BUTLER TWP — The township commissioners on Monday approved the land development plan for Butler Eye Care to construct a new office building about a mile from its current location.

Commissioners unanimously approved the plan contingent upon the business submitting a developers agreement, posting a construction bond and obtaining approval from the Butler Area Sewer Authority.

The zoning hearing board recently approved the optometry office's classification as a clinic, which makes it a permitted use in a C-2 commercial zone.

In January the planning commission recommended approval of the land development plan for the 4,000 square foot building and parking lot.

The building will be constructed at 391 Evans City Road, about a mile from the current office at 297 Evans City Road.

In other business news, another Sheetz in the township is seeking permission to sell beer and wine.

The commissioners agreed to conduct a hearing at 7 p.m. March 18 for the Sheetz at the intersection of Route 68 and Meridian Road to transfer a liquor license from Evans City to the store. The hearing will be held during a commissioners meeting.

Solicitor Rebecca Black said no more liquor licenses in the township are available so business that want one must buy one that was in use in another municipality or obtain an economic development liquor license from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.

Approval of the transfer from the LCB is required if the commissioners approve the transfer, she said.

In January, the commissioners approved a request to transfer a restaurant liquor license from Center Township to the Sheetz at 1100 Center Ave.

In unrelated business, the commissioners accepted the donation of nearly 12 acres bordering Preston Park from Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh to add to the park.

The added acreage would make the park a little larger than 100 acres, said Dave Zarnick, president of the board of commissioners.

He said the museum donated a building and an acre of land around it in the park to the township several years ago. The building was used to store artifacts and other pieces of history during the Vietnam War, Zarnick said.

The commissioners adopted a resolution to apply for a grant of up to $10,000 to upgrade the dek hockey rink in the Butler Township Park. If the grant is approved, the township would have to provide a match of 25 percent of the grant.

The township is getting help from a group of students in Slippery Rock University's public relations program to develop campaigns to help recruit volunteer fire fighters and educate residents about the recycling program.

The students, who briefly addressed the commissioners, said they plan to present their proposals to the commissioners by the end of March.