Applicant seeks conditional-use approval to relocate therapeutic massage business to 4301 Northern Pike

Northern Pike Partners LLC asked the Monroeville Borough Council on Jan. 7 for conditional-use approval to allow a therapeutic massage business, Jin Lee Body Works, to operate at 4301 Northern Pike, the property formerly occupied by McGinnis Sisters.

Ryan Wodas, an attorney with Goldberg, Kamen & Garvin representing the applicant, told the council the request is “somewhat straightforward in terms of what’s being requested this evening” and described the proposed use as the relocation of an existing massage operator to about 1,675 square feet in the remodeled retail space. Wodas said the current operator has been in business since about 2014 and the new site is less than 500 feet from the operator’s present location.

Wodas identified the zoning basis read into the record: Article 5, Section 504.FF of Monroeville Zoning Ordinance No. 2779 (therapeutic massage facility), and said the conditional-use criteria under Section 359-54 apply. He told council that a traffic impact and parking demand analysis was completed when the site was reconfigured for the Starbucks and other retail, and that analysis concluded the site has adequate parking and would not create adverse traffic impacts for the proposed use. “As we’re just basically refilling the existing retail and not adding new space, that study itself supports the position that basically this won’t create any adverse impacts from a parking standpoint or traffic standpoint,” Wodas said.

Wodas said required occupational or state certifications for therapists would be provided before a certificate of occupancy is issued. He also told council that refuse areas meet the municipal 50-foot separation requirement, mechanical equipment has been screened, and the proposed use is more than 500 feet from listed uses the ordinance restricts, including public schools. He said the move would place the facility even farther from the high school complex than its current site.

A council member asked whether the interchange revamp near the site could affect the property; Wodas said he had not seen final plans and could not answer that question. The planning commission recommended approval with conditions, and the borough proceeded to close the public hearing after a motion and unanimous “aye” vote to exit the hearing. No final conditional-use decision was made at the Jan. 7 meeting; council indicated the item will be considered at the council’s Jan. 14 meeting.

Council and staff also noted a minor wording error in the draft zoning ordinance related to the therapeutic-massage subsection that will be corrected in the ordinance revisions before final enactment of any zoning changes. No signage changes are part of this application; any future signage would require a separate filing.