North Strabane Residents Appeal Development Approval

North Strabane Residents that live along North Spring Valley Road have appealed a conditional land use approval granted to Laurel Communities to build a development called the Collective At Peters Lake. Linda Lopez and Matthew and Pamela Maniet have engaged Joshua Ash at the University of Pittsburgh Environmental Law and Policy Clinic to help them with the appeal. Lopez and the Maniets are concerned about their water supply. They currently have wells and worry about impurities from earth moving during the construction phase and future impurities that may result from future fertilizer use. North Strabane has conditioned that the developer run public water lines to their street, but residents on North Spring Valley Extension would need to run their own piping to access the main pipe and pay tap in fees. According to Matt Maniet, early estimates are in the $10,000 to $30,000 range to access public water. They feel that they are being taken for granted because they may be forced into purchasing public water when it was not their wish to do that. The environmental non-profit group Friends of Peters Lake support the residents’ efforts as they wish to maintain the natural environment of Peters Lake Park. North Strabane Township officials referred comment to their solicitor. The solicitor said they just received the large packet of information and have not had time to review it. Additionally, they do not comment on pending litigation. The case is in the early stages and hearings have yet to be scheduled.