Wetlands board approves 186‑ft riprap revetment at 176 Silverleaf Drive with adjacent‑owner consent

The Westmoreland County Wetlands Board approved a three‑year permit for a 186‑foot riprap revetment at 176 Silverleaf Drive after the agent presented a signed consent form from adjacent homeowners allowing an eight‑foot encroachment.

Staff described the site on the southern shore of Gardner Creek and noted 140 square feet of non‑vegetated wetland impacts would occur under the plan. Greg Pelobinski of Bay Shore Design said approximately 120 feet of revetment will be placed at the top of an existing bulkhead, with return walls and sections addressing areas of scouring; he said the west‑end encroachment of 8 feet onto a neighbor’s property was covered by an explicit written permission signed by the adjacent homeowners Kevin and Sherry Carlin.

Board members discussed whether the project should have been filed as a joint application since it involves direct work on an adjacent property. Staff noted the board has previously allowed projects with explicit signed permission instead of joint permits for small encroachments; members agreed the signed acknowledgment satisfied the board’s concern in this instance.

A motion to approve case 1493 for a three‑year period, with the record noting the adjacent homeowners had given permission for the 8‑ft encroachment, passed. The chair again reminded the applicant to wait 10 days before starting work because of the appeal period.

Why it matters: The decision shows how the board handles small encroachments when adjacent owners provide explicit, written permission, and it documents the board’s practice about joint applications versus consent forms.

The permit is effective pending the 10‑day appeals window and subject to the documentation already provided.