Monroeville Council tables Hindu temple expansion at request of church

After drawing some opposition over legal and safety concerns, Monroeville Council tabled a vote on whether to allow an expansion at Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple.

The tabling at Tuesday night's council meeting came at the request of temple leaders who want to smooth over concerns voiced by mayor Greg Erosenko and neighboring residents who were urging council not to approve plans for additional construction at the Hindu temple on Abers Creek Road.

Temple leaders said they have not had a fair chance to present their plans, which include more than 15,100 square feet in new construction in a new temple building, a connecting wing and four new gazebos. A new driveway off Northern Pike is also planned.

The project would require moving almost 25,000 cubic yards of earth on the grounds of the temple.

Leaders at the temple one of three Hindu places of worship in Monroeville and nearby Penn Hills asked the municipality to delay the vote. Instead, council members plan to vote at a meeting next month after representatives of the roughly 100-member congregation have the opportunity to address concerns.

My personal feeling is, we wouldn't have gotten a fair hearing today, said Raghu Malyala, a member of the congregation who lives near temple grounds, after the meeting.

Doug Beitko, a geotechnical engineer for the municipality, defended the project.

While that development is located in a landslide-prone area, there are engineering controls that can be put in place so this does not increase the risk to the development on top of the hill, Beitko said.

There are landslides that could occur regardless of whether this temple is built or not, but they could very well construct that temple without increasing the risk.

The proposed plans include retaining walls to help keep earth on the hillside in place.

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Monroeville Council tables Hindu temple expansion at request of church