Some Moon Township neighbors concerned over large church festival planned for this summer

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Moon Township community members packed the municipal building Wednesday evening with concerns over a festival that’s expected to bring thousands of people to the area at the end of the month.

Township leaders said Revival Today Church isn’t following the rules and regulations to move forward with the massive event but is still trying to without approval.

The weeklong evangelical event is planned from June 30 to July 7 at the former Baywood Country Club on Coraopolis Heights Road.

The church put up a huge tent on the property about a week ago for the event but without permits or permission from the township.

Many community members are frustrated.

“I’m asking, begging the board to do what’s right,” Dan Herdman of Moon Township said. “Protect the taxpayers of this township and please deny this project.”

More than a dozen people spoke out against the church’s plans during the packed public meeting.

“They need to work with us,” one woman said. “They need to come in to make our community even better but they’re not doing that and that concerns me.”

Longtime Moon resident Shane Tyra agreed.

“Frankly, the proposal that Revival Today Church is putting together is absurd,” Tyra said. “This township does not need this. It can’t support the traffic. The community certainly doesn’t want it.”

The township’s board of supervisors said the church’s event is expected to hold up to 12,000 people and use 6,000 parking spaces.

“Our infrastructure is already taxed,” Herdman said.

Community members worry the festival will create a traffic nightmare on the windy, narrow road and safety problems.

“It is a one-lane road each way,” another woman said. “This township is not built for that kind of traffic in that area.”

Local leaders are now taking action.

The board of supervisors voted to give the solicitor the power to take whatever action necessary to enforce its ordinances at the property on Coraopolis Heights Road and another on Patton Drive that the church wants to use as a place of worship.

“We’re not necessarily trying to stop the church,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman David Bachman. “What we’re upset, what is a problem for us is they’re not doing it by applying for any of the ordinances and following the regulations of the township.”

Township leaders said it’ll be impossible for the church to get all the permits it needs before the event at the end of the month.

A representative for the church was at the public meeting but did not have a comment.

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