SLIPPERY ROCK — The latest legal move by the borough has citizens up in arms once again about a proposed apartment development.

The Woda Group of Ohio plans to build 50 apartments on Route 173 at the edge of the borough. The apartments would be for lower income residents.

Several borough residents have opposed the development since it first came before the borough council almost two years ago. Those residents attended Tuesday's council meeting and complained the borough wasn't fairly representing them.

David Skeele, a township resident who has been arguing along with those opposed to Woda, said residents are starting to wonder who council is working for.

"We thought council was behind us, but they stabbed everyone in the back," he said.

The Slippery Rock Zoning Hearing Board in June voted to void an ordinance that five years earlier had changed the zoning of the Woda parcel from light manufacturing to multifamily residential. The latest move takes the zoning back to light manufacturing.

Woda appealed that decision about a month ago, and a Butler County judge has yet to decide on the case.

In the meantime, resident Terry Steele filed a lawsuit against the borough stating council should have formally acted on that zoning decision made by the zoning board.

"He wants us to rescind the land development plan we approved," from Woda, said council president Jerry Heller.

The borough's reaction to that lawsuit was filing a motion to quash, Heller said.

The motion basically states Steele has no basis for filing his lawsuit because the borough is not legally required to vote on rescinding the plan.

In the meantime, a new state law could complicate the borough's legal processes. That law states no action a borough has taken which allows a developer to proceed can be overturned by procedural problems.

While lawyers on the side of the borough and the developer examine what that new law means for Woda, company representatives are working with the borough to complete the conditions placed upon the development when it was approved months ago.

Heller isn't sure how this will turn out, but said residents shouldn't be concerned about building permits for Woda.

"We will not give any building permit until this is fought through the courts," he said.

Skeele said borough officials are scared of being sued.

"Their lawyer is showing them the path of least legal resistance," he said.

Poplar Forest resident Craig Lawson told council members he is investigating ways to move boundaries so this housing development would be moved to Slippery Rock Township.