The Honorable Judge Joseph James of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County has ruled in favor of the Quaker Valley School District, allowing the District to move forward with the new high school project. Previously, the Leet Township Zoning Board denied the Quaker Valley School District’s special exception request to build a school on the property off Camp Meeting Road after nearly a year and a half of meetings and discussions.
“This decision has been a long time coming and is a positive step forward for our students, staff, and community as we embark upon one of the most significant projects in Quaker Valley history,” said Superintendent Dr. Tammy Andreyko. “We have tirelessly advocated to build a school that provides an innovative learning environment that better meets the needs of all students while offering a safe and healthy facility. We could not have persevered through this process without the steadfast support of our community members; we extend our sincere thanks to all those who believe in the future of Quaker Valley.”
The Leet Township Zoning Hearing Board denied the District’s special exception application to build the new facility by written decision dated March 28, 2022.
In his Opinion and Order dated Monday, November 28, 2022, Judge James found that the Zoning Hearing Board erred in denying the District’s application for several reasons, including that an emergency road is not a matter of zoning use approval. In addition, Judge James found that there was no evidence to support the Zoning Hearing Board’s finding that the failure to provide an emergency-only road would pose a substantial threat to the health, safety, and welfare of the community beyond what would normally be expected by use of the Property for a school. Importantly, Judge James also expressly found that the Ordinance did not require an emergency-only access road.
“We are very pleased that Judge James reversed the decision of the Zoning Hearing Board and ordered that the special exception is granted,” said District Solicitor Donald J. Palmer. “The zoning process was arduous and exceedingly lengthy, and we are happy that the District’s position has been upheld. Like so many people in the community, we look forward to proceeding with this important project.”
The District is committed to safety, and the current plan includes two entrances to the campus, one on upper Camp Meeting Road and the other at a location closer to Beaver Street. As the District has done with its other schools, it will work with all relevant authorities to develop an Emergency Operation Plan. This is required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and is updated annually.
“Despite what others may argue, the District’s priority has always been the safety of its students, staff, and visitors. We contended that the details of an Emergency Operation Plan were not a matter to be decided in zoning, and we spent an inordinate amount of time discussing that issue. It is clear that the ruling supports that stance,” said Director of Facilities and Administrative Services Charlie Gauthier.
Original plans for the high school held an anticipated opening in the 2025-2026 school year, but due to the delays placed on the project by the Zoning Hearing Board, it may not open until the fall of 2027. The proposed new school is designed to accommodate an average of 650 students each year with room for future growth and specialized programs.
“On behalf of the high school staff, we are very excited about this new development,” said High School Principal, Dr. Deborah Riccobelli. “Although it is early in the process, it has been fulfilling to watch the teachers engage in the conversations about what the future of teaching and learning could look like in our new school. The investment in this contemporary school allows us to leave a mark on the type of learning spaces that our students deserve.”
The District has moved forward with developing the design for the high school project and engaged architectural firms BSHM and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson since June of 2021. The design team continues to actively collaborate with teachers, students, administrators, and community members to gather input on their vision for and needs in a potential school. The schematic design for the building was shared at the Board meeting in August.
In addition, the District has engaged with Sustainable Sewickley and is in the process of conducting an energy management study to create a more sustainable and energy efficient facility.
With this ruling from Judge James, the District will now move into the next phases of the building process including meetings with local leaders in Leet Township and Leetsdale, finalizing the site plans and design development, and eventually opening bidding for construction.
More information about the project can be found at www.qvsd.org.