Quaker Valley area residents weigh in on Allegheny County judge's ruling of a proposed high school project

Quaker Valley area residents have mixed reactions to an Allegheny County judge’s ruling on a zoning issue for a proposed Quaker Valley High School.

Senior Judge Joseph James issued his six-page opinion Monday overturning a Leet Township zoning board decision to deny a special exception for the 167,000-square foot project.

“The board erred in denying QVSD’s application, ” James wrote. In his opinion, the judge said that Leet’s zoning ordinance expressly permits a special exception for school construction.

The estimated $90 million to $100 million project is still in its design phase.

Area residents weighed in on the matter Wednesday, Nov. 30.

The majority of those who responded to the Tribune-Review’s inquiry were in favor of the new school.

But there were a few detractors.

“I’m super unhappy about the new school,” said Quaker Heights resident Stephanie Goodnight, parent of a Quaker Valley grad. “The kids don’t need a new school. I don’t want to have to leave for work earlier because of school buses going up and down all day.

“None of this makes sense to me. A new building won’t teach children any different. Maybe they should invest in the best books, clubs, teachers, sports. So many other things that a building alone won’t do.”

Leetsdale resident Cindy Josaf-Kosela echoed those comments.

“Although I don’t have children in the district, I am completely against the ruling,” she said. “I did, however, drive a school bus for many years. They can be tricky sometimes especially in bad weather. The hill leading up to the proposed site is not safe. Where’s the emergency exit going to be? What about the taxpayers and residents who live there and don’t feel safe?

”I guess they’re not worried about any of that as long as they have a big fancy school nothing else matters.”

The district applied for the exception to build on part of a 108-acre parcel in an area zoned residential, but the township, municipal authority and property owners nearby objected. The property straddles Leet, Leetsdale and Edgeworth.

Concerns included traffic along Camp Meeting Road, the main access to serve the school. The zoning hearing board pressed for an emergency-only road for first responders. It was a key part of the board’s denial.

James said in his opinion that the board cannot demand such a requirement because the township zoning ordinance does not include any such criteria for a special exception.

“We are thrilled with the long-awaited news in favor of the high school project and are eager to see work move forward,” said Jennifer Birnie. “We are residents of Edgeworth and currently have a child in elementary school and another who will get to attend four years at the new location.”

Her husband, Andrew, a 2000 Quaker Valley graduate, commended the district for fighting for the project.

“I am incredibly grateful to the school board, volunteers and community members who worked so hard to push the new high school project to this point,” he said. “The talented students of our community will finally have the high school facility they deserve.”

Michelle Foster, mother of two high school students, said a new facility is long overdue.

“I am relieved that common sense has finally prevailed,” she said. “It is shameful that it has taken this long. The conditions (at the existing high school) are an embarrassment.

“Think 1980s movie about an inner city, poverty stricken high school building. That is what QVHS looks like. Students from other districts make comments such as, ‘Oh yeah — that’s the school that looks like a prison up on the hill.’

“It leaks, it’s either freezing or sweltering. It cannot host a community performance comfortably. There is precious little access for those with mobility issues. It is a miracle what our teachers and students are able to accomplish in the decrepit decay,” Foster said. Our oldest child graduated from (the district) in 2015. She was academically well-prepared for college.

“But the facilities are even worse now than seven to 10 years ago. Imagine the school hallways lined with trash cans to catch the leaking water when it rains. Now, it’s too late for our younger two girls to benefit from a new facility. However, I remain convinced that it’s still the right thing to do for the district.”

Members of the citizen-led group QV Strong also issued statements about the ruling. The group of parents, grandparents and other Quaker Valley residents have supported the project since its inception.

They hope an emergency access road and other details can be worked out with Leet’s planning commission.

“The individuals and families who make up QV Strong encourage the Leet planning commission to work collaboratively with Quaker Valley School District to ensure the school satisfies the needs of students, teachers, and nearby residents,” said Leet resident John Stunda. “We urge planning commission members to move at a more deliberate pace to ensure the new school is completed in a timely manner. Further delays only harm Quaker Valley students who deserve a far superior learning environment than the current facility.”

More information about the project, including presentations by the architects and district director of facilities and administrative services Charlie Gauthier, is available through the Blueprint QV section of the district’s website, qvsd.org.

There are other tabs, such as “questions and answers” and “research and studies” about the project on the Blueprint page.