Mar 24, 2014 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Plans to rebuild the McDonald’s Restaurant at Sugar Run Road and Route 19/21 in Morrisville received conditional approval Monday by Franklin Township supervisors.

The McDonald’s Corp. plans to build the new restaurant in an area behind where the previous store sat. The previous restaurant was demolished in late summer to make way for the replacement and expansion of the bridge and railroad underpass on Route 19/21.

Construction of the new restaurant will require the demolition of the former Koratich’s Golden Rail building, said Steve Coss, township code enforcement officer. The Koratich’s building has been vacant for a number of years.

Coss said McDonald’s expects to begin work this spring and have the restaurant opened before the bridge and overpass replacement project are completed.

Plans for the project show the new restaurant will occupy a building 4,271 square feet in size. It will contain 80 seats. Though the area is in a flood plain, the building will be raised sufficiently to avoid any problems.

The area now being used for the construction of the bridge and overpass in the area of the previous restaurant also will later be developed for parking.

The company, to receive final approval, must among other things submit agreements for parking and parking modifications on adjacent parcels, provide information for signs and lighting, detail temporary measures for curbing and storm water management and receive approval of an erosion and sedimentation control plan and a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit.

The supervisors also granted conditional approval for plans by Emerald Coal Resources LP to construct a new coal waste disposal site on a 249.8 acre parcel off Brickyard Hollow Road. The new waste disposal site will be the third for the company’s Emerald Mine.

The company proposed using Brickyard Hollow Road temporarily for truck traffic as it begins construction of the disposal area. It was suggested that a temporary traffic light be erect on Route 218 at Brickyard Hollow Road.

Supervisor John Higgins said, however, that use of a traffic light at that location might create a hazard because of a sharp bend on Route 218 before Brickyard Hollow Road. He suggested the company consider entered the site from White’s Ridge Road.

The supervisors agreed resolving the matter regarding the temporary access road would be added as a condition for final approval.

Other conditions include receipt of all state permits, submittal of final grades and a reclamation plan and submittal of plans indicating setbacks, landscaping and disposal area limits.

Plans for the disposal area also will be reviewed by the township’s zoning hearing board. The site is in I-1 Industrial and A-1 Agricultural zones. A special exception is required in those zones for the proposed use, Coss said.