WORTH TWP — A new convenience store to be constructed along Route 108 has put into question where the border actually is between Butler and Lawrence counties.

A Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores outlet will be built on land the company bought adjacent to the road's interchange with Interstate 79 by the Plain Grove Township border.

“We're working through the permitting process and we hope to start construction in spring 2018,” according to Kealey Dorian, Love's supervisor of media.

The travel stop will include a Subway restaurant. A Love's Truck Tire Care facility will be located in a separate building.

The site plan, which is being processed through Worth Township and Butler County, lists a total of nearly 47 acres for the property.

After the planned development arose, Lawrence County subsequently petitioned state Commonwealth Court appoint an appropriate court to determine the boundary.

The petition states there is a “dispute” regarding the location of the boundary line.

According to the petition, “The dispute has arisen because of a proposed construction project that encumbers portions of Plain Grove Township, Lawrence County, and Worth Township, Butler County.”

Butler County solicitor Mike English said the petition is only asking where the boundary lies.

“They're not seeking to have it moved,” English said. “They're seeking to have it located.”

Commonwealth Court named Crawford County Court to handle the case. Crawford was selected due to it not being affected by the boundary question and not adjacent to either Butler or Lawrence counties.

English said where the structures sit on a site determines which municipality receives the property tax revenue. Consequently, if the boundary set by the court keeps the buildings in Worth Township, the taxes stay in Butler County.

Although the petition states there is an overlap of 1,000 feet between the tax maps in the respective county assessors' offices, Lawrence County solicitor Thomas Leslie said that overlap fluctuates.

“It varies one place to another,” Leslie said. “They overlap by varying degrees.”

He said the Love's plan brought the issue to attention.

“They didn't know what township to go to get their permits,” Leslie said.

Plain Grove Supervisor Jeff Bishop, board chairman, agreed there is uncertainty about where the store would be.

“We don't know what township it is,” Bishop said. “Let's resolve it now.”

Leslie said the boundary issue is not new.

According to Leslie, Lawrence County was concerned about the border before this board of commissioners took office.

He said both townships had issues about where each plowed snow.

“It had been an issue for quite some time,” Leslie said.

Bishop concurred, saying the confusion started when Interstate 79 chopped off Corry Road.

“Now that road's cut off,” he said.

Bishop said there is no straight border. “It's a lopsided line,” he said.

Bishop said some residents of the affected area pay taxes in Butler County, but have their road plowed by Plain Grove.

“We hope to get it resolved,” he said.

Worth Supervisor Fred Brezel, board chairman, agreed there is a need to establish a set border.

“To get it clarified, it would be a blessing,” he said.

Brezel said the people paying taxes in Butler County have their road maintained by Plain Grove because that township received the liquid fuels funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

He said if Worth would receive the liquid fuels funding after a boundary is set, then Worth would maintain Corry road.

Brezel said Worth already plows part of the road.

For Brezel, setting a border is simply clarification, not a turf war.

“Whatever they do is fine with me,” he said.

Bishop said more than 30 residences could be impacted by an official border — some may be reassigned to another school district.

Brezel said changing residences' school district would be a significant impact for those families.

Leslie said Lawrence County is not as concerned about the business development as it is with addresses being assigned to the correct county's 911 dispatch center.

Rob McLafferty, Butler County 911 coordinator, said there has been no problem for either county responding to calls in the affected area.

“We never had an issue dispatching,” McLafferty said. “We have an outstanding relationship with Lawrence County's dispatch system.”

The affected government entities agreed to let the Love's plan proceed through Butler County so it would not be delayed.

As a precautionary measure, Love's also is working with Plain Grove Township and Lawrence County to ensure it meets their standards.

“We are working with all parties involved so we shouldn't have to go through the permitting process again no matter what the counties decide,” Dorian said.