Centerville council approves controversial subdivision request
CENTERVILLE – Centerville Borough Council Thursday unanimously approved a controversial subdivision request amid protest from residents opposed to the action. The action, which will allow a developer to build 14 homes on a plot of agricultural-zoned land along Linton Road, was taken during a special meeting. Voting in favor of the action were council president Patsy Ricciuti and members Louis Gajewski, Fred Roberts, Barbara Samarin and Mary S. Zebley. Mariann Bailey and Danielle Ottoviani were absent.
The developer, Elite Remodeling Inc., is purchasing the property from Bailey. Although council previously approved the subdivision earlier this year, it had to come up for a vote again because it was not filed with Washington county as required by law within 90 days.
In July, council voted to amend the borough’s zoning ordinance permitting a greater concentration of housing in agricultural zones. The amendment reduces the minimum acreage for a single home in an agricultural zone from one acre to one-third acre.
Two of the 15 families that live along the road filed a civil suit against the action, but on Aug. 31, an order was entered in Washington County Court to “quash” the land use appeal without prejudice.
Following the vote, there were several minutes of heated exchange between council members and Linton Road residents opposed to the action.
Dennis Kennedy, one of parties to the legal action against the borough, asked why there were three special meetings scheduled to vote on the issue. Ricciuti outlined the timetable, explaining that council was previously unable to vote because solicitor Brian Teslovich advised members against it because of the court case.
Kennedy said it is costing the borough money to advertise for the special meetings instead of taking action at a regular monthly meeting. “I called for the special meeting,” Ricciuti responded.
Kennedy, who bought property from Bailey in 1999 on which to construct his home, questioned the wisdom of voting on the subdivision, saying the legal issue will next be taken to the zoning hearing board and then possibly back to Washington County Court. Ricciuti said council will do what it needs to do and told Kennedy he can do what he feels that he needs to do regarding the litigation. Ricciuti said he felt confident that council was receiving solid legal advice.
Jane Reese, another party to the lawsuit, said council has gone against their own ordinances. She said as a property owner, she wants development in the borough, but wants it to be right and proper. “We’re asking you to play by the rules and look down the road,” Reese said. She said by changing the ordinance, development in an agricultural zone will be denser than in a residential zone.
Ricciuti said the developer is not “building shacks” along the road, but homes that will cost about $150,000 each.
Another Linton Road resident, who was not a party to the lawsuit, said she and her husband would like to see no more than four houses on the remaining lots. The woman, identified only as Mrs. Kline, said the borough may not even be able to take over the road because the proposed slope is too steep. She said the property isn’t conducive to the plans and suggested that the developer didn’t have to provide a bond to council, something council didn’t address. Mrs. Kline also suggested that council was only approving the action to help “get Mariann (Bailey) out of hock.”
Kennedy told council that if they think they are going to get rich or even break even with the development, “it won’t happen.”
Ricciuti said he believes the Linton Road residents are simply against having more houses along their road. “You think you have the tiger by the tail and to hell with the rest of the world,” he said.
When Mrs. Kline asked if council would consider another proposal for the land, Ricciuti said council isn’t doing the development, merely approving a subdivision. Teslovich said the issue was not going to be litigated at the meeting.
When one of the Linton Road residents commented that it seems “ridiculous,” Ricciuti said it was ridiculous that the development had to be held up for 14 days.