The Murrysville Council is not managing the Overlay Ordinance in a professional fashion. While the restrictions are needed to prevent a total debacle there has been no vetting of the document by an independent authority. Council member Joan Kearns has found several areas where loose wording had potential issues. If a person, who is not expert in municipal land use ordinances, can find errors there is a problem. Council, Municipal Staff and the Municipal Counsel are not qualified to cast or vet this document. Their actions place the community in jeopardy. A developer who has a multi-million dollar development in-mind will certainly have a team of lawyers comb the document to see just what they have to do to meet their objectives with a minimal cost. A professional examination of the document is necessary. We are stuck with an ordinance but I am not sure it should be THIS ordinance.

There is no specific information on the impact of likely development that can occur under this ordinance. As an example there is no discussion on the impact on Police services, municipal infra-structure services costs, impact on existing businesses, occupancy rates and their traffic impact, projected tax revenues from the development, projected revenues from the occupants, the real effect of polluted runoff beyond the catch basins, the relationship to current and possible future nationwide economic situations, etc..... In other words what are the real PRACTICAL impacts of the plan. To-date all we have heard has to do with the glorious shopping experience we will have protected by catch-basins and lots of vegetation..

Managing Murrysville on a growth model is contrary to the reasons most resident chose to live here. The other idea of a Streetscapes Plan so people can promenade around the upscale shops of downtown Murrysville is yet another upcoming disaster. What are the indicators that tell us that if we do not provide someplace for the finer folks to congregate that Murrysville, as a whole, will be harmed? Will fancy light poles, new sidewalks, pristine vegetation and the ability to buy Louis Vitone handbags make the majority of residents lives more fulfilling?

The Streetscapes plan has no merit unless Murrysville wants to be Georgetown, D.C. The Overlay Ordinance is needed to shore-up the poorly constructed original land use ordinance. However, it falls far short by failing to address possible loopholes that could harm the community.

Finally, Council obscures the issues with spreadsheets, plans and maps. PERCEPTION not facts are at issue. A failing business in Export or a resident with light streaming in their bedroom window are not concerned with facts. They have a perception that they are unhappy. Should Council be making its constituents unhappy? They will say that they cannot make everyone happy. If council simply scrapped the Streescapes plan and tightened up the Overlay Ordinance would that help? If Council added language to protect existing businesses from being smothered by large operations would that help? Yes, I could go on, but the basic problem is the growth oriented mind-set of Council that makes some unhappy. Therefore, as the question - If Murrysville had no further substantial growth for the next 5 years would the population dwindle? What specific commercial elements are SORELY needed today?