Ross officials will try to get business owners — particularly those in Ross Park Mall — to meet with state transportation officials to discuss frequent flooding on McKnight Road.
Parts of the road have flooded during every recent hard rain,township Manager Doug Sample said Monday at the commissioners’ work session.
“Our pipes on McKnight are clean,” he said, adding that the problem is “somewhere between the mall and the PennDOT pipes.
“We’re getting multiple floods in this area so there is something wrong, so we need to get the players together.”
Commission president Jeremy Shaffer said most of the stormwater sewer pipes in that area are owned by individual property owners. He said deteriorating pipes can be fixed by reinforcing them with 4-inch-thick armor, but the fix might exacerbate the problem by shrinking the inside diameter.
Commissioner Grace Stanko said such flooding is a longtime problem, adding that she has a 1964 photo of people in rowboats by McDonald’s.
“It may be a flood-prone area, and I agree with that, but what has happened in the last month is absurd,” Commissioner Steve Korbel said.
Commissioners also discussed flooding and runoff issues on residential streets and along Girty’s Run.
Mr. Shaffer said he rides a bicycle to work along Babcock Boulevard, following Girty’s Run. “You see a lot more than you see when you are driving by,” he said.
He said there are buildings constructed over the stream, with culverts or small bridges. Other business owners have lined the stream with rocks, while some residents dump their yard waste there.
“One of the root causes we have to address is just getting it cleaned up,” he said. “For us to restore the flood zone, we would have to wipe out one of our commercial districts, which is not a viable alternative in my book.”
In other business, John Buerkle from Pashek MTR presented a proposed master plan for Sangree Park.
The plan includes a potential spray park, trails, stream restoration and moving the playground and basketball courts to put the courts, which are used by older youths, closer to the street and the playground away from traffic.
The study was paid for by a state grant.
The splash park was one of the top amenities cited by residents in the area during the public discussion phase of the study. But a group of residents who live just adjacent to the park told commissioners that they are not in favor of more amenities there.
“We don’t need changes. We have never complained about that ballpark. We have never complained about that recreation facility,” said Joe Bartlett, who has lived across from the park for 50 years and was instrumental in establishing the ballfield.
Mr. Bartlett said a spray park would attract residents from other areas of the township, which would add traffic to an already-busy Sangree Road.
Mr. Korbel said commissioners have to determine if the township wants to put in a spray park in the township. If not, just upgrade the ballpark and playground equipment at Sangree.
Commissioners also discussed strengthening their zoning ordinance as to where medical marijuana dispensaries can be located. Iron City Cannabis, which sought to put a dispensary in the vacant Boston Market on McKnight, did not receive one of the permits for Allegheny County.
Mr. Korbel said commissioners should look into adding that a dispensary cannot be within 200 feet of a residential neighborhood in case more permits are issued in future years. The Boston Market is adjacent to a neighborhood, and residents there objected to the possible dispensary.
Police Chief Joe Ley announced that a program on opiods will be held at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17 in the township building.
Sandy Trozzo, freelance writer: suburbanliving@post-gazette.com.
First Published: July 7, 2017, 4:00 a.m.
