Council denies rezoning request for 391 McMurray Road after members warn a C-3 designation widens allowable uses

Bethel Park council voted unanimously May 11 to deny a motion to advertise and hold a public hearing on a rezoning application for 391 McMurray Road.

Mrs. Piccolino moved to advertise and set a hearing to consider rezoning the parcel (tax parcel ID 668-H-025) from R-1 family residential to C-3 professional office zoning. Council member Oakes told residents the vote would change the allowable zoning district — not the brand or immediate use of the building — and warned that a C-3 designation opens a property to many commercial uses. "Once we open this, there's no going back," Oakes said, urging caution about changing the zoning classification.

In the roll call that followed, every council member recorded a "No," and the motion failed 9–0. Council discussion leading up to the vote focused on the range of uses permitted under a C-3 designation and the permanency of a zoning change; council members did not adopt any ordinance or rezone the parcel on May 11.

The denial means the property will remain under its current R-1 designation unless a future applicant brings forward a different request. The council did not set a next step for the applicant during the meeting. The planning and zoning commission's earlier recommendation and any staff reports were raised during discussion but no formal amendment or alternative motion was made.

Provenance: The rezoning motion and staff explanation are recorded when Mrs. Piccolino introduced the item (transcript evidence: application description and motion), and the roll-call denial appears when the clerk recorded each council member voting "No." The first recorded discussion of the rezoning is in the council packet and motion (topic introduction); the vote and roll-call completion close the item.