Bridgeville Opposes Main Street Entrance
The borough council unanimously voted to oppose the Bedner’s Farm neighborhood from connecting to Main Street, but did not explain how it will stop it.
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Bridgeville Borough Council unanimously voted Monday night to oppose the Bedner’s Farm development’s plan to build an entrance at Main Street.
The council voted to not permit the use of Main Street as an access point, but had no explanation on how the town will push back against the neighborhood planned to be built in Upper St. Clair.
Still, the decision pleased the several Bridgeville residents who attended the meeting and have been protesting the residential development.
“I want to thank you all for standing with the residents,” Main Street resident Cee Cee McNulty said.
The council also agreed to pay $2,000 per street to research traffic calming plans for Main Street, Cook School Road, Ridge Road and Pesavento Drive, where the majority of traffic from the plan likely will come. The borough needs to get the acceptance from residents living on those roads before proceeding with plans that could include speed humps or one-way designations.
“We’ve certainly been looking at every angle we can think of,” council Vice President Mary Weise said. “Everything is being considered.”
However, resident Michael Nixon suggested there might be ways to entice the Bedner family into using the land for other things besides a neighborhood. He said most families simply sell the land to a developer because farming is no longer and option, but he wanted them to consider “a lot of creative ways” to use the land.
He hoped conservation efforts from the area could be made to use the land for other purposes, pointing to the new residential plans that wiped out historic places such as Mayview and Woodville Hill. Nixon suggested a new neighborhood would actually be “net-negative” for Upper St. Clair and the school district because tax revenue does not make up for the strain of additional services.
“I hope they can have an open mind and think creatively … and try to do the right thing,” said Nixon, who added he has been involved with similar conservation efforts.
With Upper St. Clair expecting to make a final decision on the development next month, Councilman Michael Tolmer asked if Nixon could put together some information before that vote. Tolmer said he hoped any new information could delay an decision by Upper St. Clair commissioners.
What are your thoughts on Bridgeville's discussions on Monday night? Tell us in the comments.
Nancy Page
9:55 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
I suggest that the Bedner family look into Farm Preservation. It can be a tax break and it would be another lovely green space for all to enjoy. We are loosing our rural heritage. If nothing else I would hope they would save the barn. The National Barn Alliance can help them in this endeavor. Barns are disappearing very fast and this group at least tries to document them before they are lost. Maybe the Mayview brick barn could also be one of those saved. (It is not too late!) USC could be proud of that accomplishment if it happened. Adaptive use is how to put old barns back into use. Save the Bedner farm and preserve the good will with our Bridgeville neighbors.
Mrs. McNulty
10:55 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
My Bridgeville neighborhood, which borders the Bedner Farm, is a mix of young families and older residents. We want residential streets safe from excessive, fast driving traffic. While our narrow streets are the ‘least expensive for USC’ option out of the Cook School Road corridor, our Upper St Clair neighbors truly deserve better. Upper St Clair Township needs to do the right thing and build proper arterial connector roads from Cook School Road to Bower Hill and McLaughlin Run roads.