Jun 25, 2013 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Greene County Planning Commission granted final approval Monday to plans by West Greene School District to construct its new elementary center.

The district plans to build the center as a three-story addition to its middle-senior high school and opened bids last month totaling $10.9 million for the project.

Kevin Hayes of Hayes Design Group, district architects, said Tuesday that the district now has all the permits and approvals necessary to begin work on the project.

A notice to proceed was issued to the general contractor Tuesday morning and work should begin next week, Hayes said.

After the addition is constructed, the district plans to close its two existing elementary schools and consolidate all grades at one campus. The district also is currently renovating the middle-senior high school.

The commission also granted preliminary approval to plans by Consol Energy to construct a sewage treatment plant to serve it new Bailey Mine portal on Patterson Creek Road in Morris Township and the about 40 residences in Nineveh.

The plant will be funded and constructed by Consol though eventually its ownership and operation will be conveyed to the township. The plant will discharge into Browns Creek.

Before final approval is granted, the developer must, among other things, obtain a highway occupancy permit from the state Department of Transportation and a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The commission also granted preliminary approval for plans by BFS Foods Inc. to raze and rebuild its convenience store on the west side of Interstate 79 at the Mt. Morris interchange.

The new building will be 4,400 square feet in size and will house a Subway restaurant. The project will include the construction of six gasoline pumps.

Before receiving final approval, the company must receive approval of its storm water management plan and a new highway occupancy permit from PennDOT.

The commission also voted to rescind conditional final approval granted in April to plans by Sheetz Inc. to construct a new store at the site of its existing store and service station at the Paisley Intersection in Cumberland Township.

Sheetz plans to build a store almost twice the size of the existing store that will feature an inside dining room, drive-through window, a full menu and an area for beer sales.

The company received conditional final approval while it waited to receive a highway occupancy permit from PennDOT. Sheetz has not yet received that permit.

Rescinding the conditional final approval will mean the company must come back to the commission for final approval once it receives the highway occupancy permit. The company had set no timetable for work on the project to begin.

The commission canceled its regular meeting scheduled for July 1. However, it indicated it may schedule a meeting for July 15.