He said the library facility on the lower floor is running out of space and becoming cramped, and the theatre space on the upper floor needs room for overflow, catering and other purposes.

Strickland said any significant addition to the building would violate the 40-foot minimum set-back rule; and to provide a 10-foot setback along the side, Dr. Arthur Steffee a strip of land to the library parcel.

The addition will be added along the side of the building toward the rear to avoid competing visually with the front of the library. Strickland said this would help keep the building eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

The plan also calls for a gently sloping sidewalk that will provide handicapped access to the upper level; something the building now lacks.

New VNA building

The Clarion-Forest Visiting Nurse Association plans to erect a building along the south side of Perkins Road, west of the West Penn Orthopedics building in Monroe Township .

The plan required a modification (variance) from rules requiring 40-foot setbacks on the side and rear of the lot.

Brett Ligo of Ligo Architects said the slope of the land prevented orienting the building differently, and a driveway to a parking lot made it difficult to place the building the required 40 feet from the property line.

Also approved

A rental storage building proposed by Debra Flick for the former Bracken construction office site along State Route 68 just east of Sligo in Piney Township was granted preliminary approval.

The 80-by-25 foot building will join three other rental storage buildings on the site.

A new 7,680 square-foot building proposed by Quintet Development to be used as a sales office and truck storage won preliminary land development approval.

The building is proposed for the site of the former Keys’ Equipment Sales on the north side of Route 322 just east of Clarion.

A 1,385 square-foot office addition to the Neiswonger Construction Company’s shop along the south side of Route 322 in Clarion Township east of Strattanville was granted preliminary approval.

The addition on the front of the building required no variance.

Project denied

A project on the commission’s agenda for several months, and which had been granted two extensions, was denied by the commission.

Charles R. Holbein Jr. had proposed a minor subdivision in East Brady Borough that would have required four different modifications.

Steep slopes, narrow lots and limited space for roadways made planning the project difficult.

County engineer Kevin Reichard said more information and revisions were needed, but none had been forth coming in recent months.

Reichard said the second time extension granted for the project would run out before the next planning commission meeting, and the commission had to make a decision on the proposal.