A marathon hearing on whether Mt. Lebanon should approve construction of a health club turned into an exercise in stamina Tuesday night.

A team of representatives from Kossman Development and LA Fitness, a California-based chain of workout facilities, spoke for almost 90 minutes in a public hearing before commissioners.

Coupled with comments from residents, the hearing went well into the night, clocking in at just a bit over three hours. There was other commission business to attend as well, so the meetings adjourned, after more than 51/2 hours.

It was a lively session in a community where citizens not only speak their minds, they sometimes bring PowerPoint presentations to back it up.

"This hearing is not about applause, spontaneous cheering or clapping, and there is no place for booing," commission president John Daley said at the outset. "If need be, I'll clear the hearing room."

No decision, he said, would be made on the proposed amendment until June 8 at the earliest.

A standing-room crowd listened to a presentation from Kossman Development Company, which owns a parcel of land at the intersection of Castle Shannon and Mt. Lebanon boulevards.

The previously wooded lot had been a buffer between residents and street traffic near a gas station, a Shop 'n Save, Pizza Hut takeout and the Castle Shannon Port Authority station.

Commissioners granted approval more than two years ago for Kossman to develop the property -- which the family has owned for more than 40 years -- into a two-building office complex.

Neighbors said they were concerned about traffic and noise from the start.

According to Kossman representatives, the idea of an office park fell through for various economic reasons, as well as an inability to obtain enough clean fill for the project.

Kossman was approached late last year by LA Fitness, which specifically desired that piece of land. In order to build the 46,000-square foot facility, which would include a 25-yard lap pool, rooms for aerobics and kickboxing, as well as an indoor cycling room, Kossman Development must successfully petition for a text amendment to the municipal zoning ordinance. The property is zoned R-2residential. It was granted an overlay so that Kossman could build the office complex.

Among those petitioning for the new facility were Curtis Kossman, president of the development company, LA Fitness vice-president Chad Abramo and LA Fitness director of development Gary Collins.

Keith Dorman, a policy analyst for Penn, Schoen and Berland, presented the results of a telephone survey that indicated the more residents knew of the proposed project, the more they favored it.

But a petition garnered almost 500 names in opposition to the project, said one resident.

Attorney Max Junker, who grew up in Mt. Lebanon, spoke as representative for about 20 families who live in the Thornycroft/Thornwood/Shady Lane area.

"I can tell you, they don't want it," Mr. Junker said. "This is a casebook example of spot zoning.''

Resident Gene Cuccarese, also an attorney who said he has authored about a dozen opinions on the subject of zoning issues, called the Kossman proposal "a classic example of unconstitutional spot-zoning."

LA Fitness reps said they could not divulge specific numbers on membership. But Mr. Abramo said roughly 1,200 members a day might typically use a facility of this size, mostly between the hours of 6-8 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.

LA Fitness, which operates health clubs in Pleasant Hills and Bridgeville, typically opens its doors from 5 a.m.-midnight on weekdays, with shorter hours on the weekends.

If the commissioners deny the request -- and Mt. Lebanon planning board has already recommended it do so -- the development company has no course of appeal.

But should the request be granted, the matter can be brought before the municipal zoning hearing board and pursued, if need be, into the Allegheny County court system.