Oct 27, 2014 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Franklin Township supervisors awarded a contract Monday to demolish a dilapidated house on McNay Hill Road and announced the township is seeking suggestions from residents for projects that can be funded with the township’s Community Development Block Grant.

The township earlier condemned the dilapidated manufactured home at 205 McNay Hill Road. The property is owned by a mortgage company that failed to make the required repairs to bring the building into compliance with township codes.

The front yard slipped and caused the house to move, code enforcement officer Steve Coss said earlier. The building is ready to fall off its piers, he said.

Six companies presented bids to demolish the building. Two companies each submitted low bids of $5,000, Reeve Bobcat Service of Amity and Triple R Energy of Uledi.

Both companies met the bid specifications and the awarding of the contract was decided by the flipping of a coin, which was won by Triple R. A spokeswoman for Triple R said she expected work on the project to begin in the next two weeks.

A lien will be placed on the property by the township in an attempt to recoup the condemnation and demolition costs.

The supervisors announced they are seeking suggestions from residents about projects on which the township can use its allocation of Community Development Block Grant money.

CDBG money must be spent on activities that benefit low- and moderate-income residents. It can be used on projects including improvements to public facilities, infrastructure, housing and recreational facilities, street and road improvements and planning activities.

The township received about $105,600 last year for its annual allocation, but also had funds left over from previous years’ allocations. It was using the money to extend a water line on North Liberty Street.

At Monday’s meeting, the supervisors voted to award a contract to Carl Fekula Inc. of Monongahela for an extension of the water line on North Liberty Street. Fekula submitted the low bid of $145,415 for the work.

The 2,800-foot extension will serve about five homes and is being paid for with the CDBG money.

The supervisors adopted an ordinance Monday to change the zoning designation of a portion of a property off Dark Hollow Road to allow the property owner to keep animals, including a pony for her children.

The supervisors approved the curative amendment to the zoning ordinance requested by Ronetta Benamati of 120 Dark Hollow Road at a meeting earlier this month.

Benamati originally requested 13 acres she owns be changed from R-1 residential to A-1 agricultural. She later amended the request to change only the 8.149 acres behind her house to A-1. The area adjoins a 92.5 acre parcel already zoned agricultural.

Neighboring property owners opposed the request, expressing concern about the possibility of having farm animals in a residential area and noting the zoning change would be permanent, which could allow future owners of the Benamati property to raise cows or even pigs on the property.

The supervisors approved the change noting the Benamati property is well maintained and they believed the township could manage and control any future uses of the property that would possibly be a nuisance to the surrounding community.