Latrobe zoning panel turns down nonprofit's plan for Depot Street offices

Faith Forward Ministries’ plan for moving some of its office staff to a donated house on Latrobe’s Depot Street hit a roadblock this week when the city’s zoning hearing board denied a needed variance.

Eric Cosby, who moved to deny the Latrobe-based nonprofit’s request for the variance at Depot and Ridge Avenue, said he wants properties in that neighborhood to remain residential in nature.

“It’s an old residential district,” he said after Monday’s 2-1 vote to deny. “I’d rather keep it residential.

“I don’t want to see commercial come in. I want to keep people in those houses,” he said, expressing concern about the declining population in the city.

Census estimates show Latrobe’s population dropping from 8,333 in 2010 to 7,885 last year.

Tom Horwat, who also voted to deny the variance, has expressed concern about parking for the proposed offices — although Faith Forward officials testified before the board last month that there would be few visitors and that the organization had been offered use of an adjacent church lot.

Stuart Albaugh voted in favor of the variance. Chairman James Miller abstained, noting his brother, Michael, serves as the nonprofit’s treasurer and has testified in the case.

Faith Forward Executive Director Dawn Hennessey couldn’t be reached for comment.

Programs the human services and counseling organization provides at its headquarters, in the historic Mozart Hall on Main Street, include Angel Arms outpatient services for children born into addiction and their caregivers. Faith Forward officials have expressed a desire to expand the latter program to include a residential component for clients.

Martha Faust, who heads Faith Forward’s board, testified last month that, for now, the organization proposed only to place administrative offices for herself and a caseworker in part of the vacant three-story home it owns on Depot Street, supplementing cramped space at Mozart Hall. She withdrew an additional request to conduct counseling at the home.

“It’s a multi-level house, and maybe some people are concerned they may have people staying there,” James Miller said of the home’s potential eventual use.

“Wouldn’t we rather those people be staying there, if that’s the eventual intended use, where we know that they’re safe,” Albaugh said. “We cannot judge people.

“If we are of the mindset that approving this is going to bring drug addicts into this town, I’ve got news for you folks, the drug addicts are already here.”

He noted it’s a problem that exits in communities across the nation.

“These people have said they are gong to renovate that property and are going to use it for an office,” Albaugh said. “I do not see why we’re going to deny this, especially considering that this town has plenty of dilapidated buildings.

“They’re willing to undertake the renovation necessary to make that building safe and attractive.”

Michael Miller testified last month that Faith Forward has made plumbing improvements in the home and is considering electrical upgrades and possible installation of a new roof — work that he said could total between $100,000 and $150,000.

Faith Forward has 30 days to decide if it wants to appeal the zoning decision to the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas.