The Pennsylvania Turnpike received the green light from Carbon County to construct a maintenance building in Kidder Township.

During the monthly meeting of the county planning commission, the board voted to recommend plan approval for the proposed development at the Pennsylvania Turnpike I-476 Pocono Interchange Maintenance facility in Kidder.Prior to the vote, Ivan O. Meixell Jr., county planner, explained that the plans call for removing an existing block storage building, storage tanks and L.P. propane tanks and constructing a 6,320-square-foot maintenance/wash/ storage building with connections to an existing private water supply and public sewage disposal facilities.Meixell noted that the plan was previously before the commission and pointed out that there is a change in the size of the building.He added that the revised plan, as submitted, contains all preliminary/final plan requirements of the Kidder Township Land Development Ordinance; but before plans can proceed, the comments by the Kidder Township engineer regarding supporting documentation/certifications must be addressed.Meixell then recommended that the commission recommend approval for the project.A second proposed land development plan in Penn Forest Township was also discussed and received conditional plan rejection after a number of issues with the proposal were found.Meixell outlined the proposed construction of a Jim Thorpe Dollar General near the intersection of Church Road and State Route 903, Penn Forest Township.In the plan, it calls for constructing a 9,100-square-foot Dollar General story with parking/unloading areas, associated storm water controls and on-lot water and sewer facilities.There are a number of issues with the plan that must be addressed before approval could be given, Meixell said.He then recommended conditional plan rejection until all issues are addressed and adequately mitigated.In related news, the commission acted on a number of land development and subdivision plans. They are:• The lands of Daniel L. and Carol Meixell: The proposal calls for subdividing 6.643 acres of land at 7015 Pohopoco Drive, Towamensing Township, into a 4.446-acre lot and a 2.197-acre lot. The commission recommended plan approval for the proposal.• Robert McMichael proposed a subdivision of .184-acres of land at 228 W. Railroad St., Nesquehoning. The plan wold create a total of three lots. The commission recommended conditional plan rejection until all issues are addressed.• Blue Heron Homeowner's Association to Big Boulder Corp.: The proposed plan calls for subdividing 42.5 acres into two lots at the intersection of Big Boulder Drive and Lake Harmony Road in Kidder Township. It received conditional plan rejection until a number of issues are addressed and mitigated.• Charles J. and Helga Bradley proposed a subdivision of .619 acres at 28 Shortridge Road, Indian Mountain Lakes, Penn Forest Township. The plan calls for combining two lots into one. It received plan approval.The commission also addressed a number of new ordinances in Penn Forest and Nesquehoning Borough.Penn Forest Township is updating its Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance; while Nesquehoning is addressing its Subdivision and Land Development and Zoning ordinances, as well as proposing ordinances for wind energy facilities and the regulation of oil and gas development.