Sewickley Council Amends Zoning Ordinance

A parking quagmire at the Sewickley Manor Condominiums may be approaching resolution. 

Council recently approved an amendment to the borough’s proposed zoning ordinance pertaining to multifamily complexes. That may pave the way for parking plans to proceed at the property at 850 Thorn St.

Council members last week agreed that the borough code limiting the size of open, off-street parking lots to a maximum of 400 square feet should pertain only to single-family dwellings – not multifamily properties such as condos.

Councilman Stan Ference, council's liaison to the planning commission, said he thought the commission had discussed making the change. 

Sewickley Manager Kevin Flannery said Monday night that the amendment to the borough’s proposed zoning ordinance has been properly advertised. The amendment must be advertised and a copy must be sent to the borough planning commission and Allegheny County at least 30 days prior to a planned hearing to allow time for public comment. A hearing on the zoning ordinance is scheduled for Aug. 15. 

Mary Lyn McGinn, one of five members of Sewickley Manor’s board of directors, appeared before council last week to describe the parking-garage situation. She asked for help in meeting a strict summer construction deadline.

“We have to find a solution, and we have to find it quickly,” McGinn told council.  

The condominium group went before the zoning hearing board earlier this month to seek a variance that would permit it to demolish the current 86-space parking garage. The garage space would be used for a surface lot, with continued access from Ackley Terrace and Thorn Street.

The code enforcement officer testified to the zoning board that the 400-square-feet rule shouldn't pertain to condos. But the hearing board denied the request for a variance, saying it is bound by the existing zoning provisions. 

McGinn said the mistake of going before the zoning board to seek a variance has delayed the project for nearly three months.

The parking garage at the condominium complex is now 60 years old, and McGinn said costs to repair it continue to increase.

McGinn said the estimated cost to redo the garage and deck is $500,000, so her group came up with a plan to get rid of the deck altogether and enlarge the parking and air space.

Without including a garage, she said, the estimated price tag for the lot is $295,000, an option that would still provide ample parking space for residents and deliveries. McGinn said the maintenance costs also would be affordable.

If the zoning proposal is approved at the August hearing, the ordinance goes into effect the following morning and will be used as the basis for issuing future permits.

McGinn said she believes that timetable will provide enough time to complete the project before winter.