Santoro said staff is preparing ordinances on the Traditional Neighborhood development and Mixed-Use Corridor districts for review by the Planning Commission in October. The Town Center ordinance will follow in November or December.

"As a staff, we just don't have time to do all three at once and there's development pressure for the two," Santoro said, noting that he expects developers to present traditional neighborhood and mixed-use plans as soon as supervisors approve the new zoning districts, which could happen in November or December.

Cranberry developers Larry Dorsch and Don Rodgers have been moving steadily forward on plans for the Traditional Neighborhood zone.

And Pittsburgh attorney Bob Blumling has said his client, Warner Sturgis, of Sturgis, Mich., will be ready to move forward on its retail plans for the corner of Ogleview and Route 19 by the time the township has the new district in place.

Santoro predicted that the town center ordinance will be given to the planning commission for review in November or December with supervisors approving it in January or February.

Santoro said the concept behind the rezonings is to move the township away from the "big box" style of retail and the "cookie-cutter" style of neighborhoods. In both cases, smaller and more distinctive not only look better but also encourage a healthier lifestyle that emphasizes walkability and more interconnection within the community.