Murrysville council deadlocks on 'luxury lots' subdivision near community park

Murrysville council members could not agree whether to approve an upscale 24-lot subdivision off Wiestertown Road, prompting a tie vote that will see the development proposal come back before council.

Developer Paul Fischione was seeking approval for a luxury housing plan just south of Wiestertown and Hilty roads, with an average home price of about $2 million and lot sizes of about 1.5 acres.

Fischione received some pushback from neighbors along Wiestertown Road, who said the nearby Murrysville Community Park already generates more traffic than the single-lane road is equipped to handle.

The proposal was initially filed with a request for a zoning change, in order to fit a few additional lots on the property. That was rejected by council, which led to Fischione returning with a development-by-right proposal which did not require a zoning change.

In addition, the site is located within a high-quality watershed which comes with some additional layers of environmental red tape at the state level.

“We took extensive time meeting with the (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection) and the Westmoreland Conservation District,” said Bryan Metzler with Bridgeville-based T3 Global Strategies. “We’re planning riparian buffers for all of the streams that are part of the site, and we’re treating all of our storm water so that it meets their quality and quantity rates.”

Some neighbors were also concerned that the development could affect their well water. Metzler said developers have consulted with geotechnical engineers PA Rock & Soil regarding those aspects of the project.

“They don’t anticipate us causing any issues with neighbors’ wells,” Metzler said. “We’ve also determined ways to provide access for neighbors to the public water and sewer that will serve our site. We would have easements showing they have the legal rights to tie into it.”

Councilman Mac McKenna said he was hoping the development’s entrance would front on Hilty Road rather than Wiestertown.

“I was never a big fan of the Wiestertown entrance,” McKenna said. “I think the traffic on that road, which also has a lot of cyclists, walkers and park traffic, is an issue. I think putting the entrance there was probably the less expensive option.”

Metzler said part of the development proposal is the addition of a pedestrian connection down to Farm Road, across from the Murrysville Community Park entrance.

“I know we don’t have control over Wiestertown Road, but that is one amenity we’re adding to help keep pedestrian traffic off of it,” he said.

Council members Jamie Lingg, Matt Olszewski and Mac McKenna voted against approving the by-right development, leaving the decision deadlocked in a 3-3 tie since council President Dayne Dice was not present. Solicitor Wes Long requested a brief executive session, and afterward said the development will go back onto the agenda for council’s next meeting, set for 7 p.m. June 18 in the municipal building at 4100 Sardis Road.