Proposed Shady Side Academy entrance has some Fox Chapel residents concerned

Benjamin Rister is among a growing number of Fox Chapel residents concerned about a proposed entrance to Shady Side Academy’s Upper School campus along Riding Meadow Road.

Something that sets him apart is that his home is downhill — and downstream — from the site between the private drives of Old Fox Hollow and Winterberry Lane.

The campus currently has one entrance, located to the east on Fox Chapel Road.

“I don’t even know where to start,” Rister said on May 7. “It’s everything from the runoff to the hillside collapsing, to the traffic and people getting hit. I don’t understand how this can even be the plan. If you were going to try to put in a driveway in the most destructive and disruptive place, this would be it.”

He said the academy’s plans call for the removal of about 400 trees at least 6 inches in diameter and land disturbance of a high graded area. He said Riding Meadow Road is very windy with blind bends.

There are numerous trees on the academy property marked with red and yellow bands. The ones with yellow are to be removed.

Plans for the proposed west entrance were posted on the borough’s website, fox-chapel.pa.us.

Academy plans show site landscaping would have 195 shrubs as well as a total of 37 deciduous and evergreen trees planted to help offset the removed vegetation.

Academy documents also show the use of ponds, inlets and embankments as part of stormwater management.

Rister said he hopes council rejects any request for waivers to regulations in its land development ordinances.

“There’s no reason to relax our standards right now,” Rister said. “Not for a driveway and to tear out 400 trees. This is not a good idea. Let’s hold that line and not do things that have already been identified as high-risk.”

Rister was joined by fellow residents Matt Loht and his wife, Helen, in Riding Meadow Park near the school on May 7.

They share the same concerns about the project’s traffic and environmental impact.

Matt Loht said the proposal also goes against the borough’s conservation efforts.

“A lot of it was more about the spirit of Fox Chapel,” he said. “The borough describes itself as preserving the natural landscape and preserving the canopy and the nature here. This is in the face of all of that.”

The Lohts and other residents have joined forces to disseminate a flyer and create a website, saveridingmeadow.org, to help raise awareness of the project.

Matt Loht said he hopes the academy can find an alternative location for its entrance and reduce its tree removal plans.

“We find the justification for removing such a significant number of mature trees wholly inadequate,” Loht said. “The claim that it’s necessary for a new driveway is unacceptable. Secondly, as the plans show, the existing gravel driveway and other access points present viable alternatives.

”They could be upgraded and improved to meet the school’s needs, significantly minimizing the devastating impact of clear-cutting. The current proposal favors ease of construction and use over conservation, which is unacceptable.”

Academy response

Academy officials rejected repeated invitations for interviews.

Instead, the academy released a general statement through Chief Marketing Officer Diana Toole.

“Shady Side Academy’s current plan reflects the vision established in the original 1922 campus master plan, which included an entrance in this very location,” Toole said via email on May 7. “These plans have existed for more than a century, and we are now thoughtfully revisiting them in response to input from the Borough and local public safety organizations. We have received some preliminary feedback from members of the local community and are actively reviewing their concerns.

“In response, we are working to revise the plan documents. Shady Side Academy remains committed to engaging in productive, transparent dialogue as this process continues in the months ahead.”

Toole also cited the academy’s Campus Master Plan website for more details.

A search for Riding Meadow Road netted one sentence:

“A new entrance on the west side of campus will connect Shady Side’s Upper School campus to Riding Meadow Road, providing improved access to school grounds and reduced congestion,” the plan said.

Under review

Borough Manager Gary Koehler said the academy’s plan is under review by the borough engineer. He said it may take several months before it reaches council for a vote.

“After the developer receives the review, the plans may need to be revised and resubmitted,” Koehler said via email on May 5. “If there are no major issues or the plan is revised to address the engineer’s comments, the first step is the (Environmental Advisory Council) meeting. The next meeting of the EAC is May 12, and the next one is June 9. After EAC, then the Planning Commission, and ultimately the council. It is too early to speculate about future meetings of these bodies.

“Depending on the final plan design, the developer will need a grading permit and possibly other permits from the borough. I expect Pennsylvania will require permits as well.”

Rister said he plans to be at all of the upcoming meetings and encourages more people to voice their opinions about the plan.

Parks Commission input

A letter was sent to the academy on behalf of the Fox Chapel Parks Commission on May 5, objecting to their project.

It was sent to the attention of academy President Bartley Griffith Jr. and the board of trustees.

A copy of the letter was obtained by TribLive.

It cites the academy as “a good friend and neighbor” and that the commission is grateful for its strong support of the community and natural spaces.

The letter goes on to highlight the connection of borough trails through academy property and how many students have helped plant trees, clear new trails and perform other volunteer work in borough parks.

“Given this wonderful history together and shared love of our community, we are surprised to learn the details of Shady Side Academy’s proposed plan to create a ‘West Gate,’ entailing the removal of an astonishing 350+ trees in more than 6 pristine acres along Riding Meadow Road, 8+ acres if you include the upper segments,” the letter read.

“As part of this plan, three retention ponds will be constructed to collect runoff from the impermeable surface of the new road, ironically replacing the natural capabilities of these hundreds of trees collecting rain and stormwater runoff.”

The letter goes on to cite how the plan impairs the trail route from Beechwood Farms to the Allegheny River and has other negative impacts.

It suggests creating an access point east of Glade Run Lane as a “better, safer and more environmentally friendly choice.”

Jeff Beyer is one of nine members on the Fox Chapel Parks Commission. He was on the walking trail, pruning tree limbs and addressing invasive plants on May 7.

He echoed a lot of the points in the letter.

“They’ve been really good partners to work with in so many ways,” Beyer said of the academy. “We want to work together with them to find solutions. Many on the commission are alums.

“This (trail) is such a treasure. It’d be a shame to lose it for the sake of a driveway.”