Jun 10, 2014 3 min read

Some locations in Peters Township received up to four inches of rain during an eight-hour storm May 27-28 that resulted in flooded basements and yards. Township manager Michael Silvestri described the rain event as a 50-year-old storm when he gave a special report to council during a regular meeting June 9.

Silvestri said about 80 property owners have called to report damage, some of which was the result of private-property issues. Other damage, Silvestri said, may have resulted from previous repairs or installations completed by the township. He singled out the intersection of Old Washington Road and Moccasin Drive where a stream flows down a steep incline.

Council President James Berquist said McMurray Nursery sustained about $10,000 in damages through loss of shrubs and plants, along with man hours needed to clean up. Silvestri said some of the damages were the result of, or in developments constructed before the township had strict storm water management ordinances.

A resident of High Street said often storm drains are not cleared of debris, while another resident on Clubview Drive said water problems have occurred since 2004.

No action was taken with council asking Silvestri and Mark Zemetis, township engineer, to assess the problems and to prioritize which need to be addressed quickly.

Council unanimously approved the final plan for Commercial Center Assoc. that will combine two of three lots at the corner of Washington and Valley Brook roads that will renovate two existing buildings for conversion to the Nemacolin Woodlands Pet Resort. The remaining third lot will remain separate for the digital billboard. No date was given for construction. The approval motion was 6-0 with Councilman Gary Stiegel Jr. absent

In other action, council:

• Authorized a study for a traffic calming plan for Bower Hill Road through Traffic Planning & Design in the amount of $3,800.

• Permitted the delay of the binder coat of asphalt until the phase 3 infrastructure in completed for the phase in the Hamlet of Springdale plan in October 2014.

• Listened to several concerned citizens and others with loved ones buried in Forest Lawn Garden concerning the preliminary development of portions of the cemetery for residential homes. All of the cemeteries in the township – Forest Lawn, Queen of Heaven, and Finleyville cemeteries, as well as several private cemeteries on church property – are zoned residential. No plans were submitted to the township and when the potential developers approached council in May, council members were not receptive to developing the area. The only access was shown to be through Spring Street. The residents were assured if the development plans progress and are presented before the township’s planning commission, property owners within 600 feet will be notified.

• Announced a 7:30 p.m. workshop June 25 concerning the affects Act 13 will have on current township ordinances regarding mineral extraction.