Dormont Council Will Not Appeal Cochran Decision

Four days after voting to appeal the borough Zoning Hearing Board’s decision to grant a variance to , voted not to take that action.

After the swearing in of council member John Maggio and new council members Valerie Martino and Onnie Costanzo, Martino asked to add a motion to the agenda that would allow the board’s decision to stand.

“I actually read the 90 pages and I did some homework, and I feel the zoning (board) did the right thing and we need to respect that,” Martino said. “I think it’s going to be beneficial to our community.”

Council voted 5-2 not to appeal the board’s decision. Council members Laurie Malka and Bill McCartney—who was appointed council president Tuesday—voted against the motion.

“We’ve had a year and a half of meetings that surrounded this,” Malka said. “I think we need to be discussing these things and doing it with the benefit of council and experts before we make motion to undo things that were done with a lot of thought and consideration.”

Costanzo said she also read the transcript of the Zoning Hearing Board’s decision and thought it was very detailed. She said she didn’t see any reason to appeal the board’s decision.

through the Court of Common Please against the borough’s Zoning Hearing Board.

Borough solicitor Deron Gabriel said the decision to appeal was made because of a concern that the Zoning Hearing Board had not complied with borough law when it granted a variance allowing the dealership to store more vehicles in the borough.