JACKSONVILLE — After months of debate, a rural Centre County township’s contentious rezoning dispute may finally be over.

At a public hearing Friday, Marion Township supervisors voted to rescind a rezoning ordinance approved in December that had drawn appeals from residents and rejected motions to move any alternative land-use proposals forward, effectively bringing the controversial plan to a halt.

The move came days before the expiration of the municipality’s 180-day development moratorium, which was enacted in September to give the township time to correct deficiencies in its zoning ordinance.

Township Solicitor Louis Glantz, of Glantz, Johnson & Associates, of State College, has said the deficiencies stem from construction of a new high-speed interchange between I-99 and I-80, which displaced the township’s highway commercial zone. Without an established highway commercial zone, Glantz warned Marion Township could face exclusionary zoning challenges from prospective developers.

The rezoning of nearly 130 acres near the Jacksonville exit of I-80 was proposed to address the issue, but the plan drew opposition from residents concerned it would alter their community’s way of life. Fearful that a travel plaza concept floated by Onvo could bring crime and environmental degradation to their backyards, residents organized against the rezoning at large.

After nearly an hour of public comment, the supervisors considered three proposed alternatives to the December rezoning, but none passed for lack of support. The only motion approved Friday before the 180-day deadline was to undo the December ordinance that created the district.

The passage of that ordinance last year prompted two land-use appeals that accused the township of bypassing required procedures. The plaintiffs, all township residents, allege the municipality failed to properly advertise its intent to enact the rezoning ordinance, submit it to planning officials for review and notify property owners. They also claim the board violated the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act by failing to include the ordinance on the Dec. 10, 2025, meeting agenda when it was adopted. The repeal leaves the appeals in limbo.

“The question is what happens after this,” said Lisa Miller, a township resident.

That question remains unanswered. Attempts to contact Glantz to inquire about the status of the township’s exclusionary zoning issue and the appeals were unsuccessful as of press time Monday.