At one point in the Bethel Park zoning hearing board meeting Monday, municipal planner Jerry Duke referred to Case No. 2418 as a matter of "intense community interest."

That probably was an understatement.

Although turnout for the meeting was not huge --perhaps 40 people-- many voiced their opinions on the prospect of the Bethel Park School District building a proposed $81 million high school.

Yet, "the only things we can address are the [relevant] things that come before us," said Mark Vavrek, chairman of the zoning hearing board.

Taking into account a very strict interpretation of the municipal code, the board voted, 3-1, to deny the district a variance it needs to build a new school along Church Road.

Bethel Park officials said they will file an appeal with the county Court of Common Pleas.

"We said, 'Look, here's what we want to do with the property; it's still for school use,' " said Bethel Park Superintendent Thomas Knight. "We hope the appeals court will overturn the decision of the planning board."

The Bethel Park board has five voting members. Charlie Koch, a member of the school board as well, was not present. Jack Tortorice, Charles Pfeifer and Ronald Page voted to deny the variance; Mr. Vavrek was in favor.

"This is a very narrow issue," said Chuck Knoll, solicitor for the municipality.

The code book states in part that "No building or structure designed or intended to be utilized for a nonconforming use shall be constructed or allowed unless construction is already under way at the time of the enactment. ..."

About 10 years ago, the school district wanted to sell a piece of property near Church Road to BladeRunners to be used for the construction of a skating rink. A variance was granted but at the same time, the entire parcel of 80 acres on which the current eight-building campus rests was designated as conservation land.

Bethel Park is not allowed to expand the current campus through renovation by more than 25 percent, and it is not permitted to build anew without a variance.

The high school was built 49 years ago. Its design is highly unusual for a school in the Northeast: separate buildings connected by walkways. Proponents for a new school say it's an impractical situation: Students rush between buildings in all sorts of weather, heating costs are high due to all of the doors that open and shut after each class, which also makes security an issue.

"The old school has served the community well, but [its] time is past," said architect Dick Fox, of Weber Murphy Fox.

The firm presented the Bethel Park school board with three options earlier this year: Renovate the old buildings (roughly $80 million), drop in new construction amid some of the old buildings ($82.5 million), or build anew along the street front of the property and eventually replace the old buildings with athletic fields.

The board voted to build anew. Several members, including President Susan Gout and Vice President Donna Cook, spoke at the public meeting, as well as Assistant Superintendent Nancy Rose, finance director Matt Howard and members of the public.

"We have done due diligence," said school board member Ron Sustich.

Longtime resident and former school board member Phil DeHuff disagreed, saying that repairs to the existing school are sufficient.

He referred to the tentative plans for a new school as "that three-story monstrosity off Church Road."

Some other residents argued that a new building would crowd the mostly residential road and were concerned about a loss of green space.

Mr. Vavrek said the zoning board received residents' letters supporting both points of view.

In the end, he added, the board's decision wasn't based on tales of leaky roofs or worries that property values would decline, saying "our responsibility lies in the variance [code] that's before us. Our responsibility is to vote on the variance that's presented."