Council denies church’s building rezoning request

Penn Hills council has denied an application from the Monroeville Assembly of God to rezone a former grocery property on Frankstown Road for use as a church.

The application was a request to rezone the property from B-2 business to R-1 residential, which would allow the use by a church as a conditional use.

Mayor Sara Kuhn, as well as council members Gary Underwood, Mark Brodnicki and John Petrucci voted against the church’s application June 4. Catherine Sapp was the lone council member to vote yes.

While expressing an interest in services offered by Assembly of God, council’s vote indicated an unwillingness to forsake $40,000 in taxes paid annually by property owner Aldi’s Inc.

Monroeville Assembly of God operates four churches in Monroeville, Forest Hills, Lower Burrell and Arnold. The proposed location at 12012 Frankstown Road was to be a multipurpose facility to provide free medical services, food and clothing distribution, and family counseling in addition to religious services.

The Assembly of God had entered into an agreement to purchase the 22,000-squarefoot building and parking lot, a former Bottom Dollar grocery, from Aldi’s Inc. for $1.2 million.

The municipality’s planning department and the Penn Hills Planning Commission both recommended a denial, each saying the location is best suited for a commercial business.

“We have recommended alternate properties. There are many vacant properties that are suitable for this use,” planning director Chris Blackwell said.

Pastor Lance Lecocq told council that some of the alternate locations have issues such as asbestos removal. He asked council to look past the simple finances of taking the property off the tax rolls by focusing on the benefits the church will bring to the community, such as free medical services and fostering love and kindness.

Tony Pampena of Penn Hills supported the rezoning.

“This building has been vacant since 2015. If it burned down tomorrow, the tax revenue is gone. You have to look into your heart. You have to look at the great benefit this will bring to the community.”

“You chose a property that is difficult for us to give up,” Ms Kuhn, the mayor, told Mr. Lecocq. “You chose the heart of the Penn Hills business district. We appreciate the services the church could provide, but we have to put our personal beliefs aside and do what is best for Penn Hills.”