North Strabane officials “fronting” millons for Majestic Hills slide repairs
Projects undertaken by North Strabane Township to repair landslide damage in the Majestic Hills development and keep an access road open could cost the municipality several million dollars.
Township supervisors on Tuesday discussed the latest landslide in Majestic Hills that closed Oakwood Drive two weeks ago. According to township engineer Joseph Sites, of Gateway Engineers, Oakwood Drive is still closed, after the slope supporting the road “dropped 15 feet,” causing the road to crack.
“There is still some movement of that slide,” he said. “We’re in the process of designing a wall to support Oakwood Drive.”
It’s the third slide in the development since June. The first happened on Forest Lane, which led to three homes being condemned and then demolished. The second happened last month on Bentwood Drive. The township hired Stewart Contracting Inc. to clear the debris on Forest Lane, one of two access roads to the development.
“They’ve been out there ever since,” Sites said.
Sites said the township is “fronting” the money for the projects. Township manager Andy Walz said the wall on Oakwood will cost about $2 million, and “on Forest Lane, the clearing to date is about $100,000.” Walz said the township will use capital fund reserves to pay for the projects but will also file a claim with the developer Joe DeNardo, part owner of the development corporation, Majestic Hills LLC.
Emergency crews and township officials spent long hours over five days at the scene of the Oakwood slide that happened Oct. 4. During Tuesday’s meeting, Supervisor Robert Balogh thanked “every member of our team” for their response to that slide. His comments were followed by “thank yous” from Majestic Hills residents as well as township manager Andy Walz.
“Many of us lived at Majestic Hills over the course of those five days,” Walz said. “The residents of Majestic Hills, considering the situation, have been unbelievably fantastic to our staff.”
Sites said Forest Lane, which had been closed since June, has been cleared and is now the primary access point for the development because the June landslide hadn’t structurally damaged that road. He said now that the three homes have been demolished, that slope along Forest Lane is “showing signs of stability.”