BUTLER TWP — Complimenting Sheetz developers for being responsive to concerns, the township commissioners Monday night agreed to zoning changes that pave the way for a new Sheetz convenience store at Center and Morton avenues.

The commissioners voted 4-0 to separate a 3½-acre lot from 32 acres owned by Butler County and allow commercial buildings to be constructed on it. Previously, the zoning only allowed for uses such as farming and hospitals.

Sheetz, which wants to build a 6,500-square-foot convenience store with six multi-gas pump dispensers, a car wash and a drive-through food facility catty-cornered to the current, smaller store, now must come back to the township to go through the land development approval process.

Henry Fownes, real estate site selector for Sheetz, said he was unsure how quickly the plan would be back before the township planning commission for consideration.

“There’s a lot of engineering to be done,” Fownes said. “We wanted to get the zoning changes approved first.”

The developers last fall brought a similar zoning change request to the township. But the company withdrew its request after residents expressed concerns about noise, light and commotion especially in reference to direction of the building’s front on Center Avenue.

The new plans show the building no longer fronting Center Avenue. The developers also relocated the car wash to the rear of the lot, moved a driveway and included landscape buffering around the proposal’s perimeter.

To accommodate the changes, the developers increased the amount of property to be leased from the county to 3½ acres from 3 acres. County officials have said the lease is $75,000 a year for 15 years.

The commissioners said they had not been in favor of the original plan, but were pleased to see the developers reacted to the concerns raised and responded with changes.

“(Sheetz) made strides to make this work for the township and the public,” said commissioner Joseph Hasychak. “Good job gentlemen.”

A handful of people who live in the vicinity of the site attended the meeting, but did not speak.

Commissioner George Shockey was absent.