Shadow on the Lawn

City Council Testimony – December 6, 2011

The title of my public comments today is: “Shadow on the Lawn.” It is not the name of a new hit song or of a sci-fi movie thriller. Rather, it represents and once again brings to light the University of Pittsburgh’s apparent domination over this council, the Mayor, and the Planning Commission.

The University of Pittsburgh came before this council last year and was given approval for a 158-bed dormitory expansion on Oakland Avenue. Not a single question was asked of the testifying Pitt administrator as to what impact that expansion would have on the elderly long-time residents of Oakland. The Mayor and Planning Commission also gave their approval for this expansion.

Incredibly, Pitt is not required to come back to the Council for any future expansion plans, but instead can go directly to the Planning Commission.

This brings us to the “Shadow on the Lawn.” On March 22 of this year, the University went before the Planning Commission for approval of a 559-bed dormitory expansion on University Place. Here is a copy of the minutes which are available online.

When the chairman called for questions and comments by the Commission members, the primary concern was whether or not the 10-story building would cast a shadow on the lawn in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Building. There were no questions or comments by Commission members as to what impact the expansion would have on the elderly long-time residents of Oakland. Once again, it is as if these residents of our community do not exist.

If a university were to build a massive dormitory in your neighborhood, you would want an honest assessment as to what impact that expansion would have on the lives of your family and neighbors. Yet the University of Pittsburgh was not required to provide our community with an honest and comprehensive Impact Statement.

From the very beginning of our grassroots movement, nearly five years ago, we have stressed the importance and priority of human dignity. Recent events at Penn State have brought human dignity back to the forefront as a great concern.

Some state legislators are realizing that it was wrong to give universities, such as Penn State and Pitt, an exemption from the Right to Know Act, and they are finally taking action to right that wrong. We hope that members of this City Council and the Planning Commission, as well as the Mayor and others, will also reassess their values and principles, and help us put an end to the injustices against the elderly long-time residents of Oakland.

Carlino Giampolo