Farrell Planning Commission members said they don't want to hold up council's plan for urban renewal, but they think council could be asking for a headache if it doesn't spell out its street plans in a key area.

The city has been awarded a $500,000 grant under the state Redevelopment Capital Assistance program, and council has agreed to match it with the same amount.

The money would be used to demolish buildings, buy property, build roads and move utility lines to make two areas of the city more attractive to developers.

The target areas: extending the Hillside Industrial Park northward toward Sharon in the northwest section of the city, and Idaho Street between Spearman and Fruit avenues.

The state must approve a detailed Redevelopment Area Plan before it will release its share of the money.

The planning commission's main concern is a cul-de-sac in the extension of the Hillside Industrial Park.

The city's Redevelopment Area Plan places the cul-de-sac on Crago Avenue where it meets Lee Avenue Extension.

It would not be a true cul-de-sac because traffic could flow either way on Crago and Lee, but it would allow tractor-trailers to turn around so trucks would not have to enter the residential part of Crago.

The plan shows where the cul-de-sac would be located and lists it as a future consideration. The plan narrative also says a turnaround would be installed using a portion of Crago.

Commission member Tracy Stefanak said a developer would not want to put up a building on either of the two lots on which the cul-de-sac would be built, and then learn later that the city would want to build the cul-de-sac.

Stefanak feared the city would face a larger expense if it delays building the cul-de-sac.

"I don't want to hold the plan up," he said. "God knows it takes a long time to get things done around here."

City zoning officer Mark Yerskey agreed the cul-de-sac construction should be part of the plan. He said city consulting engineer Winslow Engineering Inc., Hermitage, is working up cost estimates for the cul-de-sac and other provisions of the plan.

The commission approved the plan with the recommendation to council that the cul-de-sac be included in it.