The county’s planning board has recommended approval of a rezoning in Starbrick.

The subject parcel is 20850 Route 6 and the request was to change the zoning designation from residential to industrial.

Planning Director Michael Lyon said the parcel is adjacent to property owned by Conewango Township.

He said that changing the zoning designation would make the parcel “match the rest of the neighborhood” as part of a potential sale to Conewango Township.

“The majority of downtown Starbrick is industrial,” Lyon said. “From a zoning aspect, I see no issues with it.”

The owner, Don Saporito, told the planners that the property is “pretty much worthless” as a residential property.

“My plan is to remove the house,” he said. “We had the garage completely rebuilt.”

He said the home on the parcel is in the process of potentially being demolished as a training exercise for firefighters.

“It’s been vacant for two decades,” Lyon said. “(It’s) been an empty house for a long time.”

Jeff Zariczny, who is on the commission and also a Conewango Township supervisor, said that the township’s sale shed is built on a portion of the adjacent parcel.

Fee schedule

Lyon told the commission that he’s doing a review of the county’s fee schedule.

“We are way, way, way outdated,” he said. “It’s time. We’re not even close to the City of Warren and Youngsville for what they’re charging for subdivisions.”

He said most of the increases are related to the zoning hearing board process.

“Zoning permit fees may need to be adjusted a little bit but not a whole lot,” Lyon added.