diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2cf8ac82..96abc2c1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 All notable changes to the Zlux Server Framework package will be documented in this file.
 This repo is part of the app-server Zowe Component, and the change logs here may appear on Zowe.org in that section.
 
+## 3.1.0
+- Enhancement: Server can be set to log using the local timezone via property `zowe.logger.timezone: environment` which will use the value of the TZ environment variable. (#572)
+
 ## 3.0.0
-- Enhancement: Add ability for server to dynamically load plugin web content based on `entryPoint` specification in the
-`pluginDefinition.json`
+- Enhancement: Add ability for server to dynamically load plugin web content based on `entryPoint` specification in the `pluginDefinition.json`
 
 ## 2.17.0
 - Enhancement: Added function `isClientAttls(zoweConfig)` within `libs/util.js`. Whenever a plugin makes a network request, it should always use this to determine if a normally HTTPS request should instead be made as HTTP due to AT-TLS handling the TLS when enabled. (#544)
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index 162d56aa..81d0fed8 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -13,7 +13,12 @@
 
 if (!global.COM_RS_COMMON_LOGGER) {
   const loggerFile = require('../../zlux-shared/src/logging/logger.js');
-  global.COM_RS_COMMON_LOGGER = new loggerFile.Logger();
+  let msOffset = undefined;
+  if (process.env.ZWE_zowe_logging_timezone == 'environment') {
+    let d = new Date();
+    msOffset = d.getTimezoneOffset() * 1000 * 60;
+  }
+  global.COM_RS_COMMON_LOGGER = new loggerFile.Logger(msOffset);
   global.COM_RS_COMMON_LOGGER.addDestination(global.COM_RS_COMMON_LOGGER.makeDefaultDestination(true,true,true,true,true));
 }
 
diff --git a/utils/packaging-utils.js b/utils/packaging-utils.js
index ccbb6563..6e345061 100644
--- a/utils/packaging-utils.js
+++ b/utils/packaging-utils.js
@@ -11,11 +11,13 @@
 const path = require('path');
 const Promise = require('bluebird');
 const fs = require('graceful-fs');
-//assuming that this is file isnt being called from another that is already using the logger... else expect strange logs
-const logging = require('../../zlux-shared/src/logging/logger.js');
-const coreLogger = new logging.Logger();
-//simple program, no need for logger names to be displayed
-coreLogger.addDestination(coreLogger.makeDefaultDestination(true,false,false));
+let coreLogger = global.COM_RS_COMMON_LOGGER;
+if (!global.COM_RS_COMMON_LOGGER) { //app-server creates logger prior to this running, so don't create twice.
+  const logging = require('../../zlux-shared/src/logging/logger.js');
+  coreLogger = new logging.Logger();
+  //simple program, no need for logger names to be displayed
+  coreLogger.addDestination(coreLogger.makeDefaultDestination(true,false,false));
+}
 
 let logger;