A planned Dollar General store opposed by neighbors in Penn Forest Township is set for a zoning hearing next week.

On March 4, the zoners will hear Dollar General’s request for a variance from the township’s requirements for minimum lot width.

“The way the lots are arranged currently it’s not allowed per our zoning ordinance. The plan cannot be approved as it is now. They need that zoning variance to get approval from the planning commission, ultimately the supervisors,” Township Engineer Sal Caiazzo said during a meeting of the township planning commission Monday night.

The site of the proposed store doesn’t meet the minimum 200-foot width required for development in the township’s C-1 commercial district.

The plans did recently clear a hurdle when a traffic impact study showed that no major improvements would be needed to the intersection where the store is proposed.

The impact study said there would be no need for traffic signals or turning lanes at the intersection of Route 534 and Stony Mountain Road, though it said there are concerns with visibility for drivers leaving the proposed store.

Other than the zoning variance, the traffic study was the last major hurdle to comply with the township’s zoning and land development ordinances.

The plan has faced opposition from neighbors, and a petition against the project has over 600 online supporters.

Many residents opposed to the project participated in a planning commission meeting last month, but it had to be canceled because of a disruption by online trolls.

During Monday’s planning commission meeting, one of the petition’s creators said that opposition to the project has grown as more people learn about it.

“At least 600 people passionately oppose commercializing, strip-malling our little section of the mountain,” Kelly Hall-Tompkins said.

The zoning hearing board meeting will take place March 4 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be streamed on Zoom, with registration available at www.pennforesttownship.org. No in-person attendance will be permitted.