St. Clair Health appeals postponed in Peters Township
St. Clair Health’s appeal of two actions involving its Peters Township outpatient center has been rescheduled.
The matter was supposed to come before the township zoning hearing board Tuesday. Because of overwhelming attendance, board members voted unanimously to continue the proceedings until March 15, probably at venue larger than the regular meeting place in township council chambers.
Subject to appeal are the township’s denial of a building permit for an expansion project at the outpatient center and a notice of violation from the zoning officer regarding access from the center’s driveway to an adjoining property.
In addition to filing the appeals, the health system posted an online petition opposing the driveway access, requesting “support on an issue that could jeopardize the safety and experience of patients” because of increased traffic. The petition also encouraged supporters to attend Tuesday’s meeting.
Section 440-503 of the Peters Township Code states in part, “Adjacent commercial properties shall provide a joint or cross-access driveway to allow circulation between sites wherever feasible along roadways classified as major collectors or arterials.”
The outpatient center is at 3944 Washington Road, amid the heavily congested corridor that serves Donaldson’s Crossroads, McDowell Shops and other clusters of businesses.
During Tuesday’s zoning hearing board meeting, township solicitor John Smith called for a continuance with the St. Clair-related agenda items, citing health concerns about so many people crowding into council chambers.
“This is not safe,” he said. “This doesn’t meet what we believe to be safe. I’ve got compromised witnesses who can’t even be in this room.”
He cited St. Clair Hospital’s current policies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“They have their protocol, maintaining a safe environment with distancing, masking,” Smith said. “In fact, to go to the hospital, they say, don’t bring anybody with you. Have your wife or spouse drop you off, and come in. Yet we’ve invited everybody here with no spacing, no masking, in a room with poor ventilation. I think this is ill-advised to go forward and ill-responsible to go forward.”
Attorney Pierce Richardson of K&L Gates, representing St. Clair Health, asked that accommodations be made to have the appeals heard as scheduled.
“There is a potential hardship to the hospital, and that relates to the building permit. Every month that goes by without the building permit in hand, they’re at risk of increased construction costs,” he said. “We’re really hoping to get that issue addressed tonight.”
A suggestion was made to continue the hearing Feb. 17 at the Peters Township Community Recreation Center, but the subsequent discussions revealed scheduling conflicts. At that point, zoning hearing board member made a motion to motion to revisit the issue during the board’s next regularly scheduled meeting, at a place that would accommodate the anticipated attendance.
The details will be advertised at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
The Peters Zoning Hearing Board is a quasi-judicial body that primarily hears appeals to the township zoning ordinance. The board also reviews applications for special exceptions as provided in the zoning ordinance. For more information, visit www.peterstownship.com/223/Zoning-Hearing-Board.