Jul 28, 2022 3 min read

Residents in South Strabane Township will continue to be allowed to to park in cul-de-sacs for the time being.

The board of supervisors took no action Tuesday on an ordinance that would have eliminated cul-de-sac parking throughout the township. The ordinance had come up for a public hearing at their May 24 meeting.

Township Manager Brandon Stanick explained that the time frame for acting on the ordinance had expired, and if the board wishes to revisit the issue a notice will be posted for another public hearing.

Per the text of the ordinance, the purpose would be to allow emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and snow plows to more easily maneuver in cul-de-sacs.

At the May meeting, multiple residents spoke against the ordinance during the public hearing, according to the meeting minutes, with some wondering why the ordinance targeted cul-de-sacs and not on-street parking generally throughout South Strabane.

After the hearing closed, Supervisor Bracken Burns said the ordinance from a conversation about restricting parking during snow events, and that he did not believe the proposal solved the problem, according to the minutes. Supervisor Russell Grego also said he had been in favor of an ordinance creating restrictions for winter emergencies.

At Tuesday’s meeting, residents of Strabane Manor spoke in support of parking restrictions, even if it were limited to their neighborhood.

“Cul-de-sac is French. You know what it defines as? Bottom of the bag. That’s what they are. The cul-de-sac is a turnaround for us, it’s not a parking area. Because no matter where you go, you’re going to end up in a cul-de-sac, and you’re going to have to turn around to get out of Strabane Manor. There is no through traffic,” said Strabane Manor resident Jimmy Stewart.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the supervisors amended the township zoning code to require commercial properties to obtain a new certificate of occupancy when there is a change in ownership, or tenancy if the property is being rented.

“There are a lot of commercial tenants that change hands frequently. We have a lot of vacancies, a lot of switching ownership, and we have no idea that it’s happening,” said Scott Heckman, South Strabane code enforcement officer.

Heckman added that this will allow them to reinspect buildings when a new tenant or owner moves in.

The zoning amendment also came with an amendment to the property maintenance code allowing the township to levy a fine of $300 to $1,000 if a placard denoting a condemned property is removed.