Moon Library Could Stay Open with Addition, Renovation

Manager Jeanne Creese said township officials are considering a possible two-story addition and renovation to the community's Beaver Grade Road  

Library officials have told the Moon Board of Supervisors that the facility's limited space and deteriorating condition  to a new building. 

Creese and representatives from the four township departments at the 1700 Beaver Grade Road building have toured township properties in the hopes of finding a new location for the library, Moon Municipal Authority and  

Creese said each of the was ruled out based on location and square footage, among other factors.

"When we got to the end of that process both the municipal authority and the library discussed arranging to stay in the existing building," Creese said. "They feel that is a more viable option than any of the sites toured."  

She said representatives from the library instead have requested that the township repair the building's roof and provide a two-story addition for the building, which the township purchased in 1994. 

In September, the township received bids for a full-roof replacement. The lowest bid of $246,830 came from Eighty Four-based G & W Roofing.

Board Chairman Jim Vitale asked for a meeting with the building's department heads to discuss the future of the project.

The supervisors will discuss plans for the building at an upcoming meeting.  

"I think we're trying to do too much at once, and nobody has a set direction," said Supervisor Frank Sinatra. "And we've got winter coming up. Let's put a roof on it and take the time to think through the process." 

Creese said she and Moon Police Chief Leo McCarthy discussed with  Superintendent Donna Milanovich. 

Limited parking space surrounding the school district's new high school has forced many students to park on nearby Springer, Bradley and South Patton drives, causing traffic congestion. Chief McCarthy has recommended that the board enact an ordinance to restrict on-street, daytime parking on those streets.

Milanovich said as many as 60 additional parking spaces will be available for students at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year. The board will vote on adopting a new parking restriction ordinance for the area at an upcoming meeting. 

The board also discussed limiting parking on Greenlea and Centerdale drives. McCarthy earlier this month sent 74 surveys to residents in the Amherst Acres neighborhood to poll them on parking ordinance preferences; 47 residents responded to the survey. 

"The conclusion [of the survey] was that the majority of the residents wanted some kind of parking restriction, speeding and stop-sign regulation," Creese said. 

McCarthy recommended that the board adopt either a resident-only parking ordinance for the neighborhood that requires residents to obtain a limited number of parking permits for on-street parking or an ordinance that bans all daytime parking on Greenlea and Centerdale drives. 

The daytime parking ban would apply to all vehicles parking on the road during daytime hours.

"There are enforcement issues," Creese said of the proposed ordinances. "And residents would be required to take some action to get the parking permits." 

Residents have complained that students at  park on the streets during daytime hours, causing traffic congestion and blocking mailboxes. RMU is set to increase the price of its on-campus parking permits at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year. 

The board will vote on the proposed ordinance at an upcoming meeting.