BUTLER TWP — Township commissioners approved plans Monday for a three-building commercial development featuring at least two restaurants at the site of the former Mikan Motor Company Volkswagen dealership at 340 New Castle Road.

Commissioners unanimously approved subdivision and land development plans for the Benevan Square commercial development at their Monday meeting.

The 2.85-acre lot will be subdivided into three lots measuring 1.7 acres, .97 acres and .71 acres, said Craig Bishop of the engineering firm Herbert, Rowland and Grubic.

The 1.7-acre lot will have a quick serve restaurant, the .97-acre lot will have a 6,300-square-foot retail building featuring another quick serve restaurant and the .71-acre lot will have a vehicle maintenance business in a 2,038-square-foot building.

The names of the businesses were not mentioned Monday, but Benevan Square officials told the planning commission, which recommended approval of the project last week, that the restaurant on the larger lot will be a Dairy Queen, while a Chipotle Mexican Grill will be located in the retail building and a Valvoline Instant Oil Change will occupy the .71-acre lot. Lease negotiations with the tenants are in the final stages, officials said.

Benevan Square will build the retail building and the Dairy Queen and Valvoline will construct their buildings.

The property will have to access driveways on New Castle Road and a road through Butler Crossing will also provide access.

Autumn Woods

The commissioners also approved subdivision and land development plans for the 92-unit Autumn Woods residential development off Meridian Road between Winterwood Drive and Fontana Street.

The cluster development will feature 23 quad buildings with four condominiums in each building on the 35-acre property. Three lots will be consolidated for the project.

The road through the development will end in a cul-de-sac and have a private loop road, which a homeowners association will maintain.

The association will maintain lawns, landscaping and two lamps that will be installed at the end of each driveway and plow snow from driveways and the loop road.

A swimming pool, clubhouse and walking trail are included in the project.

“We are going to put together a nice development for you,” said Robert Brennan of Winmer Properties, the developer.

Grants sought

In other business, the commissioners agreed to apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for two grants.

One is for $388,000 to install a drainage pipe through township property located near Butler Township Park to eliminate stormwater flooding and the other is for $250,000 to build a trail linking the township park to Preston Park.

Both projects are contingent on receiving the grants.