News Details (Posted: July 31, 2008):

Planning OKs Variety of Projects

Full Description:

By Tom DiStefano, Clarion News Writer

Diversity might have been the theme of the Clarion County Planning Commission’s recent meeting as it approved projects involving a church, a miniature golf course, a cell phone tower, a club with a liquor license, and the site of a former coal tipple.

County engineer Kevin Reichard said Donald F. Snyder propose to build a 40-by-150-foot steel-sided pole sales building on the site of the former Zacherl coal tipple along Route 66 in northern Paint Township. .

Snyder received a modification (variance) from county rules requiring a 40-foot setback from public roadways; the proposed building would be 20 feet from the edge of the right-of-way. .

The location is limited by the tracks of the Knox and Kane Railroad; the building will be between the tracks and the highway, Reichard said. The Knox and Kane is inactive, but has not been abandoned. .

The project is located on a 52-acre tract and includes a gravel parking lot with 108 spaces. .

Miniature golf.

The commission granted preliminary land development approval to Mark and Rebecca Wineman of Kalyumet Inc. propose to build a miniature golf course as part of the Kalyumet Campground complex along Miola Road in northern Highland Township . .

The project includes 23,061 square foot miniature golf course, a 4,224 square foot retail building with rest rooms, and a 28,865 square foot parking lot. .

Highland Township recently approved and endorsed a sewage plan change, stormwater is not a problem and all permits and plans are in place, Reichard said. .

First Church of God.

The First Church of God of South Bethlehem wants to build a 60-by-80-foot addition to its church building, which is actually located along Route 861 in Porter Township, Clarion County, about 1.5 miles west of New Bethlehem. .

The addition to the south east side of the building will be used for classrooms and activities, Reichard said, and he described it as a “very nice project” with no problems and all permits in place. .

The commission approved the preliminary land development application unanimously; no modifications were needed. .

Rod & Gun Club.

The Clarion County Rod and Gun Club plans to build a 40-by-60-foot banquet room addition to its existing building along the west side of Route 338 in Knox Borough. .

The banquet facility includes restrooms and the club has submitted a sewage planning application, but the Department of Environmental Protection has not yet ruled, Reichard said. .

Knox Borough is under a sewer tap ban, but the commission can grant preliminary land development approval as long as the sewer planning application has been made, but must have sewage service in place before final commission approval can be given. .

A modification from the 40-foot setback rule was requested because the addition is about 32 feet from the property line to the south, Reichard said. The adjoining property is vacant. .

Reichard said the proposed configuration of the addition allows the addition to be kept to the rear of the existing building. .

The commission approved the setback modification and preliminary land development with no opposition. .

Cell phone tower.

SBA Network services and Dorothy O’Neil submitted a plan for a 250-foot communications tower northeast of the intersection of Route 66 and Madden Drive . .

SBA has leased a 100-by-100-foot parcel for the tower, which will be screened from the highway by buffers of wooded area. .

The tower would not violate the county’s airport zoning ordinance, as it is just outside the five-mile radius where structure heights are limited. .

Since the site aligns with the runway of the Clarion County Airport , Reichard said he conferred with airport manager Scott Sheffer who determined it would create no problem with the approaches to the airport. .

Credit: The Clarion News.