A Jim Thorpe-area rafting business looking to relocate and expand in Lehighton is one step closer to becoming a reality.

Jim Thorpe River Sports, which currently operates a rafting business in Jim Thorpe, is proposing a multipurpose site at the intersection of North Main Lane and Lehigh Drive, just off the Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard in Lehighton.The plans call for creating an 11,160-square-foot outdoor center for rafting and biking, as well as a kayaking school. In addition, six garages, covered entries and a paved parking lot, as well as three 518-square-foot sheds, a 34-foot by 44-foot pavilion, and a tar and chip/grass parking area containing 269 spaces are proposed on the 7.6071-acre site.On Tuesday, the Carbon County Planning Commission voted on two items for the proposed development - a lot line revision and a land development.The lot line revision received approval, while the land development received conditional plan approval.This is the second time in the past three months that the commission reviewed these plans. In December, the commission recommended conditional plan rejection for the land development due to a few items that needed to be addressed and conditional plan approval for the lot line revision.County planner Ivan O. Meixell Jr. outlined his findings to the commission before the vote, which showed seven areas of noncompliance with Lehighton's land development ordinances.Problems included adding items to the plan that need to be shown; having an owner certification signed and notarized; revising the parcel number that is incorrect; having the Carbon County Conservation District and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection review and approval the soil erosion plan and possible NPDES permit; have the Lehighton Water Authority, Lehighton Power and Light Department and Lehighton Sewer Authority approve the plans and complete a development agreement with the borough.Jerry McAward, owner of Jim Thorpe River Sports, said before the vote that the borough planning commission also recommended conditional plan approval last Tuesday.He said he is "pretty psyched" that the plans are moving forward and said if everything is approved, he hopes to break ground on the project this summer with an anticipated opening date of spring 2017.McAward said the borough is supportive of the plans, which will create recreational and economic opportunities in the town.The company already is an active business in the rafting world, and employs approximately 120 people throughout the year, both on seasonal levels and full-time.McAward said this expansion will bring additional opportunities for job creation.Other businessIn other matters, the commission voted to recommend conditional plan rejection for a proposed ice cream stand in Lehighton.The plans for Corner Cone call for renovating a 639-square-foot existing garage into an ice cream shop near the intersection of Mahoning and Eighth streets.Meixell outlined several areas of noncompliance to the borough's land development ordinances, including drainage of the property, widening the access and other approvals that are necessary.