Construction of the 54-room Cobblestone Hotel on North First Street on Connellsville's West Side is one step closer following conditional approval Tuesday by the city's zoning hearing board.

The board approved six variances for the hotel and conditionally approved a seventh. That seventh variance has to do with a parking area Connellsville council and the developer must settle. Issues such as paving a parking lot in a triangular area across from the hotel site bounded by North First Street, North Third Street and an unnamed alley must be worked out.

Architect Jim McMullan of JMAC Architects of Bridgeville, designer of the hotel; Alex Pounds and Vincent Earnesty from Widmer Engineering; Tom Rosselot of Hotel d2; and Chris Rosselot, project spokesperson with Grant Forbes, answered questions from the board.

Carl Ritenour, acting as board chairman in the absence of Shawn Pilla, asked if the board could grant approval without waiting for the parking issue with city council to be worked out.

Tom Currey said the board could approve the project, since the issue with city council does not affect the issues before the board.

Board member Cecilia Driscoll asked whether the project would still allow public access to the Youghiogheny River.

Absolutely, McMullan replied. In fact, we encourage it. The project site was chosen because of its access to the riverbank.

Six other variances the board approved are:

Changing the need for a landscaping buffer zone between the hotel and a residence to the south. Pounds said a wide buffer will be replaced with a 6-foot high decorative fence, combined with a strip of vegetation.

Allowing the building and walkways to take up 53 percent of the lot as opposed to 45 percent. Pounds said this will allow the structure to be built on the property and reflects the driveway and sidewalks in addition to the building.

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Zoning board OKs variances for hotel plan in Connellsville

Ok, so Im just about hysterical over the pink dots in my driveway.

The blue markings, orange stripes, flags, stakes with colored ribbons, and huge concrete monoliths only vaguely bothered me because I didnt associate them with encroachment on my front door.

Then the PINK MYSTERY was explained to me by one of the diggers (my 3-year-old granddaughters term for the construction crew on Kelly Street). The pink paint, a few feet from my porch, means Im going to lose most of my front yard and driveway. Instead, itll be an eight foot sidewalk, and if I park there, Ill get a knock on my door from a deputy telling me to pull my truck closer to the house and get off the public right of way. Expensive grass sod laid last summer has been chewed up by bulldozers, along with my beautiful camellia tree and giant cedar. The magnolia and pear tree escaped by inches.

Walking the dog means stumbling over piles of dirt, unearthed roots, and broken concrete while avoiding deep holes. Im trying to explain to Bogie that hell eventually have a wider sidewalk and new grass. Just be patient, I told him.

In my own pursuit of patience, I contacted Joe Bodi, a city engineer who was gracious enough to come to my house and speak to me and a neighbor about our concerns.

One unhappy fact I learned is that what we thought was our property along Kelly was never ours. When our homes were built in the 1970s, the county had authority but not much interest in little Destin. Five foot sidewalks were poured, thus allowing homeowners to assume that personal front yards stopped at sidewalks edge and/or at utility poles.

While assuming is never a good idea, that assumption is valid in many communities.

I couldve verified that information on my survey and lot description, but for me thats about as useful as reading a diagram for an Egyptian water clock written in hieroglyphics. So, content with my assumptions, I cared for what I thought was my yard. Watering, mowing, and planting trees.

Well, at least now, I only have a four-foot strip of grass to maintain. And I can stand on my porch and determine the eye color of passersby on the sidewalk or hand them a pear.

Mr. Bodi offered several assurances. Grass will be replaced, sprinklers will be reconnected, any damage done to residential property will be made right, and destroyed driveways will be replaced as part of the sidewalk. Still, if I were that neighbor who lost his beautiful brick driveway, Id be upset.

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READY: Reporting almost live from Kelly Street

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Lava rock left by the June 27 lava flow is being cleared from the Pahoa solid waste transfer station this week as Hawaii County prepares for the facilitys reopening March 1.

Lava poured through the transfer stations fence last November and pooled on a driveway used by garbage trucks along its perimeter before stalling.

It left more than 800 cubic yards of rock behind, which crews from Loeffler Construction are breaking apart and hauling to a quarry.

Bobby Jean Leithead Todd, county Environmental Management director, said that work will involve at least 40 truckloads and should be complete in the next few days, with some of the rock being left for landscaping and other features.

We are going to build a couple of small walls around a few of the plants, and were going to use some of it just as a feature, she said.

Lava that flowed down an embankment will be left untouched as long as it doesnt interfere with the facilitys operation.

The county estimated it will cost between $85,000 and $100,000 to reopen the transfer station, Leithead Todd said.

That cost might increase slightly since lava destroyed more asphalt than initially expected, she said. Repaving could cost between $30,000 and $60,000.

The contract for removing the lava rock is for $8,500. The county received four bids, Leithead Todd said.

In addition to paving and removing rock, she said a large water tank needs to be re-installed, electricity needs to be reconnected, and other minor repairs need to be made.

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County begins clearing lava near transfer station

Traffic backs up in Manatee County during a 2008 highway reconstruction project.

The Florida Department of Transportation advises drivers in Sarasota and Manatee counties to use caution this week in the following locations where road crews may be working:

SARASOTA COUNTY

I-75: From Sumter Boulevard to River Road: Construction project: This project expands I-75 to six lanes. Crews are clearing the median, installing drainage, excavating and building embankment, placing sod on the outside shoulders, and widening bridges at Deer Prairie Creek, Monday through Saturday, 7a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. Pay attention to traffic signs and barricades throughout the construction project, stay alert, and use caution in the work zone. Estimated completion is summer 2016. The contractor is Conalvias USA.

US 41 at SR 789: Maintenance permit project: The sidewalk located along the west side of US 41 from SR 789 to Ritz Carlton Drive and sidewalk located along the north side of SR 789 from Sunset Drive to US 41 will remain closed until construction of the development located at the corner of US 41 and SR 789 is complete. Pedestrians should follow the established detour.

US 41 from Marcia Street to Baywood Drive and from Reynolds Road to Gulf Gate Drive: Construction project: Crews are resurfacing the roadway, installing highway lighting, constructing sidewalk and making drainage improvements. Nighttime/overnight lane closures occur from 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. Expected completion is spring 2015. Ajax Paving is the contractor.

US 41 between Seminole Drive and Durian Road: Maintenance permit project: Crews are pouring curb and gutter for a driveway entrance. The northbound right lane will close from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday, February 6. Use caution.

US 41 Between south of River Road and north of Biscayne Boulevard: Maintenance contracts project: Crews are making sidewalk repairs. Pedestrians should use caution while crews are working.

US 41 Between North of SR 681(Venice Connector) to Oscar Scherer Park: Maintenance contracts project: Crews will be cleaning and reshaping roadside ditches both north and south bound directions. Contractor will conduct intermittent outside lane closures between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. through March.

SR 780/Fruitville Road between US 301 and Honore Avenue: Maintenance contracts project: Crews will be trimming trees over the road and sidewalks. Motorist should expect intermittent sidewalk closures and/or moving operations requiring lane closures through late February.

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TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Watch for road crews at these locations

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