Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Walgreens-Starbucks plan gets final approval
By Norm Vargo
September 27, 2007

Township commissioners last week unanimously approved a revised final plan for a Walgreens Pharmacy-Starbucks Coffee Cafe complex on Route 30 West. They also gave the nod to a nearly 70 percent increase in garbage collection fees in the first year of a new contract.

"We've gone through this plan with a fine-toothed comb. What we have here is pretty workable," said township Planning Director-Engineer Andrew Blenko about the complex to be built on Route 30, where the Chesterfield Restaurant and Kirk Haight Auto Sales are now.

Anthony J. Dolan, principal in the development group Walnut Capital Partners, agreed to 12 conditions that allowed the board to approve the complex, bypassing the township's shopping center ordinance.

"Applying the shopping center ordinance would not permit construction of the retail complex because of required 30-foot front and rear setbacks on property that is just 200-feet deep," Mr. Blenko said. "The proposed Walgreens is 164-feet long."

During a Sept. 13 workshop meeting, solicitor Bruce E. Dice told commissioners that even though the 3.6-acre combined parcel exceeds shopping center ordinance guidelines that apply to projects larger than 3 acres, the conditions "should make it acceptable."

Three days earlier, the township Planning Commission didn't feel the shopping center ordinance applied, either. Planners recommended board approval of the latest plan.

Walnut Capital Partners will provide electric power to a large community billboard the developer will allow the township to construct on a portion of the site at the intersection of Route 30 and Lincoln Way.

In other business, commissioners also unanimously awarded a two-year garbage collection contract, with a two-year option, to township-based Waste Management.

Effective Jan. 1, residents will see their monthly fee increase to $15.92 from $9.38 with current contractor, County Hauling. The monthly fee will rise to $16.66 in 2009 and in the option years, to $17.37 in 2010 and $18.07 in 2011.

Township officials hope the option provision will help to encourage Irwin and North Irwin to become a part of shared collection beginning in 2009.

The commissioners also unanimously voted to table consideration for approval of Phase 3 of the Dartmoor Estates housing development. The action came after residents asked the board to deny the third phase.

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