Churchill Residents Ramp Up Protests Against Proposed Amazon Distribution Center
ALLEGHENY COUNTY (KDKA) -- Churchill residents ramped up their protests against a proposed Amazon facility in the borough.
On Monday, a large crowd protested before Churchill Borough Council's virtual public meeting. Drivers honked in support of the large group that held signs urging leaders to deny a conditional use permit to Amazon.
The online retail giant wants to build a distribution center at the old George Westinghouse Research and Technology Park.
Residents opposed to the facility say this isn't a "not-in-my-backyard issue." They're calling the proposed 634,000-square-foot warehouse facility immorally wrong for anyone's neighborhood, citing older infrastructure in the borough, massive truck traffic and safety issues they say weren't studied nearly enough.
"It's obscene how large it is, and they are going to completely destroy this site," said Cathy Bordner of Churchhill Future. "So once Amazon leaves, which will eventually happen, it will be completely unusable."
"Inventory is going to be turning over every 12 to 24 hours and a mega footprint," said Diana Yankes, a write-in candidate for borough council.
Yankes is one of five candidates on the ballot next Tuesday who are vying for seats on Churchill Borough Council. Many residents hope enough ballots will be cast for the new group of candidates in an attempt to get a newly configured council.
Members currently on the council, as well as Amazon, cite job growth, increased tax revenue and a chance to renovate an abandoned building.
There are also three recently added write-in candidates who will be on the ballot that oppose Amazon.