Potential buyers would have to complete and pass phase-one and phase-two environmental site assessments of the property before starting any construction.
Keller said the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will allow alternative methods of development.
"The DEP would accept anyone that wouldn't excavate on the property and would install a vapor barrier on the ground," he said.
Councilman Robert Brooks suggested closing the bidding process and preparing a better one.
"Next time, we need to
collect bids and give them a reasonable due diligence
period to get the site assessment done," he said.
Last night (Wednesday) was supposed to be the night Murrysville officials finalized an agreement with the Murrysville Economic and Community Development Corp. regarding Banner Parklet.
But, a decision was delayed because the agreement isn't finalized.
The MECDC wants to takeover the property so they can try and sell it in conjunction with the hotel property next to it on Route 22. The group has said it hopes the property will help Murrysville with its Streetscape project.
Resident Shirley Turnage told council members that she wanted the public to have more time to review the agreement before it is voted on. She suggested setting a date for a public hearing.
Council decided to review the
agreement at the May 7 council
meeting and then vote on it on May
21 to allow more time for people to
view and discuss the agreement.
June 12, 2008 Source
Council also voted last week to transfer a small piece of business property known as the Banner Parklet to the Murrysville Economic and Community Development Corporation.
The municipality will hold a mortgage on the property on Route 22 at McCutchen's Lane, which the MECDC will pay off when it sells the property. It also will split the remaining proceeds from the sale with the municipality.
If the MECDC does not sell the property in six years, however, the property and the debt would revert back to the municipality.
MECDC Executive Director John C. Cardwell said the corporation is looking to structure a deal with a developer for a project that utilizes the parklet and the adjacent Blue Spruce Motel property, which is unoccupied and which the MECDC does not own or control.
He said the project would be in line with Murrysville's Streetscape plan and would ideally feature mixed use and pedestrian-friendly development.
Mr. Pavlik and Mrs. Kearns also voted against this measure, which they say represents a handout to developers.
At the meeting, Mrs. Kearns stressed the fact that the property was granted to the municipality by the previous owner to be employed for "the public's use."
Mrs. Kearns said that, to her, transferring the property to a group that will sell it to a private developer does not fulfill this requirement.
She and Mr. Pavlik also believe the municipality could reap a profit more quickly and easily if it endeavored to sell the property itself.
Mrs. Kacin abstained from this vote because her husband is also the president of the MECDC.
Mr. Pavlik said in an interview that he understands why Murrysville residents often claim that developers, rather than citizens, are influencing the council's decisions.
"[Council hasn't] seen a development proposal that we didn't like," he said. "I'm very concerned that they seem to have much more of an ear with the council