The Logan Township Planning Commission plans to invite some residents of the narrow slice of Lakemont bounded by Logan Boulevard, Convention Center Boulevard and Roswell Street to its meeting in June to discuss a request by a business there to rezone part of that neighborhood from residential to business.

Contract Hardware has its offices at 601 Sprankle Ave., at the intersection with South Pine Street, and would like to construct a warehouse across Sprankle on South Pine, in an area zoned residential.

Township Planning Director Cassandra Schmick suggested that owner Brad Botteicher seek the zoning change because a variance to allow the warehouse would be hard to get from the Zoning Hearing Board.

One possibility would be to rezone a smallish triangular area between Logan Boulevard, South Pine and the township line, which cuts on a diagonal from the intersection of Logan and Convention Center boulevards to just past the tip of the lots Botteicher wants to use.

Another possibility is to rezone not only that triangle, but also a rectangle just to the north of it, bounded by Logan Boulevard, South Pine, Sprankle and a section along the boulevard that is already zoned business.

If there are residents in the rectangular area who object to the change, the commission could leave the rectangular area alone, some commission members said.

Rezoning from residential to business would tend to raise property values and might be regarded favorably by most residents, suggested commission member Kurt Cover.

It could also open up the possibility for development nearby that some residents wouldn’t like, said member Wesley Barnhart.

There are some businesses already in the existing residential zones, including Contract Hardware itself.

The proposed warehouse would be built on ground that Contract Hardware uses for outdoor storage, according to material provided by the township.

It would be about 17,000 square feet, according to Botteicher.

Contract Hardware distributes fire doors, bulletproof doors, doors designed not to transmit sound, life safety doors and door hardware, according to Botteicher.

It has served customers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia since 1990, according to the company website.

The commission is advisory, and the final decision on whether to rezone would be made by the township board of supervisors.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.