The Butler County planning commission on Wednesday tabled the Karns City Area School District’s land development plan for renovations to the high school.

The plan includes the construction of a small addition and a new parking lot, new heating and air conditioning, classroom updates, repaving existing lots, creating a new parking lot entrance and stormwater management.

Part of the new parking lot would be built on a neighboring property and the stormwater management system would discharge onto the neighboring property, officials said.

Rick Roseberry, of Colliers Engineering and Design, told the commission the district is in the process of obtaining a permanent conservation easement with the property owner. He said a riparian buffer will be used in the stormwater system.

Commission Chairman Jesse Hines recommended tabling a vote on the plan until the easement is completed and recorded.

District superintendent Eric Ritzert said the project is designed to completely refresh the building to enhance learning for many years to come.

The district will advertise for construction bids in the spring. Construction is slated to begin over the summer and take three years to complete. Some work will be done while school is in session, but interruptions to classes will be minimized, Ritzert said.

All classrooms will be remodeled and the entire building will have air conditioning. Currently, classrooms in the interior part of the building have air conditioning, but classrooms with windows located on the perimeter of the building do not, he said.

New air conditioning and heating systems are part of the project, Ritzert said.

The addition is a small extension of the rear wall of the gym to create a 4-foot safety zone between the bleachers and the gym floor when the bleachers are open. In addition, the new space will be used for batting cages, cheer practice and gym class, he said.

The auditorium — which is getting new lighting, new stage curtains and cushioned seats — also will be air-conditioned, he said.

The new parking lot will allow the district to separate the area where parents drop off their children from the bus drop off area to improve safety, Ritzert said. A new entrance to the lot from Route 68 is also aimed at improving safety, he said.

District administration offices will be relocated from the lower floor to the main floor and the old office space will be converted to a concession stand and restrooms for the stadium, he said.

Original cost estimates approached $50 million, but have been reduced to around $42 million, Ritzert said.