The Warren County Zoning Hearing Board has received a long-awaited application from Sheetz.
Because convenience stores are dealt with as special exceptions to the zoning law in business districts, the Zoning Hearing Board must decide the matter, County Planner Dan Glotz said on Tuesday.
The board will hold a public hearing at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 2, in the Jackson Courtroom at the Warren County Courthouse.
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Photo by Brian Ferry
Notice of zoning hearing
A notice for a public zoning hearing on a proposed Sheetz convenience store near the intersection of Routes 69 and 62 in North Warren. The store would have entrances on both routes, according to site plans submitted for the development.
The meeting is open to the public and the board will take public input into consideration in making a decision.
Glotz said the special exceptions language is somewhat misleading. "It's a use that's allowed," he said. "It's neither special nor an exception, but it requires a little closer review."
A preliminary proposal indicated that Sheetz was considering opening a 24-hour store near the intersection of Market Street and Jackson Run Road in North Warren.
The proposed building would be 6,489 square feet and have a drive-up lane. There would be 14 fuel pumps on the Market Street side of the building. A car wash included in the original proposal was not part of the most recent application.
There were several proposed entrances to the property: two on Jackson Run, one of which would be directly across from the Warren Commons entrance; two on Vine Street; and an entrance and exit for southbound traffic only on Market Street.
Eight properties would be bought to make way for the store, according to the original proposal. Five houses, a number of mobile homes, and two businesses occupy those properties.
The proposal was submitted in early 2011.
The area was rezoned from residential to business in August 2010.
Among the concerns facing the zoning hearing board are traffic, light, and noise, according to Glotz.
The group may approve, deny, or give conditional approval to the proposal. "The board has the authority to attach reasonable conditions if deemed necessary to protect neighboring properties," Glotz said.
If the board approves the use of the location, the next step in the process would be for Sheetz to acquire a zoning permit from the county zoning office. Glotz said the company has "been working with us throughout the process to make sure they meet all the requirements."
Zoning Officer Gary Snook would look at such specifics as the building location, setbacks from roads, signage, and the number of parking spaces.
The county is not the only governmental agency Sheetz has to go through.
Glotz said PennDOT (traffic), Conewango Township (stormwater), Warren County Conservation District (erosion and sedimentation), North Warren Municipal Authority (sewage), and the City of Warren (building permit through an arrangement with Conewango Township) are all parts of the process.