Sewickley Council to Vote on Presbyterian Church Land Development Plan

Sewickley Council plans to vote tonight on whether to approve the Presbyterian Church of Sewickley's conditional use and land development plan.

Council held a public hearing last month to consider the church's application, which seeks among other things to relocate a playground onto property at 202 Beaver St., also known as the "pink house." The vote was postponed until now.

Thorn Street residents Melissa Farlow and Randy Olson have said they do not want to see the current playground relocated closer to their home.

Their attorney, Tom Ayoob, said the back of their house directly abuts the playground.

Ayoob said the relocation is not permitted under the borough’s zoning ordinance because the playground accommodates a preschool that exists on the church property—which means it is an accessory use for the school at the church, not an adjoining property.

“It’s not one big campus here. It’s not one big use. It’s two different properties…,” he said.

Church members testified last month that the playground is used for 2 ½ hours per day when preschool is in session from September through May, and used in the summer for vacation bible school and other sessions.

Joan Murdoch, who currently serves as a church elder, said the children spend about a half-hour on the playground and are always supervised by teachers.

The community also uses the playground after hours and even then, she said the kids are supervised because the playground is designed for young children.

“It has been going on well over 30 years, this playground,” Murdoch said.

Planning commission members voted last month 4-1 to approve the conditional use and land development plans with several conditions, one being that the playground not be located on the pink house property.

Michael Parrish, attorney representing the church, asked that council approve the playground in the current location, saying that it complies with the zoning ordinance, requires no variance, and has the appropriate buffer.

The church also seeks to add 46 parking spaces with shared access to parking with the pink house property, as well as a shared storm water maintenance system.

Church leaders said they have worked for the better part of the year, listening to concerns of the community and the Save the Pink House group, which has pledged to raise $200,000 to help preserve the home.

Tim Merrill, church member and elder, said the church has made modifications of "considerable expense" to repurpose the pink house property.

Reusing the “pink house” will allow the church more space for programming and youth fellowship activities, and church leaders said it would open the space to numerous public groups, such as Overeaters Anonymous.

Five conditions agreed to by the church:
1. No parking between the front building and lot line
2. The parking on the unified lot will not exceed 46 spaces
3. There will be a written agreement for an access easement for parking and shared storm sewers 
4. The landscape plan would be forwarded to the Tree Commission
5. Approved conditioned on satisfaction of lighting plan

Other modifications discussed
Farlow and Olson of Thorn Street:
A. Playground relocation be deleted from plans
B. Shared parking easement be deleted

Planning Commission:
1. Playground be relocated
2. Buffer yard be addressed

Peter Floyd of Save the Pink House 
1. Parking not to exceed 43 spots
2. Demolition of the pink house is to be prohibited. 
3. The exterior of pink house is to be preserved and restored