North Huntingdon officials rejected a plan to subdivide a parcel to build about 50 houses in a section of the Altman Farms neighborhood.
Commissioners contend the additional traffic and layout of the plan would create unsafe conditions for the neighborhood.
Maronda Homes applied for approval to subdivide a 37-acre tract owned by Rhodin Enterprises LLC of Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood. The proposed number of houses to be built on the site was reduced from 70 in the initial plans to about 50.
Commissioners Jason Atwood, Fran Bevan, Eric Gass and Tom Hempel voted to reject the proposed subdivision while Richard Gray, Zachary Haigis and Ron Zona voted to approve it.
Atwood, board president, said following the Jan. 15 meeting that he voted against it because of the safety concerns that were raised about the housing plan.
A spokesperson for Maronda Homes LLC of Findlay, could not be reached for comment.
About a half-dozen residents raised concerns about the additional traffic that will be entering the neighborhood.
“This is a an accident waiting to happen,” said Ken Plunko of Castleview Drive.
Police chief Robert Rizzo said he remains opposed to the plan, even though the number of proposed homes have been reduced.
Rizzo said he has reviewed a safety study on the proposed housing plan and he anticipates that the police department will have to conduct a lot of traffic mitigation work such as speed enforcement, to reduce speeding in that area. The township may need to install speed signs and rubble strips to slow traffic, he said.
While some traffic will be disbursed as it travels through that neighborhood, Castleview Drive will bear the brunt of the traffic, Rizzo said. A traffic study projected 524 daily weekday trips through a very short stretch of road, Rizzo said.
Gass said he sees the housing plan creating a major safety issue.
Even though nearby residents have spoken against it, Gray said the housing plan presented by the developer meets the township’s ordinances.
“We know that if we deny it, they will appeal. They did everything that we require, so we really have no choice but to approve it. Our hands are tied,” Gray said.