The Pennsylvania Department of General Services got approval to build a new multipurpose welcome center on Family Camp Road in Hickory Run State Park.

The new building will replace the current park offices located along Route 534 and the contact center on Family Camp Road.The building will include the park's administrative offices, a classroom/meeting room and the registration office for the campground.The existing buildings will be demolished and meadow seeded according to James Eder of Hunt Engineering Company, the engineer on the project.The hearing was required because township zoning enforcement officer, Robert Dobash had rejected the application for three reasons.First the application calls for an 80-foot radio tower which requires a special use exception and a height variance.The application also includes a reduced road width of 16 rather than 20 feet and a reduction in the number of required parking spaces.Eder made a presentation to the zoning board members explaining that the welcome center does not fit any existing description in the ordinance and as such the 70 proposed parking spaces for single vehicles is more than sufficient for the needs of the park's employees and guests.Eder also said the 20-foot road requirement is adequate for a two-way roadway, and the area requiring the variance is a one-way road.Zoning board secretary William Behret made a motion to approve the application that was seconded by Stanley Spolowich.The motion passed.