Dormont residents ask borough to reconsider new zoning ordinance

Citing what they say was a lack of notification to residents and business owners, a few residents at last week’s Dormont Council meeting asked the council to rescind its approval of the borough’s new zoning ordinance.

After the Monday meeting, borough Manager Ben Estell said a sixmonth review of the ordinance will take place “to address any possible oversights and to consider additional feedback from the public.”

Mr. Estell said the borough is working with its code publisher to provide easy-to-use zoning tools to residents and businesses that include an online version of the code and an interactive zoning map that will show zoning regulations for individual properties.

Council unanimously passed a new borough zoning ordinance in June. It replaced Dormont’s old code, which had not been updated since 1995. The new code includes a new transit-oriented zoning district and revises off-street parking requirements, calling for one off-street space for every two residential units instead of two.

Resident Mary Beth Kovic spoke at Monday’s meeting, which was held both in person and over Zoom. The in-person meeting room capacity was capped at 13 people.

Ms. Kovic said zoning variances are required to be posted as are zoning changes — zoning map changes — and amendments.

“I’ve been told this is not an amendment, so the amendment rules do not apply,” she said.

However, she said the language in the ordinance passed stated the borough was “amending the ordinance.”

She said residents were not properly notified of the changes taking place except for a flashing sign by Dormont Pool and meetings held last year and earlier this year were only on Zoom.

She added she has a petition signed by residents saying they were unaware of any zoning changes prior to the vote.

“I’ve had five different attorneys look at this,” she said of the process council took to approve the zoning code, and added the five attorneys said proper notification was not given.

“I’m asking council to reconsider their vote,” Ms. Kovic said.

Resident Rebecca Sciullo said she first heard of the zoning code changes in the spring and has since read the entire code.

“”When I went out and talked to other residents, I learned that none of them were aware of the changes, either,” Ms. Sciullo said, adding there was a “significant lack of communication throughout this process.”

Ms. Sciullo said there were no detailed articles in the borough newsletter regarding the zoning code changes and no notices were sent to residents.

“This process took place completely over Zoom. Some residents don’t even know how to use Zoom,” she said.

Ms. Sciullo asked council to rescind its vote and let people ask questions at in-person meetings.

“The rezoning process was an undertaking that was discussed on and off for years in numerous public meetings,” Mr. Estell said.

“In 2019, Dormont secured a Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development grant, which allowed the borough to hire two highly skilled consulting firms that were carefully vetted by our planning commission in public meetings to assist the borough,” Mr. Estell said.

He added before writing the new code, those firms also helped the borough to create several public outreach opportunities “that have been lauded by local and state agencies,” including drive- in movie presentations, which were also on Zoom and YouTube, and various other public outreach initiatives.

He also said the new ordinance was advertised and adopted in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Code, with unanimous support for passage by the planning commission and council.