Politics & Government

Willowbrooke Estates PRD Gains Final Approval

Upper St. Clair commissioners vote unanimously to allow the residential development to proceed.

Amid assurances that a storm-water management system meets township specifications, the Willowbrooke Estates Planned Residential Development gained final approval from Upper St. Clair commissioners.

The board voted 6-0 – Robert Orchowski, president, was absent – at its meeting Tuesday, contrasting the 4-3 vote for tentative approval in August. Mark Christie, Glenn Dandoy and Daniel Paoly voted in favor this time.

The project, on 10 acres off Willowbrook Road and Oaklawn Drive in the southeaster part of the township, has been subject to questions from neighboring property owners regarding storm-water runoff from new homes. Resident Saitak Yeung of Oaklawn Drive, representing the Kings Estate No. 6 Homeowners’ Association, approached the board Tuesday to ask about the numbers used by engineers to make estimates for the proposed management system.

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“We are not trying to stop the project,” he said. “We just want to make sure it is done right.”

Engineer Kim Gales-Dunn of J.R. Gales & Associates Inc., representing Willowbrooke Estates developer Allen Sherwood, said the system meets standard design criteria. Municipal engineer Ruthann Omer of The Gateway Engineers confirmed that the plans meet township code.

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Township manager Matthew Serakowski assured Yeung, a licensed mechanical engineer, that the developer is obligated to follow the plans as approved during construction of the homes.

“This does not end here, at the meeting with a vote,” Serakowski said. “They must meet township code. We will hold them to that standard. There will be oversight through the entire process.”

Christie suggested that township officials take a close examination of drainage issues in the area surrounding the development, where low-lying areas are subject to flooding.

“Let’s see if there’s anything we can do to be of assistance,” he said.

Willowbrooke Estates plans call for 15 upscale homes on 10 acres. As part of the development, Willowbrook Road will be extended, into a private street, and the northern and southern portions of Oaklawn Drive will be connected.


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