Frequently Asked Questions

Contact the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation or the South Fayette Township Police Department to request an application for a placard.

After it is received, your family doctor fills it out, and it is returned to the Department of Transportation in Harrisburg. If you qualify, the placard is then issued by the Department of Transportation. The completed application also can be processed by a notary.

Visit the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation website for more information.

Yes. Please complete the Vacation Check Request Form and return it to the police station during regular office hours. Call 412-221-2170 for assistance with the form.

You can mail your request to:

Records Clerk
South Fayette Township Police Department
100 Township Drive
First Floor
South Fayette, PA 15017

In your request, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a check or money order with the appropriate fee made payable to South Fayette Township Police Department. Also include the date of the complaint, accident or incident, location, incident number and/or name of the person(s) involved or operator of the vehicles. Also include a telephone number where you can be reached.

Processing time is generally 3 to 5 working days. You may stop at the South Fayette Township Police Department to pick up your report during regular office hours. Please call 412-221-2170 with your request so the report is available upon arrival.

Traffic citations and non-traffic citations (tickets, except for parking tickets) can be paid at the following location:

District Court 05-2-21
Judge Maureen McGraw-Desmet
295 Millers Run Road
South Fayette, PA 15017
Phone: 412-221-3353

They can also be paid by mail or in person at the South Fayette Township Police Department during regular office hours.

No. In the event of a crime, police officers need to respond to the scene and gather information as soon as possible. If you want to file a late-reported or a hit-and-run accident, you must call 911 to request an officer and then bring your vehicle to the police station. In this case, the police department will make a complaint only that you have reported the incident or accident.

Visit the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation website.

The Pennsylvania State Police is the central repository for criminal history information in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The state police website details the steps for obtaining criminal history information.

The South Fayette Township Police Department provides this information to the Pennsylvania State Police for dissemination to the public via their uniform crime reporting website.

Under certain circumstances, Pennsylvania crime victims may receive compensation. For more information, visit the Victims' Compensation Assistance Program website.

No. Fingerprinting is not a service offered by the police department.

The township, county or state may be responsible for repairing road issues or providing snow maintenance, depending on who owns and maintains the road.

South Fayette Township Roads

• Submit concerns about roads owned and/or maintained by South Fayette Township.

Allegheny County Roads

• Submit concerns about roads owned and/or maintained by Allegheny County Public Works.
• Find out which roads and bridges are maintained by Allegheny County Public Works and learn what issues the county can assist with.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Roads

• Submit concerns about roads owned and/or maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, District 11.

South Fayette Township contains roadways that are owned and / or maintained by three separate political entities:

• South Fayette Township owns and maintains approximately 80 miles of local roadways within South Fayette, plus provides snow maintenance on 33 miles of state roads through contractual agreements.
• Allegheny County maintains the roads and bridges that it owns.
• State-owned roads and bridges are maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), or they are maintained by South Fayette under a maintenance agreement.

Other streets are privately owned by individuals, developers and homeowner associations. All road owners are responsible for providing their own maintenance, such as paving, storm drain repair and snow plowing.

Report road concerns to the entity that owns or maintains the road.

Who treats my road for snow and ice?

State-owned roads treated by PennDOT

• State Route 50
• Washington Pike
• Boyce Road
• Mayview Road

State-owned roads treated by South Fayette Township Public Works

Any state roads that South Fayette maintains involves the portions located within South Fayette Township. Additions were made for the 2023-2024 snow season.

• Battle Ridge Road
• Kenneweg Avenue
• Millers Run Road
• Oakridge Road
• Presto-Sygan Road
• Robinson Run Road
• Union Avenue

County-owned roads treated by Allegheny County Public Works

• Thoms Run Road
• Seminary Avenue
• Multiple bridges

Township roads owned and treated by South Fayette Township Public Works

• All township-owned streets, alleys and roadways

If there is any question as to who maintains your street, please contact the township office or the Public Works Department.

Interactive Maps - Allegheny County

• Who treats my road for snow and ice?
• Who owns my road?
• Who maintains my park?

Let’s work together to ensure a safe, successful snow removal season. When snow is on the roads, please:

Avoid parking on road

• Do not park vehicles on roads or culs-de-sac.

Remove obstacles

• Remove portable basketball hoops or other equipment that is blocking the road or hanging above the road.
• Trim back any overgrown trees or vegetation.

Secure mailboxes

• Ensure your mailbox does not extend over the edge of the road.
• As needed, repair your mailbox or post to withstand the force of snow pushed from the street onto the roadside. (The township repairs or replaces only mailboxes / posts that are actually struck by the plow blade.)

Shovel smartly

• Shovel your driveway AFTER the snow plow clears your road.
• Do not shovel your snow into the road.
• When standing in your driveway facing the road, shovel to your right

Keep fire hydrants clear

• Clear a 3-foot diameter around fire hydrants.
• Shovel a path between the hydrant and the street.

You can report a road snow or ice issue through our 24-hour Citizen Request Tracker webpage.

Or call the township office at 412-221-8700 during regular hours. Tell us your name, phone number, address and nature of your problem. After hours, emergencies only can be reported to the police department by calling 9-1-1.

If you have any non-emergency questions or concerns about snow removal, please contact Public Works: 412-221-8700, ext. 223.

Public Works operates up to 17 snow removal vehicles to plow and salt.

Depending on the time, duration, and intensity of the storm, the department will have anywhere from 3 to 17 employees on the roads.

• Type of storm. Wet snow, fluffy snow, ice?
• Day of the week. Is it a work day? A weekend? A holiday? A school day?
• Hour of the day. Is it before morning rush hour or evening rush hour? Is it in the middle of the night?
• Expected severity of the storm. Quantity of snow expected? Duration expected?
• Availability of resources.
• Union contract requirements.
• Budgetary limitations.

South Fayette Township is divided into 17 routes, and each route is subdivided into primary and secondary routes.

Once notified of a storm emergency, the public works director or superintendent determines the number of workers needed and notifies the available employees, and then distributes the required routes.

Workers first clear and treat their assigned primary routes. After all primary routes are completed and passable, they proceed to their secondary routes. When drivers finish their assigned routes, they are dispatched to help with other routes. Primary routes sometimes require several trips before secondary routes can be started.

Primary routes include main arteries and roads that directly connect to them; school, municipal and emergency routes; and streets leading to a health care facilities.

Secondary routes are streets and culs-de-sac in housing developments, along with sparsely populated residential streets, less traveled country roads and community parks.

Public Works regards all roads in the township as important but prioritizes primary routes.

Winter operations occur year-round. Each season requires different tasks to be completed to achieve successful winter maintenance.

Spring

• Hold post-winter meeting
• Solicit public feedback
• Organize winter data
• Perform spring cleanup
• Conduct road field inspections
• Develop comprehensive snow plan of action

Summer

• Start to implement action plan
• Plan drainage work to eliminate ice problems
• Complete equipment and material storage building repairs
• Complete obstruction removal (lower manholes)
• Remedy action-prone areas
• Prepare bids and specifications for equipment and materials

Fall (Early)

• Place first order for salt and anti-skid materials
• Finalize snow agreement with neighbors
• Update snow map

Fall (Late)

• Inspect, prepare, and calibrate winter equipment
• Conduct employee winter training
• Discuss any new procedures with union
• Meet with school district officials
• Conduct dry runs of all snow routes

Winter

• Be prepared for first storm
• Conduct operational review during storm
• Review operations after the storm
• Complete and review all winter documentation

The sewage authority handles dye tests, sanitary sewer inspections and sewage billing. Contact the Municipal Authority of the Township of South Fayette at 412-257-5100.

Call the Building Inspection & Code Enforcement office at 412-221-8700 to schedule an inspection.

When an existing home is sold to a new owner, the closing company, real estate agent, lending institution or private party acquires two items from South Fayette Township, along with the associated fees:

1. Residential Occupancy Registration listing the new buyer’s information; and
2. Municipal No-Lien Letter.

In addition, the local sewer authority must issue a No-Lien Letter and Dye Test/Lateral Inspection, and the local Real Estate Tax collector must issue a tax certification.

Visit our occupancy registration webpage for details.

Waste Management, the township's waste hauler, has set guidelines for the materials accepted in curbside residential recycling carts.

The following items are ACCEPTED:

• Glass bottles, jugs and jars
  
• Metal cans (steel, tin, aluminum)
• Paper (brown paper bags, magazines, newspaper, non-shredded, non-confidential office paper)
• Plastic bottles, jars, jugs, tubs (#1 & #2 and #5 tubs)
  
• Flattened cardboard & paperboard (such as cereal, tissue, delivery boxes)

These items are NOT accepted:

• Dairy, juice, broth cartons or paper cardboard
• Plastics #3-7
• Anything not included on the "accepted" list

Report a missed trash or recycling pickup online anytime through our Citizen Request Tracker, and your message will be automatically sent to both the township and hauler Waste Management.

Or call the township office at 412-221-8700 during regular business hours.

Visit our trash and recycling webpage for more information about waste collection.

Register online, visit the township office at 100 Township Drive, Second Floor, South Fayette PA 15017, or call 412-221-8700, ext. 222. Find more answers in our FAQs for recreation program registration.

The Real Estate (Property) Tax Collector is elected to collect taxes for both South Fayette Township and the South Fayette School District.

Twelve polling places are located in South Fayette Township.

All voting matters are handled by the Allegheny County Elections Division.

For curbside recycling, all types of recycling may be mixed together and placed in a single container; no sorting is needed.

Do not bag recyclables. Please wash, dry and squash items before placing them in the cart / bin.

All items must fit into the bin with the lid closed. Items placed outside the bin normally will not be picked up.

These materials are accepted in recycling containers:

• Glass bottles and containers
• Plastic bottles, cups, containers (generally #1 & #2, except no clam-shells) and plastic tubs (#5)
• Food and beverage cans (steel, tin, aluminum)
• Paper and paper cups (brown paper bags, non-confidential office paper, newspaper, magazines, to-go paper cups)
• Flattened cardboard and paperboard (shipping boxes, cereal boxes, etc.)

• Generally plastics #3-5 & 7 (except plastic tubs marked #5)
• Juice and dairy cartons, and similar food and beverage containers
• Plastic bags, film (do not bag recyclables)
• TVs and other electronics
• Shredded paper
• Food waste
• Liquids
• Foam (Styrofoam) containers, cups, straws
• Medical waste
• Batteries, power tools, flammables, hazardous waste
• Clothing, furniture, carpet
• Green/yard waste (grass clippings, twigs, branches, etc.)
• Anything besides items in the list of accepted materials

View and print a visual recycling guide from WM.

Visit Waste Management’s Recycle Often, Recycle Right web page for details on curbside recycling collection.

Recycling is mandatory, according to the township code.

If you are moving into a newly built home, call 1-800-866-4460 and WM (Waste Management) will deliver a recycling cart to your residence.

Every eligible residence receives one 64-gallon recycling cart for free. The bin stays with the home if you move. It is green with a yellow lid and has the SF township logo on it.

Additional recycling carts

• If you need to purchase an additional recycling cart, you will need to pay an annual fee to WM (Waste Management). The additional cart will have the WM logo (not SF). This fee pays for the additional service, not the cart itself.
• To order an additional cart, call WM at 1-800-866-4460 and say “SERVICE CHANGE” to the phone system prompt. You will be directed to an agent to place your order and pay for your cart.

If your pickup has been missed, or if you have any other concerns regarding trash or recycling collection, please report your issue with our 24-hour online Citizen Request Tracker.

Your message will be immediately and automatically directed to WM (Waste Management) and South Fayette Township.

Alternatively, you may call the township at 412-221-8700 during regular business hours, or call WM at 1-800-866-4460.

Please place your bin a minimum of 3 feet from other objects, such as your garbage can, a mailbox, a car or a tree.

The lid opening (not the logo) should face the street.

You may write your house number on your bin with permanent marker for easy identification.

The 64-gallon wheeled carts are designed to be picked up and unloaded by automated arms attached to Waste Management trucks.

• Size: 31.75” L x 24.25” W x 41.75” H
• Moves easily on wheels
• Withstands wind gusts up to 50 MPH
• Attached, hinged lid

The one bin that the township provides must stay with the house when you move.

Contact WM (Waste Management) is you are discontinuing use of any additional bins that you are paying for directly.

WM (Waste Management) maintains the recycling bins (including wheels and lids). If your container breaks, please report the damage to WM.

To report damage to a recycling cart, visit the WM website.

In the middle of the screen, do the following:

• Type in your address
• Select "For Home"
• Click on "Get Started"
• Choose on "Container Service" to report an issue with the cart.

This will automatically generate a repair or replace ticket on the account.

You may need to create a WM website account to report the cart issue.

Recycling collection in South Fayette Township occurs every other week on the same day as your trash collection.

Please place bins at the curb the night before, or before 6 a.m. on pickup day, and remove promptly after emptied.

Please note that on recycling days, pickup times may vary, and there is no guarantee your recycling will be picked up at the same time each collection.

If a Waste Management scheduled holiday falls during the week (Monday-Friday) and your scheduled pickup is on or after the holiday, pickup will be 1 day later for the remainder of the week. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there will be no change in service.

Waste Management observes six holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

No. Plastic bags (grocery bags, store bags, trash bags) are not permitted in recycling bins. They cannot be recycled through the curbside recycling program.

Plastic bags get tangled in sorting machines at single-stream recycling facilities, including the one where South Fayette recyclables are sorted. The bags can prevent the sorting machine from working correctly and effectively.

Instead, take them to a bag recycling drop-off bin at a store near you.

No. Do not bag recyclables before placing them in the bin.

Simply place loose, dry items directly into the recycling bin.

At the recycling plant, if items are bagged, extra employees need to be added to open up the bag and retrieve the contents. The bag is then discarded as residue or contamination. Any bags that are missed get tangled in the sorting machines, which can prevent the machine from doing its job.

Cardboard boxes must be flattened and placed inside a recycling bin with the lid closed in order to be collected by Waste Management’s automated recycling trucks.

No. Only the official green and yellow recycling carts may be used.

The carts are specially manufactured to work with and ensure the WM (Waste Management) automated recycling arms.

You can use a permanent marker to write your address on your recycling bin. The serial numbers on the bins are not recorded as being associated with any particular address.

Residents are not billed for the basic level of garbage or recycling collection.

South Fayette Township contracts with hauler WM (Waste Management) for curbside residential waste collection. The township pays the hauler directly from the general fund.

Commercial locations, along with apartment buildings/multi-family residences with more than four units, must make separate arrangements for waste pickup.

Residents can pay WM directly to dispose of larger amounts of trash or recycling, or to engage other special waste collection services.

Specially equipped Waste Management trucks have automated arms that the driver controls to pick up the recycling carts and unload the contents into the truck.

The method is more cost-effective than traditional, manual recycling collection, and it is safer for the waste company employees.

The eastern coyote is a member of the canid, or dog family. It is larger than its western cousin - typically attributed to wolf-coyote hybridization - and usually has one of four pelt colorations: tri-color (German shepherd-like), red, blond and dark brown (appears black at a distance).

Adult males weigh 45 to 55 pounds; females, 35 to 40 pounds.

When seeing one for the first time, many people mistake eastern coyotes for dogs. Look for black lines running up and down the front of the front legs, yellow eyes and a cylindrical-shaped, low-hanging tail.

Adult coyotes are much larger than foxes, and they tend to travel trails, dirt roads and habitat edges.

Coyotes usually steer clear of people. They’ll leave an area at the first sign of human intrusion.

But under the cover of darkness, as human activities slow almost to a halt, coyotes sneak into areas they normally avoid during daylight hours. They canvass agricultural fields, visit picnic sites and backyards in rural areas, and work the waysides of interstate highways in their quest for food. Most people bump into coyotes while hunting, hiking or driving at night.

Coyotes rarely display aggressive behavior toward people. If people appear, they usually run. That’s good.

Still, coyotes deserve our respect. Barring the black bear, it’s the state’s largest predatory animal. That should be enough reason for anyone to give this animal due respect.

There have been a few incidents in the northeastern United States where coyotes have attacked people. Why is unclear, but those who study these animals believe the coyotes mistook the persons attacked as wildlife prey.

Coyotes are opportunists. They’ll eat almost anything.

Coyotes do spend considerable time mousing, but they’ll settle in a second for a rotting road-killed deer, or a cat or small dog that strays too far from the house.

Coyotes raising young can be a problem for farmers during spring and summer. Sheep, chickens and ducks are especially vulnerable.

Most times coyotes kill what they need and leave with it. But on occasion they seem to go on killing sprees.

Once an animal that could be found only in Pennsylvania’s most remote settings, coyotes, with each passing year, have been discovered closer and closer to civilization. As they adapt to living in the suburbs, their way of life may change. Given this situation, the profile on Pennsylvania’s coyotes may be incomplete.

But let’s face it, as cunning and large as this canid is, it’s quite capable of almost anything as it relates to disturbing and killing pets and some farm animals. So play it safe, give coyotes the consideration they deserve.

Coyotes howl infrequently, but when they do, especially on a cold quiet day, or right before dark, it carries for a long way in wild areas.

Howls are thought to be used by coyotes to announce their location. Coyotes are known to howl in response to loud noises like fire alarm whistles. They also seem willing to respond to most coyote howling calls, so long as they hear them.

Eastern coyotes don’t pack like wolves, but do run in family units and pairs. Although families usually break up in autumn, they occasionally stay together until breeding activity starts in mid-winter.

Coyotes do kill deer - both adults and fawns - and will feed on deer remains from highway accidents and gut piles left by hunters.

A fawn study conducted in 2000 and 2001 on the Quehanna Wild Area and in Penns Valley - near State College - concluded that predators accounted for almost half of all fawn mortalities in the study. Black bears and coyotes were nearly equal in the number of fawns they killed and together, black bears and coyotes, accounted for two-thirds of all predator mortalities.

Nonetheless, the fawn survival rates established for the two study areas were comparable to geographic areas similar to our state in the northern reaches of the white-tailed deer range and did not adversely impact the deer population’s ability to replenish annual losses caused by hunting, predators and other limiting factors.

In addition, we have not seen evidence that coyotes are killing a significant number of healthy adult deer in Pennsylvania. Being opportunists, they tend to spend more time patrolling the shoulders of state highways to consume deer killed in collisions with vehicles than stalking mature whitetails.

Coyotes usually kill deer by grabbing and holding onto their throats. Then they consume the internal organs, particularly the liver, which is very nutritious.

Dogs, on the other hand, take down deer by grabbing the hind quarters, which is also where they typically start eating.

The eastern coyote’s origin has been a topic of debate for some time. Some folks actually believe the agency has stocked coyotes in recent years to reduce deer numbers. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Coyotes have been documented in Pennsylvania since the late 1930s and ’40s. How they got here, or whether they were here all along, is the missing link to the coyote story. Some biologists believe coyotes have always been a part of Pennsylvania’s wildlife community. Others believe western coyotes migrated north into Canada, bred with gray wolves and the resulting hybrid moved south into New England and New York and, eventually, Pennsylvania. Another possibility is that coyotes held in captivity escaped or were set free.

Game Commission stocking stories began in the late ’80s after a coyote pup ear-tagged by a wildlife conservation officer was shot by a deer hunter. The pup, which was fitted with a telemetry collar and bobcat ear tag (#0026), was trapped on a Greene County farm where coyotes were killing sheep. It was hoped the pup would lead the officer to its den. Within days, however, the young coyote couldn’t be located with radio gear; it apparently had shaken its telemetry collar. The coyote, minus its collar, was shot a few months later. Stories began to spread that it bore a ear tag from a western state, and that at least 25 other coyotes had been released, given the tag’s number.

The rumors continue. The Game Commission has never released out-of-state coyotes, or trapped and transferred coyotes, and won’t in the future.

We have, however, trapped, tagged and released Pennsylvania coyotes for research purposes in recent years. We’ve also liberalized hunting seasons. Coyotes can be hunted year-round with few exceptions and there are no bag limits. Our coyote population can handle this pressure because it’s underutilized and very resilient.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is interested in meeting with anyone who can produce evidence of coyotes being stalked in the Commonwealth at anytime in the last 100 years.

We’re especially interested in seeing any of the so-called imported coyotes - tattooed, ear-tagged or whatever - that have been seen or found by eyewitnesses. If someone comes forward with evidence, we’ll look into it and report our findings to the public.

Bounties were placed on coyotes in western states for decades and they didn’t lead to any significant population reduction.

The main reason was that about 70 percent of a coyote population has to be removed annually in order to cause a population decline. Even then, coyotes - like many other species - have demonstrated an ability to offset population declines by increasing their litter size. It’s spurred by a built-in biological mechanism that responds to population deficits.

A bounty system has never successfully eliminated or significantly reduced coyote populations anywhere in North America. Coyotes have a superior ability to adapt to a changing environment. Attempts to reduce coyote populations in western states using year-round poisoning, hunting and trapping resulted in millions of dollars being spent over many decades with little reduction in coyote numbers.

The result of any predator control method is temporary and often very localized. No measurable good ever resulted from the Game Commission’s predator bounties in the 1900s. They truly were a waste of money.

Coyotes are very elusive when it comes to hunting and trapping them. You shouldn’t expect to head afield and harvest them without considerable effort and planning.

Although a substantial number of coyotes are taken annually by trappers and by hunters who call them, the largest part of the harvest is taken by deer hunters and fox trappers. The Game Commission has maintained liberal hunting opportunities for coyotes with an eye toward interesting more Pennsylvanians in pursuing them. And, more are.

But it’s tough to take one. Just ask anyone who hunts coyotes. The same applies to trapping. To generate more interest among trappers, the agency now permits certified trappers to use cable restraints for taking coyotes.

A homeowner association is a legally recognized, nonprofit entity with automatic, mandatory membership for its homeowners. Members are required to comply with their HOA rules and standards, which are established through deeds, covenants and other legal documents that are put in place when a home is purchased.

In order to preserve architectural and aesthetic elements specific to a neighborhood, HOAs may define requirements for design elements such as paint color, landscaping, window style or fence height, as well as regulate issues such whether a resident can park an RV in the driveway or build a shed.

An HOA normally is created by either a residential real estate developer or a group of property owners. Pennsylvania does not require the formation of HOAs, but the state legally recognizes them and has established rules and responsibilities for them to adhere to.

Most HOAs are governed by a set of bylaws that outlines the structure of the organization. Elected board members may manage the HOA as volunteers, or they may hire a management company to perform the necessary duties.

HOAs usually assess monthly or annual dues to pay for operational costs and maintenance of shared property such as such playgrounds, gardens, swimming pools, clubhouses or stormwater detention basins.

Active homeowner associations are set up to enforce their own covenants. They tend to have the power to take swift action when finding a violation. HOAs can place liens on a member’s property, sue a homeowner or levy fines in situations where sometimes the township cannot.

South Fayette Township, the local government, is unable to enforce the private HOA regulations. However, the township does have the right to enforce its own laws and regulations within neighborhoods that have an HOA. The township enforces local ordinances and the International Property Maintenance Code of 2000 by issuing citations, fines or other penalties for code violations.

If you have a question or problem within your planned community, please check with your HOA first. If the HOA says it cannot enforce an issue, you may submit your concern online to determine if the township can help.

South Fayette Township maintains only public roads.

In a new housing plan, the developer or HOA privately owns the roads in the neighborhood throughout construction. Once the roads are completed and built to public standards, the developer may offer a road for public dedication.

Following a legal adoption process, the township usually assumes ownership (although sometimes, for various reasons, the developer or the HOA keeps some or all roads private).

Once South Fayette secures ownership of a road, the township can acquire maintenance funds from the state’s Municipal Liquid Fuels Program.

In some cases, several years can pass before a road is offered for public dedication, such as when a new neighborhood is in the process of being built.

During this period, the developer or HOA bears all the expenses of salting, plowing, repairing, paving or otherwise maintaining its roads. The township is legally prohibited from using public tax money to maintain private roads unless specifically contracted and paid to do so.

Most planned neighborhoods include their own stormwater basins to control water that “runs off” the development. Basins are designed to collect rainwater and snowmelt and redirect it into natural waterways to reduce flooding and erosion.

The vast majority of stormwater basins in the township are owned by HOAs, with a handful owned by other private entities or the township. HOAs are responsible for maintaining and repairing their own stormwater facilities.

An important task of HOAs is to provide the township with the results of periodic inspections of their basins and related stormwater management system—including HOA-owned storm pipes—in line with the original engineering design and by following the recommendations of a storm system design professional.

In addition to HOAs providing their own inspections, the township is required by the state to inspect all stormwater facilities from time to time for compliance with the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program, managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under the federal Clean Water Act.

The program—which includes all HOA-owned detention basins—requires each community’s stormwater management system to return clean water to streams, creeks and rivers. Polluted water could lead to fines and penalties.

Under the MS4 program, South Fayette Township has implemented a process to regularly inspect detention basins throughout the community. Inspection reports, along with required maintenance information, are sent to basin owners and kept on file at the township building. HOAs must repair any problems discovered during inspections.

Neighborhood gatherings such as block parties are great ways for neighbors to meet and connect, and the township encourages these events when properly planned and organized.

It is the HOA’s responsibility to block the road with sawhorses, cones or other items that are readily movable in case of an emergency. Roads cannot be blocked by vehicles or big equipment.

To temporarily close a road for pedestrians during a neighborhood block party, an HOA representative must contact public safety personnel at least two weeks in advance to gain approval:

• Police Department
• Fire Department (Fairview, Oak Ridge, South Fayette or Sturgeon)
• SouthBridge EMS: 412-221-5115

To park on the street overnight in areas where parking hours are regulated, residents must request permission from the police department in advance by calling the business office at 412-221-2170. Otherwise, vehicles at the curb may be cited or removed if necessary.

When possible, please avoid parking on the street during winter plowing in order to allow safe, efficient snow removal.

Geocaching is a modern treasure hunt using a phone app or a GPS device to find containers or “caches” hidden all over the world--including in South Fayette Township parks.

Geocaches come in all shapes and sizes. They can be as small as a pencil eraser and as large as a Tupperware container. They are categorized by size. We recommend starting with a “regular” sized cache.

Geocaches contain a waterproof container holding a logbook or sheet, and if size permits, small trinkets.

Geocaches are hidden all over the world - from deep forest to urban areas. They are hidden in or under objects, but they are never buried.

South Fayette Township parks are home to seven geocaches.

1. Explore www.geocaching.com and set up an account. Accounts are free, but there is a paid option for upgraded features..
2. Find one of the South Fayette Township park’s geocaches using the search feature. Here are the GC codes for the geocaches in South Fayette Township parks:
   • Fairview Park: GC8XVDT and GC8XV30
   • Sturgeon Park: GC8XTZN
   • Morgan Park: GC7FC1T
   • Boys Home Park: GC8NXAF
   • Preservation Park: GC8KE58 and GC8NX87
3. Pick out the geocaches that you’d like to try first. We recommend having a couple of options.
4. Download the geocaching.com app on your smartphone or download the coordinates to your preferred GPS device.
5. Head to the park and start exploring! The app or GPS device will tell you where to generally find the cache, but not the specifics on how to get there or where it might be hiding. That’s up to you to figure out!
6. Once you find the cache, log your find in the log book found with the cache and on the app or website.

• Log when you do not find a cache. This helps the owner know that it may need maintenance.
• Always hide the cache exactly the way you found it.
• Caches are supposed to be hidden from the general public, so keep a low profile and keep the cache location hidden when searching.
• Respect the green space and take your trash with you: Cache in, trash out!
• Make a plan before you go. Check and dress for the weather.

For information about mail-in or absentee ballots, visit the Allegheny County Division of Elections website, or call 412-350-4500.

Find your polling place online through the Pennsylvania Department of State website.

• Enter the ’city name’ of your mailing address (McDonald, Oakdale, Bridgeville, Sturgeon, etc.) rather than ’South Fayette.’
• The elections department says voters will be notified by mail of any changes to polling place locations.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. each Election Day.

Check your voter registration status online through the Pennsylvania Department of State website.

The deadline to register to vote is 15 days before each election. Visit the Allegheny County Elections Division website for details.

All completed banners appear on the Troop Banners website.

Submit the following:

• Completed Application (name of service member and military branch are required)
• Photo of the service member in uniform (photo scanned at 600 dpi; appointments available with township staff for scanning if needed)
• Payment (financial assistance available under hardship circumstances)

Submit form and pay with check or cash:

• Military Banner Application (PDF)

• The 12" x 18" keepsake yard banner is single-sided.
• The keepsake banner has a pocket along the top. It fits on the same welcome flag holders that many homes already use; you can find one at a dollar store or similar outlet.
• You can order keepsake banners along with your initial banner order, or you can order them later for $20 each. Replica banners make wonderful gifts for family reunions, holidays and other occasions.

What is a division? What is a squad? Find out how each military service branch is organized from this U.S. Department of Defense webpage on military units.

You can search for the name of a veteran or service member on the U.S. Department of Defense Military Awards for Valor webpage.

If you are unsure if you have an account, click the "SIGN IN / REGISTER" link at the top of the online registration home screen, click “Forgot username?” and type in your email address.

• If you have an account, your username will be emailed to you.
• If you type in an email address that is not in our system, you will receive an error message and will need to click "Add an Account" to register online.

On the South Fayette Township Parks and Recreation online registration home page:

• Click the “SIGN IN/REGISTER” button at the top of the screen.
• Click "Don't have an account? Sign Up Now" at the bottom of the screen.
  • You will be prompted to enter your account information, including the primary contact for your household’s account and additional family members.
  • Click "Add New Family Member" at the bottom of the screen to add a spouse and/or children.

1. Go to the South Fayette Parks and Recreation online registration page
2. Click "SIGN IN / REGISTER" at the top of the online registration home screen
3. Enter your username and password
4. Click "Login"

Once you have logged into your South Fayette Township Parks and Recreation account, click the "My Account" tab at the top of the screen. A drop-down menu will appear, and you can select different options under the "My Account" sub-menu.

• Account Holder & Members: Update phone numbers and email addresses, add new members, add emergency contacts
• Login & Passwords: Update username/login, password and primary email address

1. Open the South Fayette Parks and Recreation online registration page. You can click on the "Recreation Programs" tile to search all available programs, or you can click on a program category tiles (for example, Youth Programs, Adult Programs, Camps).
2. Choose what type of program you are interested in, or refine your search by selecting the appropriate criteria. Search by keyword by typing in the "Keyword Search" box on the left.
    
3. To view the program details, click the program name. Notice the status for activities as available or unavailable. You can hover over the button in the "Cart" column next to the program to see the reason it is not available (for example, registration date, full enrollment). 
4. Check the box or calendar icon in the "Cart" column to the left. If you wish to make more selections, you can do so before clicking "Add to Cart" at the bottom left of the screen. Once all selections have been made, click "Add To Cart." 
5. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to log in. Select the appropriate family member. Click "Continue."
6. You may be asked to answer questions related to individual programs. Then you will review the waiver and sign electronically with your mouse. Click "Continue."
7. Review your shopping cart. Click "Proceed to Checkout." NOTE: Service fees will be added on the next screen.
8. You will see a summary of charges. Scroll down and review billing information. Then type in credit card information. Click the reCAPTCHA box and Click 'Continue."
9. A confirmation email will be sent with a PDF receipt.

1. Open the South Fayette Parks and Recreation online registration page, and select the "Reservations and Permits" tile.
2. Choose what pavilion you are interested in reserving. Or click "All Pavilions" to search all pavilion availability.
3.  Search through the calendar for desired date. If the date is available, click on the green box on the available day that you would like to reserve.
4. Choose the reservation times by clicking the appropriate individual 1-hour time slots. The item(s) selected will display at the bottom of the screen. Then click "Add to Cart."
5. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to log in. You will then choose what family member is making the reservations. Then click "Continue."
6. You will be asked to answer a few questions related to your rental and agree to the Cancellation, Date Change and Rental Policies. You will have the opportunity to add on other pavilion features, if available. Then you will review the Facility Rental Waiver and sign electronically with your mouse. Click "Continue."
   
   
7. Review your shopping cart. Click "Proceed to Checkout." NOTE: Service fees will be added on the next screen.
8. You will see a summary of charges. You will be paying the MINIMUM AMOUNT DUE TODAY or you can pay full balance. Type the minimum amount due or amount you would like to pay in the box that says "Amount To Be Paid Today." (This may change when service fee is applied). Scroll down and review the billing information. Then type in credit card information. Click the reCAPTCHA box and Click "Continue."
9. A confirmation email will be sent with a PDF receipt.

1. Once you have logged in, click the "My Account" tab at the top the screen.
2. Under the "History & Balances" heading, select "My Balances."
3. Select the balance you would like to pay and click "Add to Cart."
4. You will be prompted to check out.

To browse all current recreation programs, click the "Recreation Programs" tile. If looking for specific programs, click the corresponding tile (for example, Youth Programs, Adult Programs, Family Programs, Camps). On the Activity Search page, you can narrow your search by typing program keywords or using filters on the left side of the screen.

1. Once you have logged in, click the "My Account" tab at the top the screen.
2. Under the "History & Balances" heading, select "Account History."
3. You can search by transaction date or program date by using "Begin Item Date."

Note: A family calendar is available under the "Enrollment" menu from your account. You can choose the type of transaction, i.e. activity, facility reservation, etc., and for which month you would like to run the report. This is emailed to the primary email address on the account.

• Yes. Once you have logged in, click the "My Account" tab at the top the screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
• Under the "Reprint" heading, select "Reprint Receipt."

If you need further assistance with online recreation registration, contact the South Fayette Township Parks and Recreation Department.

Yes, staples and paper clips are fine to go through the shred truck, in general.

But, no binder clips, steel ACCO fasteners, and other hard metal or plastic materials.

No, bound books or magazines cannot be put through the shredder.

Packets of paper can be no more than one inch thick.

The event will be held rain or shine, except in the case of unusually severe weather.

No, the shredder cannot accept any foreign objects, such as floppy discs, CDs/DVDs, or computer hard drives.

The mobile shredding unit is engineered to destroy paper only.

No, it doesn't matter how you bring your paper to be shredded. However, all containers, such as boxes, garbage bags, and plastic tubs, will be given back to you and cannot be disposed of on site.

If you wish to swap out the size of your cart, you can call 1-800-866-4460 and say “SERVICE CHANGE” to the phone prompt.

One 96-gallon wheeled cart will be provided free of charge to each home (unless special arrangements already have been made for another size due to special needs).

• Residents have the option to change to a smaller cart (64-gallon or 32-gallon).
  • 96-gallon tote holds approximately 7-8 tall kitchen bags (44" tall x 27" wide x 35" deep)
  • 64-gallon tote holds approximately 4-5 tall kitchen bags (44" tall x 24" wide x 24" deep)
  • 32-gallon tote holds approximately 2-3 tall kitchen bags (slightly larger than 39" tall x 19" wide x 24" deep)

This WM video discusses how to choose the right size cart for your household.

Residents may purchase a second garbage cart from WM (Waste Management) by contacting WM and paying an annual fee. The charge is for the additional service and disposal, not for the cart itself.

To order an additional cart, please call WM at 1-800-866-4460 and say “SERVICE CHANGE” to the phone system prompt. You will be directed to an agent to place your order and pay for your cart.

To report damage to a garbage cart, visit the WM website.

In the middle of the screen, do the following:

• Type in your address
• Select "For Home"
• Click on "Get Started"
• Choose on "Container Service" to report an issue with the cart.

This will automatically generate a repair or replace ticket on the account.

You may need to create a WM website account to report the cart issue.

Bulk collection refers to pickup of an appliance, piece of furniture or other residential item that is too large to fit into a trash cart. It does not include extra trash bags.

Bulk collection is scheduled once a month on the same day as your regular trash pickup. Bulk collection is the second full week of every month (WM starts each week with Monday). Refer to the WM calendar for you bulk collection days.

• Bulk items are limited to 2 per month, per household.
• Accepted bulk waste
  • Furniture, such as chair, table, armoire, cabinet, chest, headboard, sofa, mattress, dresser, interior door
  • Household appliance, such as washer, dryer, dishwasher, stove, toilet, microwave, hot water tank, refrigerator (Freon must be removed and must be tagged)
  • Carpeting (must be cut into 4-foot bundles)
  • Picnic table or bench (unattached), basketball board or pool (6' or less in height), swing set (unassembled)
• Prohibited items
  • Concrete, brick, asphalt, roofing, electronics
  • Vehicles and parts
  • Construction debris or building material such as plaster, dry wall, wood
  • Hazardous waste
  • Loose / extra / overflow trash bags
  • Yard waste
  • Boxes of spring cleaning items
  • Any other non-bulk item

No, you cannot place trash outside the cart. WM only will take trash that fits inside the carts. WM will not collect anything that is placed outside, next to, or atop the cart.

The only exception is bulk collection. Bulk items (oversize items) are limited to 2 per month, per household. Bulk items include furniture, large appliances, etc.—not extra trash bags. Bulk collection is the second full week of every month (WM starts each week with Monday). Refer to the WM calendar for you bulk collection days.

Store-bought garbage cans cannot be used for automated collection. If you would like to dispose of an unused can, you can mark it “TRASH” or "TAKE AS TRASH" and place it at the curb for WM to collect on your regular garbage collection day.

Place your trash cart at the curb with the cart handle pointing away from the street.

Leave at least 3 feet between the cart and other objects, such as mailboxes, vehicles, trees and other carts.

This WM video shows how to position your cart at the curb.

If you are moving into a newly built home in South Fayette Township, call WM at 1-800-866-4460 and request delivery of a garbage cart and a recycling cart.

Every eligible residence receives one 64-gallon recycling cart and one 96-gallon garbage cart at no charge.

The carts must stay with the home if you move.

• You can bag yard waste, such as grass clippings, and place the bags in your provided garbage cart for disposal. All waste must be inside the cart. Items outside the cart will not be picked up.
• In the spring and fall, WM holds special curbside recycling collections of yard waste. In these cases, yard waste can be placed at the curb (outside the cart) in biodegradable paper bags.
• Wood waste (limbs up to 4 inches in diameter) may be deposited in a special township dumpster with prior approval from Public Works. Call 412-221-8700, ext. 223.

Find details about yard waste disposal on the Yard, Leaf & Wood Waste webpage.

On automatic side-load trucks, a robotic arm grabs, lifts and empties the provided garbage carts without the driver needing to leave the truck cab.

This WM video shows an overview of automated waste collection.

• Empty paint cans and/or dried paint may be placed into garbage bags and disposed of with household trash.
• Paint can be air-dried or soaked up with newspaper or kitty litter. The lids should be left off.

The following items are NOT accepted for curbside trash pickup:

• Appliances containing refrigerant, such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and water coolers (Freon must be removed, and the item properly tagged, for these items to be accepted during curbside bulk collection)
• Ashes from furnaces and fireplaces
• Automotive parts, including wheel rims and tires
• Construction or demolition materials (consider purchasing a WM Bagster)
• Electronics, such as televisions, computers, monitors and other computer equipment
• Hazardous household waste, including liquid paint (non-dried), thinners, cleaners, pesticides/herbicides, antifreeze
• Materials from fires or house evictions
• Medical waste
• Stones, concrete, rock, dirt

Please note this list is not exhaustive.

These items generally are accepted for curbside trash disposal and should not be placed in recycling.

• Ceramics or dishware
• Diapers
• Envelopes / Window Envelopes
• Food waste, or any item containing food debris or liquid
• Freezer food packaging
• Meat or dairy
• Mirrors
• Non-recyclables
• Packaging (plastic or paper)
• Paper plates
• Plastics not listed as recyclables
• Plastic bags
• Plastic deli take-out containers
• Plastic utensils
• Plastic wrap or wrapping film
• Shredded paper
• Styrofoam packaging (formed or pellet)
• Wax paper
• Window glass

Please note this list is not exhaustive.