Borough of Etna

Add/Remove Yourself
SwiftReach Networks, Inc.

Tune to 1670 AM for the Etna Borough Emergency Alert Radio Station

"WE WILL ACT TODAY SO THAT IN THE FUTURE OUR COMMUNITY IS AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE THAT IS THRIVING AND ECONOMICALLY SOUND. WE ENVISION AN ETNA THAT IS KNOWN FOR A GOOD SCHOOL SYSTEM AND COOPERATIVE GOVERNMENT. OUR FUTURE INCLUDES A FOCUS ON SAFETY AND A RESPECTED, COMMUNITY-ORIENTED POLICE FORCE. WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF FLOOD CONTROL"

Etna is a small bustling community covering one square mile along the banks of the Allegheny River, and is bordered on three sides by Millvale, Shaler Township, and Sharpsburg. Centrally located, Etna is just 10 minutes (non-rush hour) from downtown Pittsburgh and close enough for easy access to the shopping centers in North Hills, Fox Chapel, and Monroeville, the cultural opportunities in Oakland and North Side, and the nine local Colleges and Universities.

Once a mill town, over the past twenty years, Etna has re-emerged as a residential community with a highly diversified business base. Within its borders are over 160 businesses ranging from good-sized industrial firms to smaller, family-owned retail and consumer outlets.

2017 Side Yard and Blighted Structure Program Application Period Open

County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced today that the 2017 Side Yard and Blighted Structure application period has opened. The program provides applicants in 50 municipalities the opportunity to acquire vacant lots and structures at a discounted cost through the Vacant Property Recovery Program.

“We’re delighted to be able to again offer this program to our residents. The Vacant Property Recovery Program helps neighbors and municipalities by helping to take vacant, blighted properties and put them back into use as side yards, other development or even as parks and green space,” said Fitzgerald. “From 2015 to 2016, the program received 620 applications, accepted 246 properties and conveyed 164 properties to new owners. That effort, in turn, improves the safety of neighborhoods, eliminates maintenance costs to municipalities, and encourages community reinvestment.”

Allegheny County will accept applications from individuals, businesses, non-profits or government entities to acquire vacant properties in 50 municipalities which currently participate in the Vacant Property Recovery Program. Those communities are:

Applications must be postmarked no later than August 31, 2017. Up to 60 applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis with only five applications accepted per municipality in order to ensure that all may participate. Applicants must be current on taxes, water, sewage and refuse bills on all properties owned in Allegheny County. Applicants may not have any outstanding code violations or municipal liens on any properties.

“We’re proud to play a part in helping municipalities redevelop and revitalize their neighborhoods by offering this program through Economic Development. Based on the number of applications over the past two years, there is real demand for the program,” said Robert Hurley, Director of Economic Development. “We know that communities which take advantage of the program for their residents see a significant improvement in those neighborhoods where the vacant property is converted. Our hope is that even more municipalities join the program moving forward.”

Enrollment in the Vacant Property Recovery Program is open to municipalities throughout Allegheny County and currently includes 69 municipalities. Discounts similar to the 2017 Side Yard and Blighted Structure Program are available on an ongoing basis to the other 19 municipalities that currently participate in the program. Those municipalities are:

Funding for the program is provided through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, county general funds and applicant payments towards acquisition costs.

For additional information, or to request an application, please call 412-350-1090 or visit the Allegheny County Vacant Property Recovery Program’s webpage at http://bit.ly/2017SideYd.

Click Here to download the application.

Southwestern Pennsylvania Sustainable Community Essentials Certification

Etna Borough is proud to announce that it is among the first municipalities to become certified through the Southwestern Pennsylvania Sustainable Community Essentials Certification program. Etna is recognized at the Silver level of certification for meeting the program’s rigorous performance criteria which tracks 131 policies and practices that define a sustainable community. This Certification, developed by Sustainable Pittsburgh, is designed for municipalities that are working to save money, conserve resources and serve vibrant communities. In earning the Silver Certification, Etna is acknowledged for its progress in addressing such areas as community design and land use, energy efficiency, health and wellness, mitigating blight, intergovernmental cooperation, recycling and waste reduction, fiscal controls, and internal management and operations. Details regarding how we are addressing these areas can be found on the certification
program’s website: www.sustainablecommunityessentials.org

Etna has now been designated a Sustainable Pennsylvania Certified Silver Community.

Free Senior Transportation Service

There is a Free Rides for Seniors Shuttle that transports seniors in your community to grocery shopping and UPMC medical appointments in the Route 28 corridor.

Communities served by the shuttle include: Brackenridge, Cheswick, Etna, Millvale, Oakmont, Natrona Heights, Springdale, Tarentum and Verona.  The shuttle runs on different days for different communities. Please call 412-449-0151 for a schedule!

The shuttle is driven and dispatched by friendly volunteers from North Hills Community Outreach and funded by St. Margaret Foundation. The service is truly free  -- seniors (60 and older) do not pay for this service.

Seniors are encouraged to call the Kerry or Danielle at the Free Rides for Seniors office at 412-449-0151 to learn more about the shuttle.

Special Needs Registry

Allegheny County Emergency Management Agency launched the “Special Needs Registry” this past February. This Special Needs Registry allows residents with physical, mental health or intellec-tual disabilities to provide information to the De-partment of Emergency Services. This voluntary information may then be shared with those re-sponding to a home for a police, fire or medical emergency. The Special Needs Registry is intended only for those who live independently and not in a residential needs facility such as a nursing home or group home. The Special Needs Registry can be found at the County’s website at www.alleghenycounty.us/specialneedsregistry Information provided through the Registry will be programmed to appear on the screen when an emergency call is made from the home. This will allow dispatchers to alert emergency responders that there may be a unique situation in the home involving a person with special needs.

Zoning Ordinance Rehab

At the December Council meeting, the new ZONINGORDINANCE, NO. 1361, was unanimously adopted by Etna Borough Council. This ordinance is the culmination of over two years work by the Borough, first with the adoption of the new Comprehensive Plan, Riverbend, in June of 2014 which included a major goal of a total rehab of our zoning laws. You can check the new ordinance out at www.etnaborough.org. We thank the committee who participated in the long process and all of those residents who attended public hearings and meetings on both the Comprehensive Plan and the new zoning ordinance and provided their input. We hope and believe this new ordinance will help us achieve other short and long term goals of our Comprehensive Plan.

Teen Day 2016

The Borough would like to thank everyone who participated in Teen Day this year, and a special thanks to all the businesses that donated prizes for the raffle. Also, congrats to the Kids, who beat the Cops 44 – 38 in this year’s Cops vs. Kids Basketball Game.

Pilot Parking Permit Program

In November 2015, Council adopted Ordinance No. 1360, which instituted a Pilot Parking Permit Program which took effect April 1 of 2016. The program has recently been modified, and residential parking permits will be required for parking on Maplewood Street from Garrick Street to Locust Street, a portion of Pine Street (the side across from the playground and swimming pool - odd numbered side), a portion of Locust Street from the intersection of High Street to Maplewood Street on the even numbered side), Locust Street from Maplewood Street to Pine Street on the odd numbered side) and Garrick Street. In order to obtain a permit, a resident must provide verification of car ownership and/or specific written permission to operate a company vehicle, payment in full for the permit, proof of current vehicle registration, proof of current vehicle insurance, proof of valid driver’s license with the address located in one of the designated permit zones and proof of payment of all wage and property taxes.

All permit zones will have 2 hours of free parking, and enforcement hours on Pine Street and Locust Street from the intersection with Maplewood to the Pine Street pedestrian bridge will be from 5pm to 7am. All other areas in the zone will be enforced 24/7. There will be no enforcement on all Borough-designated holidays.

Visitor permits will also be sold. Only one visitor permit may be purchased at a time and will be issued to eligible residents for his/her visitors. Each permit is good for seven uses in a thirty day period. Caregiver permits will also be available and will be issued for one year to the eligible residents. The resident must show proof of residency and submit a statement of need for the Caregiver Permit. For company vehicles, only one company automobile per household shall be permitted but will not be in addition to the number of permits allowed per household. Households will be limited to two parking permits per household but if the household has a garage or off-street parking available, that household will only be eligible to obtain one permit. On-street parking permits are non-transferrable and all permits will be good for one year – from April 1 through March 31. Resident permits will cost $20.00 annually, Visitor permits are $10.00 (for 7 uses) and Caregiver Permits are also $20.00 annually. Contractor passes will be provided at no charge, pending the approval of a completed an application. Other conditions (such as display, etc.) are in the full text of the ordinance.

The Borough would like to take this opportunity to thank the residents of these areas for their input and thoughtful considerations and deliberations during the numerous public meetings regarding this pilot parking program. This request was brought to council by a resident living in this neighborhood of the community, which has some very specific and particular parking challenges due to the summer time use of the municipal swimming pool and playground, the fall and winter use of the Etna Deck Hockey Rink at the playground, the fall ScareHouse event and the large employer located on Pine Street. This is a very active sector of our community. These activities are good for the community and we are grateful for them; but, they do pose additional parking problems for the residents in this area. This Ordinance, which was drafted with the input of all of those in the designated zones, will be monitored for a one year period to see if it is effective in helping the residential parking issues there. Again, our thanks go out to the many residents who attended the public hearings on the issue and shared their thoughts on how to tackle this problem.

Parking Permit Application

Weatherization Assistance Program

ACTION-Housing operates the Weatherization Assistance Program for the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Washington, and Greene counties. The Weatherization Assistance Program is a federally-funded program that provides eligible homeowners and renters with free-of-charge weatherization services, which refers to the process of reducing the amount of air infiltration into and out of the home. This process should improve energy efficiency, reduce heating and electric bills, and make the home a more comfortable place to live. Click Here to find out more.