Mike Kelly Automotive is looking to expand with a new Butler Township location after the planning commission approved their proposal on Tuesday, June 3.

Plans for a Kia dealership location near the intersection of Evans City Road and Meridian Road were presented by Kelly Automotive to the commission at their meeting.

According to township zoning officer Jesse Hines, the dealership is looking to build on a parcel of land that is about 5 acres and is already zoned commercial. The plans include about 30,000 square feet of development in total, Hines said.

In total, Hines said Kelly Automotive estimated the new dealership would bring as many as 45 new, full-time jobs to the township.

In an interview in Butler County Business Matters, Luke Kim, general manager for Kelly Automotive, said the new dealership would replace the current Kia location along Pittsburgh Road in Penn Township. Once the new location is complete, the previous one will be renovated to make room for Hyundai.

Hines said the commission was told that after final approval, site work is expected to begin in the fall. Tentatively, Kelly Automotive is looking to open the Kia dealership in spring 2026.

To get that approval, the plans must go to the Butler Township commissioners for a final vote. The topic is expected to be see that vote at the next meeting, slated for 6:30 p.m. June 16.