South Fayette commissioners are expected to act Monday to rezone the Mayview State Hospital property for business park development.

The state is preparing to close the hospital and will sell the 300 acres bordering Chartiers Creek in the southeastern corner of the township.

South Fayette had never looked specifically at the site's zoning because of its use as a hospital -- "we considered it as though it was built out," township engineer Dave Gardner said recently -- and it had remained zoned for rural residential use.

But with steep slopes, railroad tracks, the creek and wetlands cutting it off from surrounding areas and limiting the developable land to about 80 acres, township staff and the planning commission had recommended the business park zoning as the most logical.

"It's the best possible use of the land," township Manager Mike Hoy said.

The business park zoning allows for a variety of large-scale office, research and light-industrial uses in a campus setting.

The zoning may not remain that way, however. Mr. Hoy, Mr. Gardner, the commissioners and the planning commission have all talked about looking into new zoning possibilities geared toward the unique site and others that might come along. Village-style mixed-use development is one possibility.

Developing such a plan would take time, however, and the commissioners want to get a new zoning plan in place quickly so they can have some control over the development process.

Mr. Hoy said he had talked with administrators in Upper St. Clair, which lies across the creek, and that they "agreed that obviously this is our responsibility and our right to do this."

South Fayette is particularly interested in 20 developable acres atop the hill adjacent to Fairview Park. Officials have noted that it would make wonderful park property, and have discussed creating a recreation/conservation zone with that property in mind.