Council prohibits residents from parking in yards

New law could be reviewed in year

Bethel Park residents will no longer be able to park in their yards.

Council passed an ordinance at its Aug. 14 meeting establishing regulations that prohibit parking on any part of a yard that is not a driveway.

The vote was 6-1 with Donald Harrison voting no. Council members Brandon Colella and Jim Harrison were absent.

Prior to the vote, Mr. Harrison proposed an amendment that would have specified that if residents added a parking area to their homes that it would have to be the same material as their current driveway. That proposed amendment failed to receive a second.

As the new ordinance stands, residents wanting to add additional parking in front of their homes will be permitted to use crushed gravel for the parking pad.

“Thank you for visiting this issue,” said Connie Stathis of Valley Drive. “We are the only community that doesn’t have this.”

Ms. Stathis said she sees many cars parked on lawns with the driveways sitting empty.

“When there’s ample parking, that’s a problem,” she said. “We as a community need to take pride in our houses,” she added.

Dave Blackmore, who also lives on Valley Drive, said he needs to park in his yard.

“It’s not too often I use the lawn to park on, but I need the lawn to park on,” he said. He added that Valley Drive is narrow and he has been ticketed for parking on the street.

John Delallo of Lucille Drive said that although someone can claim a “hardship” and may be still permitted to park on the yard, it is an expensive process.

Residents wanting to claim a hardship may go before the Bethel Park zoning hearing board, but there is a $250 fee associated with that.

“I believe this ordinance is slanted too much toward vehicles,” Mr. Delallo said. He said he thought that council should look at coming up with an ordinance to deal with unsightly properties. Council President Tim Moury said that the ordinance is a step in the right direction.

“I think we need to start somewhere,” he said.

Mr. Moury said that council may review the ordinance after one year.

In other business, council approved a major land development application for a new Rite Aid to be located at 435 McMurray Road near Al’s Cafe.

Council also hired a new police officer, Matthew Poling.