Bedner's Farm Neighborhood Plan Approved by USC Commissioners

commissioners voted 5-1 Monday night to approve the Bedner's Farm neighborhood plan.

Commissioner Nick Seitanakis, who represents Ward 1, voted in favor of the plan via telephone, along with Commissioners Bob Orchowski, Russell Del Re, Glenn Dandoy and Daniel Paoly.

"As I see it, we have this (proposed plan) or we have potential for something a lot worse because he (the developer) has the right to develop it (the land)," Paoly said.

Commissioner Mark Christie was the sole no vote. He said he didn't like the lot variances the developer was asking for and didn't want to make traffic worse in the area.

Commissioner Donald Rectenwald, Jr., president of , abstained from voting.

About 100 Upper St. Clair and residents attended the on the matter.

Traffic remained the citizens' number one concern. They said they wanted to see a connection to Bower Hill Road or a major arterial route instead of the residential road Main Street in Bridgeville.

Other neighborhood entrances will be on Cook School Road and Scarlett Drive.

last month and sent a letter to Upper St. Clair Township.

Upper St. Clair Township Manager Matthew Serakowski said the township made more than five contacts with Bridgeville Borough officials to discuss the neighborhood plan.

"They made it very clear they were not interested in any improvements to their intersections," Serakowski said.

Bridgeville council members at the meeting Monday night said the borough doesn't have the money for road improvements.

Ruthann Omer, Upper St. Clair's engineer, told the crowd that a connection to Bower Hill Road would be possible, however, it would take major excavation and the construction of a bridge.

Mark Magliotti of Trans Associates, the township's traffic engineer, said the traffic delays at nearby intersections would not be greater than an additional 10 seconds.

He does see issues at the McLaughlin Run and Bower Hill Road intersection in Bridgeville. He said the intersection is already in need of a traffic light.

The developers of Bedner's Farm will be Heartland Homes and J.T. Thomas Homes. Their plan includes building 136 lots on the 120 acres of land. House prices will vary from $350,000 to $1.5 million.

Homes in the $350,000 to $450,000 range will be built on smaller-sized lots that are 60 feet in width.

Marty Gillespie, president of Heartland Homes, said that , have signed the sales agreement.

It's unclear when construction will begin. Construction vehicles will only be allowed to use the Cook School Road entrance.

the neighborhood would be built in three phases. The first phase would be completed in 2014-15, the second in 2017 and the final phase in 2020.

Do you think the Upper St. Clair commissioners should have voted in favor of the Bedner's Farm neighborhood plan? Why or why not? Tell us in the comments.