Farrell council agreed Monday to remove three parcels from the tax-free Keystone Opportunity Zone because they cannot be developed.

Since the tax-free zones are limited in size, the state encourages local officials to remove land that cannot be developed.

Two of the parcels are where the Farrell City Building is located. The city owns the 2.9-acre parcel and the city redevelopment authority owns the 0.4-acre parcel. For the smaller parcel to be removed from the zone, the redevelopment authority also will have to agree.

Council also removed from the zone 9.4 acres it owns in Hermitage. The land is off Ohio Street, parallel to State Line Road, and is under high-tension power lines, making it unsuitable for construction.

Hermitage commissioners voted last week to remove that strip.

Farrell council also voted to remove exemptions from property, earned income, net profits, mercantile and business privilege taxes within a specific area in the city that is designated as the Shenango Valley Subzone of the Northwest Pennsylvania Keystone Opportunity Zone.

Both Robert Burich and Mayor Bill Morocco voted against each measure, which all passed 3-to-2.

Burich argued that by decertifying the property in Hermitage, the city was giving up potential development and Farrell already has KOZ property that isn't being developed.

Before the land can officially be removed from the zone, Farrell Area School Board members and Mercer County Commissioners also must agree.