Township Engineer: Flaugherty Run Landslide Worsening

A moving from the Autumn Woods housing development toward Flaugherty Run and Becks Run roads has grown significantly worse in recent days, a township official said.

Moon Engineer Malcolm Petroccia told the township that the landslide experienced "massive movement" toward the road this week.  

In 2007, Moon-based developer NewPointe Realty installed a storm water basin during construction of the 34-home Autumn Woods development off Becks Run Road. The stormwater basin has caused sediment to slide toward the roadways, eroding land and uprooting trees.

"It is now up to the embankment toward the road," Petroccia said. "There is a communications pole that is threatened, and it's pushing trees down into the creek."

Petroccia recommended that the township notify the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation that its roadway infrastructure likely was in danger. The township also has been in contact with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Last month, the developer agreed to use an outside contractor to remove the landslide threat, but Petroccia and Moon Manager Jeanne Creese said no progress has been made in recent weeks.

NewPointe Realty could not be reached for comment. Creese told the board that she has been in contact with the developer and soon would arrange a meeting to discuss the landslide threat. Petroccia and the township solicitor will attend that meeting.

"[NewPointe Realty] have not moved as fast as we would like them to," said Petroccia, adding that the developer  likely was in violation of grading ordinances, stormwater agreements and sediment control plans.

"[NewPointe Realty] may not be able to afford these repairs," Creese told the board.

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