The Venango County Regional Planning Commission gave conditional approval Tuesday for a new Dollar General store on Route 157 in Pinegrove Township.
A 9,100-square-foot retail store with a 40-space parking lot, including two handicap parking spaces and an access drive connecting to the road, was proposed.
The store would be built on a 1.92-acre vacant lot across from the Pinegrove fire hall, Ashley Smith, the county’s land use planner, said.
The proposal includes associated stormwater facilities, and the proposed building will be served by a private water well and an approved private septic tank.
The commission’s conditional approval for the store was unanimous.
In other business Tuesday, Erik Johnson, the county’s recycling and solid waste coordinator, said he is in the process of obtaining equipment for the county’s recycling center that will have a home in the Venango Regional Airport bus depot.
Johnson said the equipment would include containers, a vertical baler and a box truck.
Planning Commission director Jason Ruggiero gave updates on progress at Cornplanter Square and the county’s multimodal hub in downtown Oil City.
A contract was approved to design the third floor of Cornplanter Square, Ruggiero said.
He added that the goal is to get some portions of the third floor project out to bid next year.
“Finishing touches” are being put on the electric car charging station at the back of the building, Ruggiero said.
The multimodal hub is coming along as well, and Ruggiero said “we are still close to the March 2021 completion date.”
The building is 100% roofed and the masons are busy putting up the brick walls, he said.
In addition, work is moving forward on the electric and plumbing in the building.
“Progress is being made on the street and on the inside,” Ruggiero said.
Fisherman’s Cove bridge
Hillary Buchanan, the commission’s deputy planning director, said Victory Township had received a letter regarding the state of the bridge at Fisherman’s Cove.
Buchanan said that due to the condition of the bridge, emergency repairs would have to be made or the bridge might be closed soon.
The bridge leads to a dead end, and several people would be without access to their homes if the bridge was closed, Buchanan said.
A project to replace the existing bridge was moved to 2022 by PennDOT, Buchanan said.
Venango County commissioners have agreed to allow a county aid match that was to be used for the bridge replacement to be used for emergency repairs. Commissioners told the township to re-apply for the match in the future.
Ruggiero also said he submitted a budget proposal to the commissioners for 2021. He said the proposed budget is the same as this year, including money for software upgrades.
