Leet zoning hearing board to debate, likely vote on proposed Quaker Valley High School-related application

The fate of a proposed Quaker Valley High School could be decided Feb. 9.

The Leet Township Zoning Hearing Board members will publicly debate, and are expected to take action on, a special exception application that day starting at 7 p.m. at the township building.

The board also has scheduled a public session for 7-10 p.m. Feb. 15 if necessary.

Zoning hearing board solicitor Vince Restauri said he does not anticipate the board will need the additional time.

“We’re hoping we’ll finish the deliberation and vote on Feb. 9,” Restauri said on Jan. 26. “The plan is to vote on it — not ‘possibly’ to vote on it — but if we run out of time, we have a backup date.”

Public hearings began in late June. There were multiple hearings in the evenings and at least two all-day events, resulting in about 40 hours of public discussion.

Lawyers and non-lawyers both in favor and against the project also had a chance to file briefs and other written comments after closing arguments were taken on Nov. 30.

The proposed school is on 150 acres of land off Camp Meeting Road. It straddles Leet, Edgeworth and Leetsdale.

The preliminary plan for the school would use about 48 acres for the building and grounds. The site already has 10 acres cleared out, but the district wants to leave a lot of existing growth as a buffer.

No further construction can take place without first obtaining approval from Leet’s zoning hearing board.

The project is still in its early design phase. Architects and other construction-related businesses have already been selected for the project and have begun to gather public input for the district.

“We are hopeful the zoning process is nearing completion, and we are excited to make continued progress on our new high school,” said Charlie Gauthier, district director of facilities. “We are confident this new facility will be a centerpiece for the community and future generations. Moving forward is an exciting process, and as we take these significant steps, something that has been years in the making is finally getting closer to reality.”

Several residents who testified throughout the course of the hearings focused on the 27-acre plan that includes the school, ball field and facilities.

However, Gauthier said the actual application before the zoning hearing board is for the entire aforementioned building and grounds.

Either side could appeal the zoning hearing board’s decision to Allegheny County Court.

Restauri said he has 45 days from the board’s public vote to comprise its written and signed decision. An appeal could be made within 30 days from when the board document is filed.

“We would hope that our decision would be one that everyone finds credible,” Restauri said.

Restauri said board members have spoken with him individually, and have been instructed not to discuss the district’s application until the public session in February.

The zoning hearing board debate and vote will be both in-person and streamed on Zoom.

A link will be posted on the township’s website, leettownship.org.