Trending
A land development plan for a Dollar General has been approved by City Council to go at 305 Washington Blvd.
The proposal by Hutchinson Development LLC, a city-based firm that specializes in taking blighted buildings or areas and repurposing them for use by the public and for tax-producing purposes, includes the razing of an existing building near Franklin Street.
The developer redesigned a smaller version of the store than originally intended. It was not given two variances by the zoning hearing board in May, said Gary Knarr, city zoning administrator.
The developer, Gabe Hutchinson, said the design will include landscaping, setback off the boulevard and materials used in construction to give it a similar look to nearby Lycoming College.
Tractor-trailer deliveries that accompany these stores, which was one of the main complaints, will be done once-per-week and early in the morning, Hutchinson said.
"We will have a nice store," said Hutchinson, promising a clean and maintained property providing the neighborhood with a full line of products.
During limited courtesy on the floor, where people can speak to council briefly on items on the agenda, and afterward in public comments, there were about 35 commentaries.
Most of those said they had concerns about the quality of life in the neighborhood if the store was built.
They complained, simarily, about increased traffic, fewer areas to park, potential for increased litter, minimum wage job provision and, a subject that council wanted to revisit, a zoning ordinance that lacks vision and the ability to protect commercial zones from these corporate projects.