Michael Chorba, a 60-year-old grandfather in Pennsylvania, has spent years turning his backyard into a private amusement area for his family.
asserted
Chorba → spend → family
The property already has a go-kart track, a 105-foot waterslide and a vintage carousel.
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property → have → track
But his latest project, a small roller coaster, has led to a zoning dispute with local authorities.
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project → lead → authorities
Chorba’s roller coaster, called The Tidal Wave, was built as part of his hobby of restoring vintage amusement rides for his grandchildren.
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coaster → call → grandchildren
According to Centre Daily Times, the coaster has a footprint of about 34 by 72 feet, while its tallest part, the control station, is about 18 feet high.
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part → accord → feet
Chorba said he spent about $20,500 on the coaster itself, another $2,500 on new vinyl decals and $1,700 on lighting.
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he → say → lighting
The project is now at the centre of a dispute in Mount Pleasant Township because local zoning rules do not specifically allow such a structure.
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rules → allow → structure
Chorba said the situation is unusual for the small township.
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situation → say → township
“It’s a small township.
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It → ’ → ?
They’ve never dealt with anything like this before,” he said as quoted by Centre Daily Times.
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he → deal → Times
The dispute comes after years of Chorba building and restoring attractions on his property.
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Chorba → come → property
He said he had worked on the go-kart track for 25 years with the help of friends and family before taking a long break from such projects.
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he → say → projects
His return to the hobby began with a waterslide, which he bought in 2021.
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he → begin → 2021
How Chorba built the backyard attraction
The waterslide was not a complete commercial ride.
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waterslide → build → attraction
Chorba bought a portion of a large slide that had been used at a ski resort and then built the supports himself.
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that → buy → supports
He also gave it a theme based on Jurassic World, adding dinosaurs around the attraction.
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He → give → attraction
Mount Pleasant Township zoning officer Ed Sanders said the waterslide does not face the same zoning problem.
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waterslide → say → problem
According to Sanders, water slides are covered under the township’s municipal planning code, meaning its size and where the slide originally came from do not affect whether it is allowed.
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it → accord → where
Chorba later added another major attraction to the property.
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Chorba → add → property
He bought a 1957 carousel made by the Allan Herschell Company for $28,000.
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He → buy → 28,000
After buying it, he and his team repainted the horses and carriages, replaced the leather stirrups and reins, and had an electrician wire the structure.
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electrician → buy → structure
Chorba then applied for a zoning permit to build a large gazebo on his property.
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Chorba → apply → property
Once the gazebo was built, he moved the carousel inside it.
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he → build → it
The carousel, waterslide and go-kart track were therefore already part of the property before the roller coaster became the focus of the zoning dispute.
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coaster → become → dispute
The coaster being restored
Why the roller coaster was rejected
Sanders said the local law prohibits structures that are not explicitly permitted.
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that → restore → structures
Because the municipal code does not specifically mention roller coasters, the township had to consider whether the attraction could legally remain on the property.
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attraction → mention → property
“Not too many municipalities will include a roller coaster or amusement park rides, especially not in rural Pennsylvania.
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municipalities → include → Pennsylvania
Something out of the ordinary would have to happen,” Sanders said.
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Sanders → have → ordinary
Sanders noticed the roller coaster last spring and advised Chorba to apply for a zoning permit.
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Sanders → notice → permit
As expected, the permit was rejected, after which Chorba was advised to seek a variance.
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Chorba → expect → variance
The variance request was then considered by the township's zoning board.
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request → consider → board
One of the board's three members had to recuse himself because he is a close neighbour of Chorba, Sanders said.
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Sanders → have → Chorba
That left two members to decide the request.
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That → leave → request
One member moved to approve the roller coaster, but the other did not second the motion.
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other → move → motion
Without the required second, the request could not move forward.
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request → require → second
“It had to be denied because it couldn’t be approved,” Sanders said.
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Sanders → have → ?
Chorba says it is a family playground
For Chorba, the roller coaster is not meant to become a public amusement park.
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coaster → say → Chorba
He said the attraction is intended only for his family and grandchildren.
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attraction → say → family
“You’re really creating wholesome fun for the kids, instead of keeping them stuck inside on electronics all day,” Chorba said.
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Chorba → create → electronics
The coaster is still being restored.
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coaster → restore → ?
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
