It appears Hartley King's NCH Hospitality development group wants to resurrect a proposed Sonic drive-in restaurant project in North Huntingdon.

In July, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation denied NCH's application for a highway occupancy permit due to potential traffic safety issues at the Billott Avenue-Route 30 intersection.

PennDOT proposed restricting Billott Avenue to right-turn in, right-turn out by constructing a concrete barrier.

Mr. King, an Elizabeth Township restaurateur, initially balked at the proposal, insisting that it would impede business.

During the lengthy permit process, a year-old lease agreement between White Oak-based NCH and Eileen and Zigmund Barton for the former Collins Family Motorsports property at that intersection expired June 30.

Mr. King said negotiations for an extension of the lease with the Bartons had fallen through, and Mr. Barton confirmed that.

Mr. King said then that NCH had opted instead to construct a Sonic on property off Interstate 68 near Morgantown, W.Va.

Mr. Barton said Monday that he has decided to open Norwin Motors on his property. A new Norwin Motors sign adorns the façade of the freshly painted main building.

"Nobody has talked with us since I got the keys to the building back," Mr. Barton said.

"The [NCH] deal is dead. I just got tired of waiting, so I decided to move forward and lease the property to myself."

Mr. Barton indicated he would meet with township code officer Keith Evers to secure any permits required to open his business.

Due to its proximity to the Norwin High School campus, the site was NCH's preferred location for its Sonic.

Billott Avenue accesses an entrance to the high school, Norwin Middle School, Hahntown Elementary and Hillcrest Intermediate.

Mr. King indicated that NCH still desires to build a Sonic in the township.

In other action:

• The board voted, 6-0, to approve an agreement with Redstone Presbyterian Seniorcare for a payment-in-lieu-of-property taxes program pertaining to the two-parcel Redstone Highlands complex off Lincoln Way for tax years 2008 through 2014.

The township will lose an estimated $56,000 in property tax revenue over seven years. The Norwin School District, which approved the PILOT agreement last week, will lose about $348,000 over that period.

• The board approved establishing a $10,000 escrow account for DeBartolo Development to compensate the township for performing winter maintenance of Rhonda Court and Mills Drive in the proposed Mills Pointe/Walmart development.

The Norwin school board is considering replacement of the artificial playing surface and renovation of the all-weather track in Knights Stadium.

John Wilson told the board last week that the estimated cost of the new turf is $400,000. Improvements to the track would cost $100,000.

He said when the playing surface was converted from grass to artificial turf in 2002, it was part of a $1.64 million renovation of the stadium. A new field house also was constructed.

The average life of an artificial turf playing surface is eight to 10 years, Mr. Wilson said.

The $400,000 cost of replacement turf is about $200,000 less than Mr. Wilson estimated to directors in a capital projects projection four years ago.

The new board, to be seated Dec. 7, will decide if the stadium renovations will be included in the 2010-11 operating budget.

About 17,000 people serviced by the Western Westmoreland Municipal Authority's Brush Creek treatment plant, North Huntingdon, may realize a rate increase next year.

Directors last week voted, 5-4, to approve a $3,591,426 operating general fund budget for 2010 that reflects a $3.70-per-month sewage rate hike effective April 1.

Opposing the spending plan were Lenny Santimyer, North Irwin; Chuck Konkus, Manor; and Stan Caroline and Tony Marks, Penn Township.

In a separate vote, the board unanimously approved a 66-cent-per-month hike for 287 customers in the Cavittsville-Ardara rate district, who are serviced by the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority. Alcosan's rates will increase in January.

Those monthly bills will increase to $30.61.

The board must pass a resolution before the rate hike that will help support a proposed $8.445 million system expansion project, board President Robert Pioth noted.

In 2006, the board approved a $3.65-per-month rate increase to $16.85 to fund capital improvements to the treatment system, but wound up implementing only $2.65.

Irwin, North Irwin, Manor, Penn Township and Hempfield implemented the $2.85 rate increase. North Huntingdon Municipal Authority passed on the full $3.65 increase to its customers.

The North Huntingdon Authority's fiscal year will start in May.

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