North Huntingdon rejects proposed housing plan

Plans for a 70-house development in North Huntingdon’s Altman Farms neighborhood were rejected by township officials after residents and the police chief objected to the project.

Commissioners Jason Atwood, Eric Gass, Richard Gray, Virginia Stump, Lyndsay Wengrzyn and Ronald Zona opposed the plan for the subdivision on Lindenwood Drive near the Pennsylvania Turnpike, while Zachary Haigis voted in favor of it.

Rhodin Enterprises LLC of Pittsburgh owns the property. A representative could not be reached for comment.

Several residents complained that the housing plan would increase traffic on already busy roads and pose a danger to children and those walking in the neighborhood.

Police Chief Robert Rizzo also was concerned about the impact of the proposed development. He said building 70 homes to an area where traffic would be funneled onto one road “is very problematic.” The housing plan would add “tons of (traffic) volume” to that area, Rizzo said.

Dennis Pushkar of Castleview Drive said he already has stormwater runoff problems on his property at the corner of Lindenwood Drive.

“That is a swampy area,” Pushkar said.

Some of those houses in the proposed development could be impacted by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s plans to widen the road to three lanes in both directions, Stump said.

If the woods in the proposed housing development were removed. some residents said it would expose them to more noise from the constant turnpike traffic.

Haigis pointed out that residents along Caruthers Lane objected to the Westmoreland County Housing Authority’s construction of the four-story Grand View Senior Residences in their neighborhood. That project won approval by Irwin council, despite the objections that it would increase traffic and pose safety problems.

“If you want your backyard to stay wooded, buy the woods,” Haigis said.