The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Business

November 19, 2009

Zoning board OKs repair shop, denies residents’ requests

By Joe Pinchot

HERMITAGE — Hermitage Zoning Hearing Board denied two residential variance requests Wednesday, while granting an interpretation for the continuation of an auto repair shop as a nonconforming use.

The bad news was handed down to Richard Fleis of 619 N. Hermitage Road, who wanted to build an open carport on his property, and Jamie DeCapua Kirila, who hoped to buy her parents’ home at 1860 Rockwell Ave., expand a garage, and build a covered entry.

Fleis said the carport would come within two feet of the property of Clark Corll, 649 N. Hermitage Road. The side yard setback requirement in the Institutional-3 zone is 20 feet, and the house already violates that by two feet.

Fleis said he could not build a garage or carport behind his house because of the slope of a hill. Corll said he did not object to the granting of the variance.

Ms. Kirila said she and her husband, John David Kirila II, have an agreement to buy the home from James A. and Bonita DeCapua, but the sale is contingent upon getting zoning approval.

She said she wants to extend a garage by three feet, which would reduce the combined side yard setback from 17 feet — which already violates single-family zoning requirements by five feet — to 14 feet.

If the improvements were made, the total lot coverage would go from 21 percent to 24.8 percent when the maximum allowed is 20 percent.

Ms. Kirila presented a letter of support signed by four neighborhood property owners, but next-door neighbor Karen Myers, 1924 Rockwell objected. Ms. Myers said she was concerned how Ms. Kirila’s planned improvements would affect her future plan to build a garage, and that Ms. Kirila did not have a recent survey.

Ms. Kirila responded that she did not want to pay to have the property surveyed when there was the chance the variance request could fall through.

The nonconforming use hearing concerned the property at 1059 Mercer Ave. that the Martuccio family has operated or leased to others as a gas station and/or repair service since 1948.

The family signed a lease in September with Mike Lowery for use of the building as an auto repair station and towing service, Gene Martuccio said.

“Towing is not allowed in R-1,” said Building and Zoning Administrator Scott A. Smith, speaking of the single-family residential zone.

Lowery, whose main towing operation is a 649 Roemer Blvd., Farrell, said he wants a presence in Hermitage to try to win back customers who did not follow him when he moved from Sharpsville to Farrell.

“We want our customers back and we’re sure they’ll come to Hermitage.” he said.

Lowery added that towing would likely be no more than 5 percent of his business in Hermitage. While the Mercer Avenue site is a strategic location for covering the Shenango Valley, he said he expects most of the towing will be bringing inoperable cars to the station.

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