Sep 25, 2025 By Jon Andreassi 2 min read

South Strabane Township supervisors approved a request from the developer of Burkett Manor to have steeper driveway aprons than the municipality typically allows.

Supervisors voted 4-1 to grant the emergency modification request to Ryan Homes for eight town homes in the housing plan located off of Burkett Lane. Jeff Bull was the dissenting vote.

Township code stipulates that driveways not have a slope greater than 7%. However, some of the homes in Burkett Manor exceed that number.

Dennis Makel, South Strabane’s solicitor, criticized Ryan Homes for not communicating with the township when installing the driveways.

“What upsets me the most is that they know that when they pour that cement, they’re supposed to notify the engineer. They didn’t do it,” Makel said.

It was not clear how steep the slopes for the aprons, where the driveway meets the road, would be.

Prior to casting his no vote, Bull said he did not want to “reward” the developer for violating township code.

“Why do we keep rewarding inappropriate behavior? This (expletive) won’t stop,” Bull said at Tuesday’s meeting.

Makel suggested that Ryan Homes should face fines for future violations.

“Anytime they screw up like this, I want them to also pay a fine. Because this is ridiculous,” Makel said.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board of supervisors accepted the resignations of Kristina Schuerle and Heidi McConnell from South Strabane’s parks and recreation commission.

The board then appointed Elizabeth Ellerbock to serve a three-year term on the commission, and Ashley Martin to serve a two-year term.