Blair Township planning commission backs parking-waiver for proposed Dollar General, then tables the plan

At its Aug. 5, 2024 meeting the Blair Township Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a waiver to Ordinance Section 350-48 that would reduce the required parking for a proposed Dollar General at 16474 Dunnings Highway from 54 spaces to 35. The waiver recommendation passed 4–0.

A letter submitted by the Dollar General design team, received through Robert McCollim, said that fewer than half of parking spaces are typically filled at most locations; the design team submitted that reasoning as the basis for the requested reduction. Commissioner Eric Banks told the commission he was in favor of recommending approval of the parking-space waiver.

Despite the commission's recommendation on the waiver, Eric Banks reported that the developer still needed to address outstanding items identified in the Stiffler McGraw review letter dated June 28, 2024 and recommended tabling the preliminary plan until those items are resolved. Dodie Amigh moved to recommend tabling the plan and Tim Shaw seconded; that motion also passed 4–0. The commission’s action leaves the waiver recommendation recorded while the full preliminary plan will not proceed until the developer submits responses to the review comments.

The developer and Larson Design Group will need to respond to the engineering review before the Planning Commission advances the preliminary plan to the Board of Supervisors or the next required step in the subdivision/land-development process. No dates for resubmission were specified in the meeting minutes.