WAL-MART REVIEW POSTPONED IN WYOMING COUNTY, PA

Wyoming County Wal-Mart review postponed [The Times-Tribune (Pa.)]

The Wyoming County Planning Commission agreed on Wednesday to postpone its review of plans for a Wal-Mart SuperCenter until next month.

County planner Paul Weilage said attorney Mark Van Loon requested on behalf of Wal-Mart that the review be postponed.

Wal-Mart wants to build a 155,114-square foot SuperCenter on Route 29, just south of Tunkhannock in Eaton Township.

Mr. Weilage said Mr. Van Loon requested that the review be pushed back, pending a public hearing on Monday and a follow-up decision to it by Eaton Township supervisors on whether to grant a conditional-use permit to Wal-Mart.

On July 10, the township Planning Commission recommended the SuperCenter plan be approved by supervisors.

Supervisors expect to vote on the plan following the hearing on Monday.

On Wednesday, Mr. Weilage said he is waiting to receive a storm-water report on the project.

Plans call for placing the SuperCenter near Skyhaven Airport and across from an existing Wal-Mart store.

Also on Wednesday, Mr. Weilage said a county report on flood-risk evaluation is being reviewed as part of the development of a flood map. He said the report comes a year after the Federal Emergency Management Agency held a meeting during which flood risks in the county’s municipalities, stemming from the June 2006 flooding, were discussed.

Mr. Weilage said he has contacted FEMA and told the agency some watersheds did not receive enough attention in the report.

He said Swale Brook in Tunkhannock Borough is one waterway the report recommends receive a detailed study.

Asked by commission member Tom Davis whether funding is available to implement the report’s recommendations, Mr. Weilage said no.

“That’s one of the major problems,” he added.

Posted by Joel Nezianya on Thursday, July 17, 2008

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