Business & Tech
Architect of Heartland Homes Plan for Highland CC Faces Similar Opposition in McCandless
Residents are opposed to plans to build townhouses along North Meadows Drive.
The town of McCandless Planning commission Tuesday tabled consideration of a proposed rezoning of a 4.7 acre plot of land along North Meadows Drive. The rezoning would allow a complex of multi-level townhouses to be built on the land, an idea opposed by dozens of residents who attended the meeting. (see video)
Stephen Victor, an architect from Victor-Wetzel Associates, and Frank Zokaites, the property’s owner and a developer from Zokaites Properties, presented the concept art for the housing development to the planning commission.
Victor is the same architect who drew up plans for 167 townhomes and 134 single-family homes on the former site of the Highland Country Club. That proposal was rejected by Ross Township Commissioners and the developer, Limerick Land Partners, is appealing to Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.
In McCandless, Changing the zoning from its current state as C7 to R3 would allow the developers to build the townhomes, which are more inline with the surrounding area than previous ideas of adding office space or storage units on the land, Victor said.
“We think that given the existing neighborhood that the residential development of this property would be the best use of the site itself,” Victor said.
The complex would have two different styles of townhome, and there would be 10 per units acre on the 4.7 acre plot of land, Victor said.
“I think it would be more in character with the overall neighborhood,” Victor said.
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Residents of the Village of North Meadows, which would neighbor the proposed housing development, disagreed.
Jay Thomas of Ironwood Lane was distressed over the high density living that the proposed plan would offer.
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“This is 2013. I think that McCandless ought to require more green space, recreational space and not push the optimum occupancy rate per acre,” Thomas said, prompting a rousing a round of applause from the audience.
Charlie Grayson of Ironwood Lane was alarmed to see the orange survey sticks planted in the ground by the Village of North Meadows sign. He said it was a bad sign to him.
“It’s just a form of rudeness to begin the entire process without us,” Grayson said to Victor during public comment.
“It’s a slap in the face,” a woman in the audience shouted out in agreement.
Grayson said he felt like the new townhomes would be “jammed up” against his own property, though Zokaites said the properties would be 40 feet apart.
Lack of parking, increased traffic and safety were also an issue with residents.
D. Lamar Oliver, chairman of the zoning committee, said as the proposed plan stands now, he would not recommend it to council. Zokaites agreed that he would address the committee’s concerns, which included density, traffic and parking, the next time they met.
The committee members voted unanimously to table the issue and allow Zokaites and Victor to return for another informal meeting prior to a public hearing.
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