The Venango County Regional Planning Commission approved several construction projects and appointed officers for 2020 at its monthly meeting Tuesday.
The panel approved plans for a renovation and expansion at the Sheetz store on Allegheny Boulevard.
The plan is to add indoor seating to the store, Greg Geishauser, an engineer for the Stiffler and McGraw company that is working on the project, said.
There will be no changes to parking, and the addition will provide seating for 30 people, Geishauser confirmed.
The commission also approved a major subdivision of a lot in Seneca owned by K.M. Rentals Inc.
Ashley Smith, the planning commission’s land use planner, said the subdivision was considered a major one because 10 other subdivisions have been made off the lot.
Smith added that the two-acre subdivision off the lot on Ranch Street was approved by the Cranberry Township zoning officer.
The planning commission also approved a request from MAHO Realty, owned by Harold Best, to combine several lots in Seneca that had previously been subdivided.
In other business Tuesday, planning commission director Jason Ruggiero said results of the feasibility study at Venango Regional Airport were good but “not the one we were looking for.”
The study looked into the feasibility of starting air cargo service at the airport, Ruggiero said.
“It’s a bit of a chicken and egg problem,” Ruggiero said. “There are manufacturers in the area who said if air cargo service was available they would use it some of the time, but since it’s not available no one is using it,” he said.
At this point, Ruggiero said, the commission is still considering options for laying the groundwork for air cargo service at the airport.
Senior planner Erik Johnson said the long search for a site for a county recycling center is continuing.
Johnson added the commission may also look at another site in Cranberry Township.
The site chosen would, ideally, be similar to the former Sears in the Cranberry Mall, Ruggiero said. Planning Commission had lobbied for the old Sears as a possible location for the center, but Cranberry Township officials weren’t in favor of that location.
The planning commission also nominated officers for 2020 on Tuesday.
Nancy Marano was nominated for a second year as commission chairman, Greg Miller was nominated for a second year as secretary/treasurer, and Frank Pankratz was nominated as vice chairman.
Rodney Gladd from Clintonville Borough and Dave Owens from Polk Borough have both served on the commission for 10 years and aren’t eligible for another consecutive term.
The board will have two upcoming vacancies. One is an elected position and one is to be held by a local official.
Planning commission members who were absent from the meeting were Marano, Keith Klingler, Miller and Tracy Jamieson.
