Monroeville Council approves new housing plan along Logans Ferry Road

Monroeville Council unanimously approved a three-phase housing plan along Logans Ferry Road on Jan. 8 despite some residents’ concerns.

Sandy Hill Development first proposed the 133-house plan dubbed the Maple Crest Residential Development to Monroeville in September.

Among residents’ concerns were increased traffic and an abandoned mine underneath the property.

Tom Henningsen, a resident who lives along an unnamed road partially bisecting the development, previously requested developers present a clear plan for what they will do about an abandoned coal mine underneath the eastern portion of the property.

“That mine outlet is located right on our border and it’s discharging large quantities of acidic water into our property,” Henningsen said.

Christopher Samios, vice president at Pennsylvania Soil and Rock, the firm hired by the developer to study the property’s geotechnical aspects, said he is well aware of the abandoned mine.

“We’ve delineated that. We provided recommendations for remediating those shallow mine issues … so those items have been addressed,” Samios said.

Fourteen properties of the development’s 133 will require work to ensure proper foundations are filled, he said.

The project’s geotechnical study is under review by Monroeville’s geotechnical engineering firm, Garvin Boward Beitco Engineering Inc, and is expected to be completed before construction starts, Samios said.

Henningsen has also said he wants the municipality to take ownership of a private road called Maple Crest Lane before Sandy Hill develops the project, a move council has not made. A portion of the private road is not paved and serves as Henningsen’s and others’ only access to Logans Ferry Road.

Bud Sheffler, engineer with Sheffler and Company, said in December the issue is a land dispute requiring council’s approval before agreements can be made.

The developer plans to begin construction of the project’s first phase in summer 2019.

Click here to view a map that includes Monroeville’s latest developments, including this housing plan.

Dillon Carr is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Dillon at 412-871-2325, dcarr@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dillonswriting.