Proposal for fueling station at Weis Markets receives nod

Three ‘Gas-N-Go’ pumps planned for Pleasant Valley location

Weis Markets may soon have a fueling station in Altoona.

Blair County Planning Commission members Thursday gave a favorable review to plans for Weis Markets to construct a "Gas-N-Go" three pump fueling station with a kiosk and canopy in the existing parking lot of the Weis store at 601 Pleasant Valley Blvd.

No additional parking is proposed at the site, where there will be a total of six fueling positions across the three proposed gas pumps, said MacKenzie Caron, community planner.

The proposed gas station will eliminate 37 parking spaces from the northwest portion of the Weis parking lot, however, the minimum number of required spaces for this plaza is 57, and there will be 75 parking spaces available after removing 37 to make room for the proposed fuel station, Caron said.

Weis Markets officials did not wish to comment on the project at this time.

Commission members also gave a favorable review to plans for Groundhog Solar to construct an outdoor solar panel showroom on a 0.206-acre parcel at the corner of North Eighth Street and North Fourth Avenue

Additional improvements include sidewalks, landscaping, parking facilities and a maintenance shed, Caron said.

The proposed outdoor showroom appears to be enclosed in a 5-foot high chain-link fence with two 4-foot-wide gates in front of the parking area.

Because of the site's intended use as a by-appointment showroom, the proposed site access, a rear alley which connects to North Eighth Street, should not be a significant cause for concern, Caron said.

Commission members had some concerns about a project to construct a three-story sixplex residential housing development on a 0.276-acre parcel owned by Durbin Companies at 117 Lexington Ave.

The project also includes demolition of existing playground equipment at two sites as well as new sidewalks, paved parking and stormwater management facilities.

"There are a lot of young children in that area and they use that playground equipment. Children will have to play in the street," said commission member Nick Ardizzone.

"We recommend they find an alternate site for at least one of those playgrounds," Chairman William Hall said.

Mirror Staff writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.