Upper St. Clair commissioners grant tentative approval to Tuscany Pointe plan
By a 5-2 vote, Upper St. Clair commissioners on July 5 granted tentative approval to Tuscany Point, a residential development at 1500 McLaughlin Run Road.
The action took place during the board’s regular meeting, following a public hearing.
Plans call for construction of a 144-unit apartment complex in eight buildings, garages, a two-story clubhouse and swimming pool, and a small maintenance building on a 20.58-acre site.
Developers Jeffrey and Patricia Thomas requested three modifications for the project:
• Building a sidewalk along just one side of a street in the development, which would be an exception to township code requiring sidewalks on both sides of residential streets
• Grading approximately 0.63 acres of the site with a slope greater than 40 percent
• Constructing four buildings at a height of 48 feet and four stories, which would exceed the township cap of three stories and 35 feet, to allow for a parking garage under finished grade.
Eric Smith, architect-planner for Tuscany Pointe, presented commissioners with a review of the proposal, which includes changes from previous plans in response to concerns from local residents.
The location of a maintenance building has been moved to the north end of the property. The pool location was moved and more screening added, and additional landscaping for a stronger buffer area was added in an attempt to reduce noise to neighboring homes.
Residents of several of those homes spoke during the public hearing, voicing concerns about building height, erosion issues, and noise and privacy.
Dmitri Shiry of Wellington Drive said that one of the main reasons he and his wife, Ann, bought their home in 2000 was because of the peacefulness of the setting, and he has concerns about noise and privacy issues. He also is concerned that the moving of so much soil for the project could compromise the integrity of adjoining properties.
William Gilleland of Deepwood Drive echoed Shiry’s comments, asking if there is a way that current homeowners could be indemnified if their residences were to be damaged during Tuscany Pointe construction.
Kim Schwaba of Wellington Dr. said she wants to see the zoning code followed and questioned if the township had ever approved modifications to build on property with a slope greater than 40 percent or for buildings taller than 35 feet in an R-4 district.
Jeff Wilhelm, an attorney representing the Shirys, presented a list of conditions, many dealing with privacy and noise concerns, which could be required for the development if the board approved the Tuscany Pointe plan.
Following the hearing and a brief executive session for legal clarification, the board voted to grant tentative approval for Tuscany Pointe, including the requested modifications, but with many of the additional conditions suggested by Wilhelm.
The additional conditions for the project include:
• Restricting the use of the on-site office at Tuscany Pointe to renting of apartments and property maintenance
• Increased evergreen screening in the buffer area
• Staking of the buffer yard
• Establishing hours for ordinary exterior maintenance to between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
• Establishing hours for the party room, pool, and clubhouse as 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday
• Requiring a photometric study of zero-foot-candle illumination at the property lines of Windsor Court, Wellington Drive and Deepwoods Drive, in accordance with township code
• Requirement that lighting be downward-facing and shielded
Commissioners Daniel Paoly and Ronald Pardini voted against tentative approval. Paoly said he had concerns about the overall steepness of the property, as did Pardini.