CENTER TWP — Two areas of complaint from residents were addressed to Center Township supervisors during two days of meetings this week.

While no action was taken at Wednesday's meeting, supervisors heard concerns about road work and various complaints about a local business that arose at a Tuesday planning meeting.

Several residents attending Tuesday night's agenda setting meeting spoke about concerns regarding road work on South Drive and activity at the Starlight Drive-In.

Three residents spoke about the poor road conditions on South Drive, one of whom, John Guiste, spearheaded the conversation.

Guiste said utility companies have been tearing up the road for many years, and have done a poor job patching and fixing the road after their work was complete.

“I spent over $3,000 on a new yard, and they destroyed it,” he said. “There's got to be something more done.”

Board Chairman Ron Flatt said the township has had communication problems with utility companies about giving prior notice about projects in the township.

“I had written a letter years ago to the PUC (Pennsylvania Utility Commission),” Flatt said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Supervisor Alan Smallwood said the supervisors would take a look at the road, but he added the township did not have money to fix the road immediately because it is already over budget for road improvements.

“I would say we would consider looking at it and paving it next year with the money we get from the state,” Smallwood said.

Also Tuesday, Rick Miller, another homeowner on South Drive, said residents should not have to bring roads in such poor condition to the board's attention.

“I shouldn't have to be here,” Miller said.

Another topic, noise complaints about Starlight Drive-In, was addressed both Tuesday and Wednesday.Resident Mary Anders asked supervisors for an update on a noise ordinance.“I bought my house in 1977,” Anders said. “It's for the peace and quiet.”The discussion was brought up at Tuesday's meeting by resident Suzie Wilson, her husband and another neighbor.Wilson said she and her husband have been working from home due to the pandemic, and she has been bothered by noise and traffic from the drive-in's recent concert and nonmovie events.She said the noise levels have increased at all levels of the day and extended into the evening as late as 11 p.m. She said traffic entering the drive-in has blocked local residents from getting to their homes.“I've always had a sign in my yard that says, 'Drive like your children live here,'” Wilson said. “The second and third concert, I actually drove around in my car to make sure that we weren't having an issue.”Beth Manson, owner of Starlight Drive-In, said she did not attend Tuesday's meeting because she was following COVID-19 protocols by cleaning the drive-in.“The first concert was way too loud. Concert No. 2, we really knocked it down a bit,” Manson said in a phone call Tuesday.Manson said she also was approached with complaints from a few people about fireworks that were displayed one night.“We didn't set off fireworks. We never have,” Manson said. “We could see them, but it wasn't us.”Regarding noise complaints, Flatt said the township is considering an outdoor event ordinance that would restrict the time frame during which such activity could take place.He said supervisors are leaning away from a noise ordinance because they are difficult to enact and enforce.Noise ordinances typically set a decibel limitation that would need to be recorded and documented to prove a violation.“We will continue to refine the ordinance to make it legally enforceable, so we're not wasting our time,” Flatt said Tuesday.On Wednesday, Supervisor Ed Latuska said the board has a draft of an ordinance from years ago, but it needs to be tweaked. He said the ordinance will need to be advertised before it can be approved.“It's not going to affect this summer, or what's left of this summer, but next year, yeah,” Latuska said.Manson said she is concerned an ordinance might restrict the drive-in's ability to hold events.She said the movie industry has slowed with very few new releases, so the drive-in has resorted to playing older films, and she does not know what impact that will have on the business, which she owns with her husband, John.“By having these events, it's giving us a chance to make it through the season,” Manson said. “It's a long winter, and we've got a lot of bills and no money coming in.”On Tuesday, Wilson expressed concern about the number of people the events are bringing in. She estimated “753 people” at the drive-in for one event, and she expected many came from Pittsburgh and other areas outside the county.“What is that bringing to our township? How is that benefiting any of us in any way?” Wilson said. “It seems like someone is taking advantage of the pandemic.”State police handle enforcement of Gov. Tom Wolf's orders, which Flatt conveyed to Wilson.Manson said the drive-in has done everything asked of it by the state, and will continue to obey all rules because they can't afford to break them. She said her staff is constantly cleaning and reminding patrons to socially distance and wear masks. She said her staff is taking temperature checks upon entry.Manson said these types of measures have added up-front costs, but were necessary to keep the drive-in alive.“But that's why we're taking things so seriously,” she said. “Health isn't the only victim of COVID. It's affected everybody.”