Bethel Park Council urged to implement more flood controls
BP urged to implement more flood controls
{child_byline}By Cara Host
For The Almanac
writer@thealmanac.net
{/child_byline}
The June 20 flood may have been one of the worst in memory for Bethel Park, but some residents worry that unless the municipality does something soon, it won’t be the last.
Rich Pahler of Logan Road told Bethel Park Council at its Aug. 13 meeting that the municipality needs to buy houses in flood prone areas to build retention ponds. He suggested that they start with his house.
“There has been a lot of money wasted putting band-aids on these problems,” he said.
His house is at a low point, so his yard temporarily turns into a river during periods of extreme rain. During the June rains, the water was several feet deep, flowing through his property and down Logan Road, flooding several homes in the process. Pahler said if his property was a retention pond, those houses may have been spared damage.
Municipal Manager Shawn Arbaugh said Bethel Park is looking into ways to improve stormwater management and building more retention ponds is an option, but buying all homes in flood prone areas is cost prohibitive.
Pahler said his house probably shouldn’t have been built at all, but when it was built in 1952, the municipality did not have regulations prohibiting construction in flood plains. Bethel Park has several older homes elsewhere in the municipality that were similarly built without regard to flood controls.
Council made a minor change to laws regarding flood controls at the council meeting. The board updated its subdivision ordinance by requiring all projects over 400 square feet to adhere to stormwater management requirements. The change brings Bethel Park’s regulations in line with the county’s ordinance.
In other business, council officially accepted Councilman Brandon Colella’s resignation. Colella was arrested on fraud and drug charges in July. The municipality will accept applications from those who wish to replace Colella on council from now until Aug. 30. Only residents of Ward 2 are eligible. Candidates can apply by sending a resume to Municipal Manager Shawn Arbaugh, 5100 W. Library Ave., Bethel Park, PA 15102 or e-mail, sarbaugh@bethelpark.net.
Council also changed the ordinance regarding residential fence heights, increasing the maximum permitted height from 3 ½ feet to 4 feet.
Council applied to the state for adaptive traffic signal improvements for nine intersections on Route 88. The improvements are supposed to improve traffic flow on that corridor.
Council awarded a contract for another traffic signal improvement project to Traffic Control and Engineering Co. for $64,377. The company will change the timing of the traffic lights at intersections at Corrigan Drive, Library Road and Baptist Road and South Park Road as well as Meadowbrook Road and Highland Avenue.
Council awarded another contract to replace the sidewalk around the community center. Excaliber Construction will be paid $46,111.
Council promoted Bethel Park Police Officer Ron Dziezgowski to lieutenant.