Peters Township to designate safe zone in parking lot
Peters Township will soon have its own community safety zone at the municipal complex, joining a number of other police departments nation-wide in an effort to provide safe meeting spots for online sales and transactions, like Craigslist, for example.
Police Chief Harry Fruecht asked Peters Township Council June 8 whether it would accept an offer from David Davis Communications, a Finleyville telecommunications company, for a free surveillance camera that would be located at the police department and look out over the parking lot shared by the department and the municipality. In return, the department would place a sign saying that the camera was donated by David Davis.
“People could come here and use the parking lot,” to meet, said Fruecht, adding that the camera would be an added safety precaution.
“That way we would know people are behaving appropriately,” he said.
In other matters, council approved a plan by Eddy Land Co. Inc. of Bridgeville to build 54 patio homes at the existing Crossings Six development on Maid Marion Lane – with 17 separate conditions, including the testing and remediation of any potentially problematic ground water.
That decision by council came after Louis Siyufy, who lives at 140 Sherwood Drive, said there was already a problem with groundwater on his property and he feared runoff from new construction would only make the situation worse not only for himself, but also for his neighbors.
Linda Vaira, who lives at 115 Will Scarlett Road, said there are five acres of woods at the site. If the trees are cut down, then that too would exacerbate the problem.
“I understand Lou’s concern,” said Vaira, who has been a resident of Peters for 46 years.
Council decided not to survey residents to gather their thoughts on underground gas drilling after it learned it would cost around $4,000 to do so.
That decision follows the results of a study by a Maryland hydrologist, who was hired by the township in March that less than 4 percent of land in Peters is suitable for gas drilling. To date, no natural gas wells have been drilled in Peters.
Because of changes in state law, Peters must eliminate its Mineral Extraction Overlay District, which would have allowed gas drilling in 15 areas of the township, all zoned residential. The study did not address land outside the township, current, or proposed zoning districts, or district boundaries, topography, or any present or future gas leasing arrangements.
Council also heard from Gary Jordan, who lives at 291 Sugar Hill Road in Venetia. Jordan is upset with a neighbor whose property abuts his. He claims the neighbor has been putting construction tools and yard debris in plain sight, which decreases the value of his property.
“I don’t know what we can do,” said David Ball, council president. “They are not violating any ordinances.”
Ball did say the township will, however, investigate Jordan’s complaints and see if anything can be done.