South Fayette commissioners last night started the official process of rezoning the former Mayview State Hospital property for recreational use, which will have a significant impact on the future of the closed facility.

The 300-acre hospital property is now zoned for rural residential use, but the commissioners earlier this year created a new zoning district specifically with the property in mind. It is designed to preserve slopes and wetlands while capitalizing on land's recreational possibilities.

The property is along Chartiers Creek on the South Fayette/Upper St. Clair border, and includes a large amount of environmentally sensitive property.

The commissioners last night authorized the advertisement of a public hearing, a legal necessity before land is rezoned. Several other properties will be considered for the same zoning designation.

Mayview, which cared for the mentally ill, was closed by the state at the end of 2008. Mental health advocates have called for a fair-market sale, with proceeds designated for mental health care. A state task force charged with determining the property's future is waiting for a new appraisal setting the property's value.