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The "Murrysville Tree Sign" - a true symbol of our community.

The Citizens for Preservation of Rural Murrysville (CPRM) is devoted to keeping the residents of Murrysville, PA informed about the General Business Overlay District (GBOD) ordinance and it's potential impact on our community -- in both our quality of living as well as our town's economic future. We feel in general that the Murrysville Municipality and Council has done a poor job of informing the public of the true impact the GBOD will have on our community. The intent of this website is to present the facts and inform the municipality and council of the residents position. Many residents are frustrated and feel powerless in regards to the decisions being made by the Murrysville Council. Again, the majority of the Murrysville residents do not want a Monroeville-type business district in Murrysville, and we feel we have not been heard properly. Please consider getting involved as we work towards reclaiming our local government in the up and coming 2009 elections.

Time for a change!

On August 6, 2008 the controversial Greater Business Overlay District (GBOD) ordnance was passed by the Murrysville Council with a 5-2 vote. Only councilwoman Joan Kearns and councilman Dennis Pavlik voted not in favor of this large commercial re-zoning district. This was not only a betrayal to the people that live around there; it was a betrayal to all of the citizens of Murrysville.

Broken campaign promises from councilman Regis Synan who stated: "I feel it is the duty of those in local government to advocate for property owners who are being surrounded by commercial encroachment. Those who purchase their property with adjacent residential zoning should not fear their neighborhoods turning commercial." to the betrayal of councilman Theo van deVenne who switch his position we feel it is time for the citizens to regain control of the Murrysville government.

The conflicts do not stop there. Council President Nancy Kacin is the wife of local developer Richard Kacin who owns Kacin Companies, and Vice-President Larry Nicolette is the acting CFO of Kacin Companies. Not only has Richard Kacin been involved with many commercial developments in the Murrysville area he is also chairman of Murrysville Economic and Community Development Corporation (MECDC). The MECDC has been involved with the mediation process with Manor Development Group II over the re-zoning of the Buncher Property into the Overlay District.


In November of 2009 four of the seven council and the mayor seat come up for re-election. This is “our” time to voice “our” opinion and change the face of the Murrysville government to one that will finally listen to us. A new council can change this zoning ordinance back to the way it was.

What now?

Many residents are asking the question what can we do now that the Overlay ordinance is passed. Please read the message to the public "Thank you Murrysville residents" by Dave Perry.

Many residents also have so many unanswered questions that were asked in the Town Hall meetings. We hope to get answers to these and post them here.

A video you need to watch!
 


click to play

 

Murrysville councilman Theo van deVenne comments in the Murrysville November, 28, 2007 council meeting in regards to Manor Development Group II's request to rezone 50 acres of residential property on the Buncher Property Mr. van deVenne says: "rezoning this is a betrayal to the people that live around there". What changed Mr. van deVenne opinion in a few months? He voted to approve this residential area to commercial with no mixed use! click to play video

 
             Click on the photo for a larger view

Would you like to see more big-box retailers such as the 155,000 sq/ft Wal-Mart located in Salem Twp. move to Murrysville? The above photo is an example of what this will look like. This is the reality of the GBOD ordinance changing our town into a Monroeville-like retail district.


 
             Click on the photo for a larger view

The photo above is an aerial view of the Buncher Property located at Berlin Farm Road and Route 22. This large undeveloped land area in the heart of Murrysville and within the GBOD could potentially contain a retail shopping development the size of the Monroeville Mall with 400,000 sq/ft retail commercial shopping center. The is the site for the proposed Target & Lowes retail complex by Manor Development Group II.

The CPRM is not against commercial development in our community and we understand the need for a diverse tax base. However, we are against the GBOD and the manner in which it was created. The GBOD as it stands now will allow very large scale big-box retailers such as the proposed Target & Lows complex among other big-box retailers by allowing residentially zoned property to be included within commercially zoned property along the Route 22 corridor. These large pieces of property will have a long term impact to the community, including growth of the police and fire department services and the consequences of what that will mean to the community and taxpayers.

OVERLAY ORDINANCE FATALLY FLAWED
By Murrysville Councilman Dennis Pavlik
 

The Overlay Ordinance is fundamentally flawed and should be defeated.  Not because of the Manor Development proposal nor because of the mediation agreement.  But because it will not accomplish what the proponents claim that it would. Click here to read more...
 

COUNCIL SHOULD APOLOGIZE, NOT THE RESIDENTS
Murrysville Councilman Dennis Pavlik
August 4, 2008 - Penn Franklin News

Wednesday July 30, Council held a Town Hall Meeting on the General Business Overlay ordinance.  At that meeting it was disclosed that a council member felt certain council members were owed an apology from individuals opposing the ordinance. Click here to read more...

 

Email to the Murrysville Council Members - August 4th

To Murrysville Council Members:

I am writing to urge you to once again table the vote on this ordinance indefinitely until appropriate changes are made in accord with those suggested at recent Town Hall meetings along with the appointment of a Task Force to help begin to build an excellent ordinance. You have been given quite a large number of suggestions for improvement to this ordinance and my hope is that you have paid attention, as well as listened to what many people in the community have voiced as their concerns. One would think that it is in your best interests to take heed of these legitimate concerns.

I would like to remind you once again that you sit on this Council representing the citizens of this Municipality of Murrysville, not for the developers now or in the future.  I ask that you act in an appropriate and responsible fashion and vote to table this ordinance indefinitely.

Once again, I would ask, what is the rush to get this ordinance, as currently written, approved?

Linda Marts
Murrysville Resident

We thought the residents of Murrysville would like to see the response to this email by our Council President Nancy Kacin:

Linda:
    You are in a very small group of vocal citizens against development in Murrysville, as shown by the small representation at both of the town hall meetings. It is also very obvious that the group opposing this ordinance does not represent the future of Murrysville, as by gauging the age of the attendees. This ordinance does follow the comprehensive plan and is an excellent ordinance contrary to what your group write in the local papers and voice out at public meetings. I am prepared to vote yes for this ordinance. I remind you that I have run on the premise to "promote economic development to keep a lid on taxes" two times and have won. I do represent the majority of Murrysville by the democratic process of election. My constituents choose not voice their opinions in public or the local papers because they have faith in me. Believe me, I hear from them on a daily basis, they are just different people than you are associated with.
Wait and see...I'll bet you will be doing more shopping in Murrysville soon and enjoying it.
Thank you for your input,
Nancy Kacin