A motorcycle club that sought to use a residential-zoned New Kensington property as its new clubhouse will have to find a new hub.
City council voted 3-0 Monday to deny the club’s conditional use application.
Councilmen Todd Mentecki and Timothy DiMaio were absent.
There was an hourlong public hearing before the vote, and council heard from about a dozen residents against the approval and about a half-dozen in support of it.
Those objecting focused on zoning and concerns about noise from the motorcycles.
The city’s planning commission in March voted to not recommend giving the club a conditional use approval.
Councilman Dante Cicconi, a former planning commission member, said he relied heavily on the commission’s decision and residents’ concerns when making the motion to deny the application.
“There was not one deciding factor,” Cicconi said. There were many.”
“It’s not about the people (in the motorcycle club). It’s not about the group. Whatever happens to that building has to go through the correct process.”
The property in question is a one-story brick building at Sixth Street and Sixth Avenue.
It was a former chiropractor’s office, city engineer and zoning officer Anthony Males said.
The zoning was changed from commercial to R-1 residential in 2001.
“(It’s) not a compatible fit with the area,” Males said about the club’s proposal.
The club signed a one-year lease for the building with Olde Towne Overhaul, which bought the space from the Citizens General Hospital Foundation for $25,000 in November 2020. The club has eight active members.
Olde Towne Overhaul started work on improvements to the building but stopped after a visit from Males.
He informed them and club officials about the zoning issue and that they did not have the proper permits.
Hearing concerns
The club was represented by attorney Michael Angelo Maccagnan at the public hearing.
Several of its members, including secretary Jackie Bush and founding member Lee Jones, spoke about the club’s plans and its benefits to the community.
Bush said the club would meet from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. every other Sunday and host monthly bike runs.
Those runs generate awareness and funds for various causes, including the fight against cancer and supporting families of gun violence victims.
Jones said they also participate in cleanup efforts and pledged to do more for the city once their new home is established.
“We’re not down there to make (anything) bad,” Jones said. “We’re down there to make it better.”
Jones also addressed negative bike club stereotypes.
“Despite what some people watch on TV, this ain’t ‘Sons of Anarchy’ or none of that,” Jones said. “It’s just bull. Whatever you see or whatever someone said. We can work together.”
Many of the detractors said they did not have a problem with motorcycles or the club, itself. Their complaints centered around the zoning regulations.
“The conditional use on this I’m against,” resident Frank Link said. “I think the planning commission did their job. … Where this sits is on a one-way street with houses on one side.
“I think you should have a club, but I just don’t think it should be there. That’s all. It’s not made for it.”
Resident Deirdra King said the club was not going to be in town every day, and their vehicles made just as much noise as the cars and trucks and trains that go through New Kensington frequently.
“There’s places all over in this whole city, Arnold, everywhere else that are loud from time to time,” King said. “The building that’s open right now that we’re talking about was abandoned for a long time. Nobody wanted to do anything with it.”
King said other concerns about the club’s potential impact on a residential neighborhood did not make sense.
“Whatever things you want to do and improvements to your home has nothing to with a club organization in your neighborhood,” she said. “You still can plant your flowers, and they’re not going to ride on your flowers. I don’t understand.”
Next club move
Jones said more people were looking to join the club once it had its new headquarters.
He called the decision to deny their application political and vowed to find another location in the city.
“It’s not about what we can bring good and what good can happen out of it,” Jones said. “It’s politics. It’s a bunch of politics that’s involved in it. It’s a shame.”
Jones said the club had an uphill battle coming in to the meeting.
“We knew it when we came in that it wasn’t going to be in our favor,” he said. “We’re in it for the long haul. …
“We’re going to find another building, and we’re going to move into it and keep a watchful eye out to see if the same thing that’s happening now is going to happen again.”
It was unclear what the club would do regarding its lease agreement after council’s decision.
Michael DiVittorio is a TribLive reporter covering general news in Western Pennsylvania, with a penchant for festivals and food. He can be reached at mdivittorio@triblive.com.
