Southern Beltway makes SF’s comprehensive plan out of date
This is in response to the plans to advance the Southern Beltway and the Turnpike Commission’s announcement of hiring CDR Maguire Inc. to manage the construction of the extension from the southern end of the existing six-mile beltway and proceeding southeast into Allegheny County and tying into Washington County at the Allegheny County line.
This confirmation from the Turnpike Commission about this construction that is ready to begin goes back to the same issue addressed on numerous occasions via correspondence, public meetings and public hearings to the South Fayette Township Board of Commissioners with regard to the South Fayette Township Comprehensive Plan and its failure to address or recognize the importance of the Southern Beltway.
On April 17, 2013, the board went forward and adopted a newly-constructed Future Land Use Map unveiled to the public on April 10, 2013, with no explanation or reasoning at any public meeting as to why the board removed the title “Mixed Commercial or Industrial/Residential Mix Area” and changed the title to “Mixed-Office Commercial/Residential” for the Millers Run Road/Route 50 Corridor on the Future Land Use Map. In essence, with one simple email instruction, they took an area that primarily includes established industrial uses and removed the industrial use, fully aware of the “Proposed Southern Beltway” as evidenced by its own map.
How much public input can one give the board of commissioners to realities of “future development” when, despite all the evidence supplied to them, they failed to realize the significance of the Proposed Southern Beltway?
So, thanks to the board and their lack of reason or belief, we, the residents and affected industrial property owners of South Fayette, have a new Comprehensive Plan that we, the taxpayers, paid a lot of money to complete, and unfortunately, the result is the plan is already out-of-date to the realities of what the future will bring. The whole purpose behind the MPC requirement of a comprehensive plan update every 10 years is to plan appropriately for the future growth of the township.
Take notice of our adjoining Cecil Township and its successful Southpointe Industrial Parks and the benefits that this development brings to the taxpaying residents.
Instead of hindering the economic growth that the Southern Beltway will bring to South Fayette Township, lets hope our local government will finally embrace it. Like it or not, the Turnpike Commission is moving the project forward.
John Alan Kosky
Cuddy