Jul 8, 2013 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – Franklin Township supervisors granted conditional approval Monday to plans by the county to construct a new T-hangar at Greene County Airport.

The new hangar, which will be built east of the airport’s administrative building behind an existing hanger, will be 338 feet by 60 feet. It will house 10 compartments for planes, a maintenance and equipment room and a pilot’s room.

The county, as part of the project, will also demolish the four old hangars west of the administrative building to make space available for commercial development. The 6 acres of land west of the administrative building have been divided into three, 2-acre parcels.

Robbie Matesic, executive director of the Greene County Department of Economic Development, said the county’s plans are to use the airport property fronting Route 21 for its “highest and best use,” which is commercial development.

The county hopes to attract a nice restaurant to the property and spur other development opportunities in the area, she said. It also plans to lease the properties to create a “revenue stream” for the airport, which could help make airport operations more self-sufficient.

The county will be advertising bids for the new hangar and expects to have bid documents available for contractors July 15. It plans to open the bids mid-August and have construction under way several weeks later.

The contract for the new hangar’s construction also will include the demolition of the four existing hangars.

Several conditions must be met before the county can receive final approval from the township and the issuance of a building permit.

The county must identify Route 21 and the property line and setback lines on the site plans, submit a storm water management plan and receive approval of a soil and sedimentation plan or National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the conservation district.

Township code enforcement officer Steve Coss said the county’s engineer is now working to complete the requirements needed to meet the conditions.

In other business, the supervisors approved seeking bids for the demolition of a dilapidated mobile home at 1549 Lantz St. in Morrisville.

The property is owned by James Scott, who earlier was cited for the condition of the building and given until April 11 to make repairs. Scott failed to make repairs to the home and the township took steps to condemn the property.

The township will demolish the structure and place a lien on it to cover demolition costs.