Aug 5, 2013 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Waynesburg Zoning Hearing Board granted a continuance Monday on a hearing on plans to renovate the old county office building in order to give the developer time to prepare a more complete application.

John McNay, owner of the building, and Martin Padezanin of George Construction of Coraopolis filed an application seeking a variance needed to convert the long-vacant, six-story building on High Street into a 28-unit apartment building.

William Hook, the board’s solicitor, announced prior to the hearing that the application failed to include a site plan or an agreement finalizing a plan to provide off-street parking for building occupants. Hook said he spoke to Padezanin about the deficiencies, in addition to the option of seeking a continuance.

Padezanin, who provided the board with preliminary interior design plans, though not a site plan, said he would request the continuance to complete the remaining requirements.

The property is zoned B-1 for business use. An apartment, or multi-family dwelling, is a permitted use in a B-1 district.

However, McNay and Padezanin will need a variance from the board for parking.

The zoning ordinance requires an apartment building with 28 units to have at least 42 parking spaces. Not enough property exists on site to provide that many spaces.

McNay and Padezanin have proposed leasing available parking spaces in the borough parking lot on Strawberry Street, about a block away.

A variance is needed because, according to the ordinance, the parking spaces must be within 50 feet of the building.

Padezanin said later that he and McNay have not yet received approval from borough council for leasing the parking spaces. In addition, they will have to obtain approval from the county, which currently leases that parking lot from the borough.

The plans for the building will be opposed by Waynesburg University.

Raymond J. Hoehler, an attorney for the university, attended the hearing and asked that the university be granted party status in the case.

Following the meeting, Hoehler provided a written statement that said the university opposed the issuance of a variance because the proposed use of the building did not conform with the borough’s master plan or with requirements of the borough zoning ordinance.

Asked about the master plan, Mike Simms, who became borough manager only last month, said he was told it was a plan prepared in 2008. That plan had been paid for by the university and prepared by its architect.

The plan designates the old county office building space as being a potential parking and event space.

The board will continue the case until its next meeting on Sept. 10.