Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

recording

for March 3rd, 2026. Looks like we only have one major item on the agenda, so it should be a quick meeting. U however, first we need approvement from February 3rd. Are there any comments, audits, changes? Not permitting one. Can I have a motion to approve the minutes? Sh motion. Second. Second. Sean. All in favor of approval is from February 3rd.

I All righty. Let's go to the first uh agenda and that is uh PLC 26-07 plan number subdivision block and lot 827 with 338. Is there a presentation? I am from Lar Ro University but the engineers I believe were supposed to make presentation. I can speak to it but I wouldn't know the tech. Well, give it a try. Yeah. Can you can you step up to the mic, Bruce? Thank you.

Hello, my name is Jennifer Engel. I'm the executive director of the Intercasso Center for Lifelong Learning at Lar Ro University and I am a part of the leadership group that has been working with the sisters on this incredibly generous gift uh that they made to Lar Ro. The parcels in question um is is just a gift. It's for Lar Ro to continue its educational mission um and just expand some of its offerings. The tax status doesn't change. The program and offerings that we um will continue to do will not change. They'll all be missional aligned partners and um it doesn't impact parking really at all because again the uh scope of what's taking place on the property isn't going to change. It's really just a change of ownership,

but the lot lines are changing. So the parking may not be on the lot with the uh we actually aligned the lot so that the parking would go with the property. Um, so the sisters will still have a portion of parking in theirs uh for the uh residence that they use. And then the mother house, the parking in the front, there's a portion of the parking lot in the back um would all go with the mother h with the large facility that is being gifted to the university. And the uh you can see up there, you probably know it by heart, but there it is up there if you need to see it. The lot number two, which I'm correctly, is the lot that is being gifted to Lar Ro. Do I have that right?

Correct. That that is correct. Okay. So, the sisters are retaining lot number one. Yes. With the soccer field and right along Cumberland. And how far back does block two go? So, I was trying to align the plans, but EMA I think it's on sheet two. Sheet two.

I can I can speak on it for you just because I've looked at these plans. And so if you follow from on to page two, lot number two on the left, you know, the sheet there's a two-story brick building, the Maria Del Ro Center. Um directly south uh of that on the uh on the this plan sheet is the uh you'll see a 50- foot rear setback and then across the page from west to east there is a uh a line like a jagged line that splits the uh the parcels and you can see where it mentions the the setbacks. That line and I'll pull up on the on the plan here. That line is the the the property boundary for proposed lot two. So my biggest question regarding all that is how does someone get to the parking lots or I didn't see any mention of easements across the existing drives. So um again this would be an engineering but the um there are shared driveways now and so those shared driveways would continue in place. So there is um egress into both and um but it's a legal change now. Kelly are there easements or something on that? So um the only easement that is shown on here I believe is the sanitary sewer easement. So we had a question on here to just show any other easements that are going to be created based off of the addition of the lot line.

Would we not need to have easements to get to those parking lots that the I mean the driveways it's a separate lot now. It's not it's shared internally, but that's because it's owned by by one entity. Correct. Correct. And so the s part of the transfer um part of the gift, the sisters of divine providence and Lar Ro University are entering into a partnership agreement where there are um we're we're still able to share the um the roads and other elements. I will say that's probably an engineering question and outside of my realm. So I do apologize for not being able to answer this. Absolutely. No, I just I

I can also uh note uh from a comment from the staff report. Um I spoke to a gentleman that worked at Lar Ro. I believe he was the uh the director of the finance department. This is Glenn Tally. Yes. Uh I spoke with Glenn. Um there was a comment in our staff report regarding the uh the addressing of the Lar Ro property.

Um through that process of addressing uh there will be a formalization of the the access streets. Um, it was something that I actually have documentation from 16 years ago where they had attempted to do some type of naming to the streets for fire access. Um, and speaking with our current fire marshal, there actually is an active issue with these sites and with the addressing. Um, and I'm currently in the process of coordination with Alageney County. Um so in in the uh US postal service and the reason I mention that in relation to this is that um I I believe that uh you know any issue with access on these properties will be rectified through the addressing and you know the creation of those access roads. Correct.

Um and I I'll just you know I'll leave that comment comment there but that is something that but the access roads are still private. Correct. Correct. will be private and this lot and this lot are separate now. Correct. So does there not need to be a legal agreement? Yeah. So what what she had just mentioned is that there was an agreement between the sisters and Lar Ro. So what that would have to be is that that would have to be formalized onto the plan through a comment that was addressed on the gateway uh engineering letter from we can definitely take care of that. And then the other question was on this corner right here. So, it's the parcel along Cumberland. Yes. And that drive kind of touches the lot.

Um, do you want to see my drawing? You mean Yes. Right here? Yeah. That curve. Mhm. Right here. Is that portion of the lot going to have access to this drive? That does not indicate No, it's actually a hill. So, it's actually a soccer field right now. And so, there's actually the hill goes this uh road goes beside it, but the field is actually up here. So there's grass onto there, but not you can't walk down to the road. You can't The only access to this parcel would be way back by pacifel is through the normal um throughways. There is actually no access onto the campus from Cumberland. Yeah, it would be street French.

There's too long,

right? But this is that's part of my concern is getting access here so close to the intersection and all of what's going on there might be a challenge especially with passive and exiting and whatever. So really the safest thing to do would be to exit and it may end up being something else but the saf safest thing to do would be to exit at the passive entrance the main entrance. Um that's my question. So actually when the sisters renovate built their new residential facility uh which is on lot one a little bit lower down there's no access grant um actual access only emergency access granted from Cumberland. No one from either property can access Cumberland at all at currently. There's an emergency access right near the sisters fortune. Um but we can't um you can enter on Babcock. There are three different entrances or exits on Babcock and then there's one on Duncan on the ro property but there is no um there's no street access from Cumberland. There is a path a sidewalk that you can um enter onto the the Malla sidewalk and walk across the street to uh pass event, but there is no road. There's only an emergency access to the back of the sisters uh property.

So then the access to the new convent would be through to lot one would be through lot two. Correct. which would be a part of the which is what they they just mentioned with with the formalization of an easement agreement that would have to be formalized prior to any um you know recording of a plan because it is a requirement for these parcels to have access. Okay. Um and that was that comment was mentioned in that um the letter that was sent to the

Yes. Um yeah, currently the addresses actually are both 9,000 Babcock, but Lar Ro's city and zip is Pittsburgh PA15237 and the sisters portion is Allison Park, PA15101. Really? I think all of the Pacific campus is one address. So yes. Yes. So is Yeah. So, we're aware of that and um like I said, that's something that is um will be included in the master partnership agreement because one of the things in the partnership agreement is that um we continue to take care of grounds and facility grounds for the sisters. Um and so we will make sure that any easements that are necessary will be included in the master partnership agreement.

Is the partnership agreement attached to this plan as a note? It is not. No, because they're still negotiating. No, but and when said and done, how does this plan?

I think I think the to just to to simplify, you know, the access issue that we're discussing here is um you know, there's a number of comments on from the engineering uh review memo and from the Alageney County review memos that had been sent to your engineer. Um they all are relatively minor comments that are pretty um regular with these type of plans. Um I think that you know having a mention of you know in the next iteration of this plan if it includes easements that showcase the access and that get documented in the recording of this plan that would suffice for uh the requirement unless you have any other comments Kelly. Yeah, I mean same thing too related to any other easements that are going to be created in regarding like existing infrastructure if that's going to change owner you know ownership responsibility or if there's any water kind of going from one site to the other that'll all just need to be clearly captured um and

the storm water looks like it's on two not one right or is the pond not storm water up in the front um I know there's facilities multiple facil facilities throughout the site. So like the sister's new building has two or three facilities that were put in specifically for that. So I know a lot of the water is shedding back to the site. I don't know exactly from like an area perspective. I do obviously suspect there is area that gets to that wet pond in the front. Um so it is technically storm water management there as well. So we just want clarification on um you know any other easements or anything that's going to be created.

Does this transfer include the corner of Babcock and Duncan which used to No, I have a question about that anyway. Maybe you that used to be a dry field or you know only now it's a standing pond. What changed? That's not pertinent to I'll just say that we that we need to stay on discussion of the topic we're the applicant is not supposed to be answering questions about the property. we have to maintain on what is they're applying for that can if you want to ask that question outside of this meeting that's something that you can do then but you know the answer I do not know the answer to that question

well do we have the whole boundaries of lot two here what what is Lar Ro or is it just are we assuming that is L Ro another lot you know what I mean this is the this is taking the current the current scope of what is aligned in this plan showcases what they are proposing for subdivision it doesn't include the entirety of the parcel next to the property that my question so that they also own. Right. It's a separate parcel. Yeah. There's no consolidation within. No consolidation. That was the question. Because Lar Ro is bigger than this. Correct. Correct.

Okay. So, it sounds like there are a number of issues have to be addressed. How do you want to proceed in this meeting? Uh we're not ready to approve or reject, I don't think. Uh do you want to table it till next time? Uh I'm asking I don't know what what makes the most sense administratively secretly it would make the most sense to table it so that way the comments can be addressed and not a clean question right um to move forward then take off action are you willing to request a table there any other comments before we move questions from anybody

I just had just because I want some I wanted clarity on the no entrance to on on sheet two and I think it looks like it's right across from what would be the entrance to passive events it looks like. Is that the emergency drive? There is an emergency drive across from passive. I believe it's closer to the ER right here and it's emergency access to the sisters. Oh, over here. I'm sorry. That's possibly I think but this is it's this right here what goes to that goes to the sister's property that has the emergency there's no throughway at all it's just there's a line on here

that look like a cut that looks like it's at least a reserved curve cut it may not be developed and I was just curious of that you see on top where I'm happy about that so I mean is that is that um I Why is it shown in here? Well, I just wasn't sure what you were referencing.

Right here. There's there's apparently a curb cut that is was proposed at some point or and we're curious because this is the emergency drive that the um Eco Village is using. Correct. I believe. Yeah, that's the Eco Village. Yeah. Yeah. which I think initially they had requested a actual

road from Cumberland but it was denied I think in one of the planning development because they didn't want a thorough fair because you could cut through Duncan and cut through the back of the property and end. So it still needs to be there for access for the sisters if there's an ambulance if there's whatever needs to come in that way. So I it may be cut as a curb but somehow uh at one point it was blocked off with cones during construction. Um, I haven't been on that side of the property to see what is there now, but you can't access it's a big giant dirt pile actually right now.

Okay. I'm I'm referencing it because the county picked up on the Absolutely. access issue. We've talked about it and so I just I just don't remember there being any kind of an entrance there. But yeah, the plan is not to make that the e the access for the sisters to gain access to their lot. It would be through an easement through the rest of the Lar Ro soon to be Lar Ro uh property. Yes, that's good. Emergency access drive that goes to the emergency. Yeah. Yeah. One of the things um I was thinking we were up. I don't know uh any of her names, but um I we do have a note that we've been talking to the Macandless planning director, Matthew.

That's me. That would then make sense then about trying to negotiate with um 911 and Alageney County to make sure that we have everything down. We have um emergency action plans in place, but again go to 9,000 BCAR Boulevard and you could be anywhere on 80 acres. So we're working through that. Great. So then I would request a motion to table. Is that the way? Uh yeah, we'll do that. Uh unless there's any other comments or questions or concerns from anyone. Uh looks like we don't have any uh general public here other than you. But uh can we make a motion to table this until the issues are addressed? I'll move that. Sean moves a second.

I'll second. Second and all in favor of tableabling. I opposed. It appears to be tabled. The engineers owe you. What? The engineers owe you. Yeah. Thanks. The president Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. And again, no public that I see, so no reason for general public comment at this point. So this will be short and sweet. Can I have a motion to adjurnn? Second. I'll second. Jess, all in favor of adjournment. Opposed.

We are finished. Thank you. Hey, thanks. Thanks for jumping on, Mark. Have a good night. Yeah, thanks. It was a lot shorter than the uh town council meeting a couple weeks ago.

I was in North Carolina. Oh, yeah. I watched it later. No, I didn't. I'm not. You didn't send over information. yet that's exactly the time to build.