Zoning hearings held with help of speakerphone
In an unusual circumstance Thursday afternoon, eight public hearings for various rezoning requests were held via speakerphone with Fayette County Commissioner Ronald M. Nehls. The situation was necessary because Nehls, who recently had surgery, is at home recovering and the other two commissioners were not available. Commission chairman Vincent A. Vicites is out of town on vacation and Sean M. Cavanagh was unavailable. Attorney John S. Cupp Jr. attended at the public service building to swear in witnesses, along with county manager Warren Hughes, chief zoning officer Dave Bukovan, and commissioner employees Melissa Close and Tammy Boyle.
The commissioners are slated to vote on the requests, all of which were recommended for approval by the county planning commission, during the next regular meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 26. Prior to approval, the transcripts will be made available to all the commissioners.
Half of the requests were conducted with only testimony from the petitioner. The remaining requests were met with either questions or opposition from various amounts of neighbors.
The hearing that drew the most attendance was one in which Gerald Means of Ridge Boulevard, Connellsville, is requesting a change of zoning from A-1 agricultural rural and B-1 general business to R-1 medium density residential on property in Dunbar Township.
Means, who was unable to attend, was represented by attorney and former county commissioner Carmine V. Molinaro Jr., who explained that Means plans to sell off lots on along the Ridge Boulevard property to people who want to build houses. Molinaro said Means intends to comply with all laws, rules and regulations regarding the R-1 zone.
“He knows it is an upscale neighborhood and he wants to keep it that way,” Molinaro said. Means had previously requested a different zoning change but withdrew it. Molinaro said Means doesn’t want to antagonize his neighbors.
Three neighbors spoke, each saying that they agree with the development if nice houses are constructed on the 20-acre site. Pauline Rose said most people own between six and 10 acres and they have a very good community. “We didn’t want any trailer parks or anything like that,” she said, adding that she is in favor of the proposal.
Larry Miller said he didn’t want Means to bring in mobile homes and ruin the property. “If it’s R-1 and we’ll have pretty nice homes, I have no problem with that,” Miller said.
Nathaniel Milton said he was concerned with renters coming in, but if the property is sold he isn’t concerned. “If it’s nice homes, I have no objections,” he said.
In another matter in Dunbar Township, Fayette Airport Enterprises LLP of Smithfield is requesting a change of zone from B-2 highway business to B-1. The company plans to construct a hotel, gas station, shopping area, bank and restaurant at the site, along Eighty Acres Road near the Connellsville Airport. A sewage treatment plant is also planned for the property.
Engineer Terry McMillen said he thinks the project fits well with the area. He said the company will also have to go before the county Zoning Hearing Board.
Edward Koballa, who lives on Eighty Acres Road, said he was not against the development, but he was concerned about using his swimming pool and the potential odor of the treatment plant. He said if it can’t be used, he may have to fill in his pool and put in a garden. McMillen said Koballa’s pool is well beyond the minimum separation distance required. He said there should not be an odor if the plan is operating properly.
In another hearing, Steve Andaloro of Hopwood is seeking a change of zone from A-1 to R-1 in North Union Township. Andaloro plans to use the property off Hopwood/Coolspring Road for a single-family residential development. Neighbor Monica Reda said she was concerned about the potential effect water runoff will have on property owned by herself and her parents as well as the type of development. Andaloro said there would be no mobile homes or modular homes.
Bukovan said numerous approvals must be granted before construction can begin for items such as a soil sedimentation plan, storm water management plan and sewage issue.
Nehls said he believes some of Reda’s concerns will be taken care of based on zoning and regulations. Andaloro said he doesn’t want to put water on anybody’s property.
In another hearing, Donald L. And Joyce M. Hall of Upper Middletown Road, Smock are requesting a change in zone from A-1 to R-2 in Menallen Township. Surveyor Ramesh B. Shah said Hall plans to have eight lots on Phase One, where he will place doublewide mobile homes. Neighbor Patricia K. Herring said she owns and adjoining 21 acres and bought the property because it is rural and agricultural. She said she has horses and wants to keep them there and is wary of people complaining of odors. Herring added that the houses may decrease the value of her property.
Donald Hall said the homes will all be “doublewide and stick built homes” and will have foundations underneath.
In the uncontested hearings, Calvin F. Dziedzicki of 105 Easy Street, Uniontown, is requesting an extension of an R-2 medium density residential zone on property zoned B-1 in North Union Township.
Dziedzicki plans to place a modular home on the property, off of North Gallatin Avenue.
Frank A. Kopas of Brockway is requesting an extension of A-1 zone on property currently zoned M-1 light industrial in George Township. Kopas’ nephew, attorney John A. Kopas III explained that the change is simply for a residential lot. He said the family believed the property, off of Route 119, was already zoned agricultural.
Jackie G. Rafferty of Acme is requesting a change of zone from B-1 to A-1 for property in Perry Township. Rafferty explained that the property, off of Route 51, was purchased by her late husband in 1990, and he changed it from A-1 to B-1 because of his business in which he sold X-ray equipment. She said since her husband died in 1999 she has become interested in raising domestic bird and would like to have an aviary and possibly sell bird toys and feed. The rezoning request is the first step toward obtaining approval for the business.
Martin Korona and Joseph P. Korona Jr. are seeking a change of zone from M-1 to A-1 for property in Georges Township. Joseph Korona, former county manager, said a potential buyer wants to build a house on the property, located along Oliphant Furnace Road.