J.M. Huber Corporation, an oriented strand board producer, is seeking modification of its conditional use permit for a 38,050 square-foot addition at its Route 626 plant, an addition that could add six to 24 workers per day.
The total anticipated investment is about $8 million.
Time from approval and at least one shift operation would be about seven months, with an anticipated start-up in the spring of 2001, according to a project description.
To further enhance worker safety, the addition will house Huber's open welding/ fabrication area, as well as house an area for post-production equipment needed to overlay OSB panels.
The addition of the new overlay equipment will not change plant production capacity nor the raw wood usage, according to the project description.
The overlay process is expected to increase the plant workforce by six to 24 workers daily, depending on the number of shifts the new equipment is operated.
It is anticipated that mill traffic will increase slightly, both from the added workers and from the plant.
Outgoing traffic is not expected to increase because the current production capacity will offset outbound traffic concerns, according to projections.
The Planning Commission authorized a public hearing on Huber's request at its April 25 meeting and will recommend that the Board of Supervisors schedule a public hearing on the modified conditional use request.
In other business, commissioners authorized a public hearing on April 25 regarding a rezoning application by Dunn & Sons Funeral Services for a funeral home at the intersection of routes 832 and 676.
The application seeks rezoning from A-1 to B-2 for a 1.2-acre parcel at the northwest corner of the intersection.
Commissioners also will recommend that the Board of Supervisors hold a public hearing on Dunn's request.
Supervisors also authorized a public hearing on April 25 for a rezoning application by Gerald and Frances King seeking an A-1 to B-2 change for 1.0 acre for an auto body shop.
The land is located on the east side of Route 501, 1,000 feet south of routes 40 and 632.
Commissioners will also recommend that supervisors set a public hearing for the rezoning application.
Following a public hearing Tuesday night, commissioners recommended approval of a rezoning request by Paul Tucker to have one acre of land rezoned from M-2, general industrial, to A-1, agricultural.
The request will go before supervisors for action following a public hearing at supervisors' April 3 session.
The site is located on the south side of Route 639, about .25 mile west of Route 640. A slaughterhouse closure is the reason for the rezoning request.

The proposed Tobacco Warehouse District Revitalization Project was presented in detail at a community meeting Wednesday night at The Prizery.
Tom Carlsson, of K.W. Poore & Associates, presented findings of a planning study to a group of 30 merchants and citizens.
K.W. Poore & Associates is the project consultant for the proposed $700,000 block grant bid.
Based on this study the town of South Boston intends to submit a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) by April to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, which administers the federal program.
Part of the study included a survey of downtown shoppers and merchants to ask their perception of the downtown business district.
The other part of the study dealt with the details of building rehabilitation and economic development of the district.
"Two objectives of the federal CDBG program are to address slums and blight and to benefit low and middle-income persons," said Carlsson.
Among the buildings targeted for rehabilitation are the Bag Factory, Farmer's Service storefront, Ragland Building, Clark Reproductions and SOBO Ventures.
These building owners will be granted a two-year forgivable loan with 100 percent matching requirements under the block grant, if it is approved.
Two owner-occupied low-to-middle income residences within the project boundaries will be rehabilitated as well.
Another facet of the plan calls for the possible refurbishment and marketing of the Taylor Building, presently used for town offices.
"The Taylor Building is too strategically located to ignore," said Ted Daniel, town manager.
"It would be too expensive to demolish and too expensive to refurbish entirely with this one grant. We could market it as a 'shell building' to potential businesses."
Noting the Taylor building's structural design, Daniel added that "it could be used for a technology related business, once it was wired for broad band and fiber optics."
Questions were raised concerning the omission of the former Tultex building from the project.
"The Tultex building is outside of the area under study for the grant," said Daniel.
"We're trying to get the "biggest bang for the buck," and there's not enough money (in the grant) to include the Tultex building."
Daniel and Carlsson agreed that a major thrust of the project is to help The Prizery and the Continuing Education Center (CEC) reach their development potential as new economic anchors for downtown South Boston.
According to the survey, more than one-half of the respondents expressed a desire to enroll in a degree- related course or non-credit program in the next two years at the CEC's new location.
More than two-thirds of the respondents said they would like to attend an event at The Prizery within the next two years.
According to Carlsson, the chances for approval of the bid "are very good.
"The specific areas addressed in the proposal fall within the guidelines of the federal agency responsible for the grant."
Tamyra Vest, community development coordinator, said that downtown merchants will be receiving memos asking for letters of support for the project.
"These letters will indicate the merchant's support for the project and express our need for this grant," said Vest.

DANVILLE, Va. (AP) - Tultex Corp. may fall $150 million to $200 million short of paying its bankruptcy debts, company officials said.
The clothing manufacturer filed for bankruptcy in December and has since ceased production and laid off 2,000 workers in Martinsville and Henry County. It is being broken up and sold to pay creditors.
At a hearing Tuesday by the Office of the United States Trustee for those owed money by Tultex, the company said it has assets worth $427.4 million and debts of $338.7 million. The assets include real estate, machinery and inventory.
The company listed the book value of many of its assets in coming up with the $427.4 million figure. But the book value - purchase price less depreciation - could be far higher than what a buyer would pay.
Company officials and the creditors' lawyers said Tultex is likely to receive far less than the book value of its assets while trying to raise cash through liquidation.
Bruce Matson, the company's lead bankruptcy lawyer, estimated Tultex might raise $138 million to $184 million.
That amount would not cover money owed its largest secured creditors - banks and bondholders. That means thousands of laid-off workers, who didn't get paid for unused paid vacation days, won't be able to collect their money unless the banks and bondholders are paid in full first.
Hundreds of businesses owed for products or services supplied to Tultex also won't get paid until the other debts are resolved.
''That's sad news, I know, for everyone who wanted to hear something different from that,'' said James Cosby, a trustee's office lawyer assigned to monitor the Tultex case.
At Tuesday's hearing, Cosby questioned payments to former executives during the year leading up to Tultex's bankruptcy filing. Generally, companies in bankruptcy must show such payments represented salary or get the money back so it can be paid to creditors.
Cosby asked Tultex officials to investigate whether the law requires Tultex to recover the funds.
P. Woolard Harris Jr., acting chief executive of Tultex, said the company would look at all opportunities to maximize the return to creditors.

The State Water Control Board delayed action Wednesday on LG&E Westmoreland's request to withdraw more water from the Staunton River.
The board is allowing 45 days for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Marine Resources and the Virginia Department of Health to respond to Westmoreland's request.
The Altavista power company is seeking a permit to operate a water supply intake on the Staunton River withdrawing a maximum of 2.86 million gallons per day.
However, river advocates are optimistic following Wednesday's meeting.
"I think that the board will adopt the draft permit proposed by DEQ (the Department of Environmental Quality) and supported by Staunton River advocates," said Delegate W.W. "Ted" Bennett yesterday.
"It is not all about recreation, what we are arguing is that we want the mandate of the statute that was passed in July 1989 that the State Water Control Board must consider beneficial in-stream use as well as off-stream uses when setting water policy, which would encompass water quality and water quantity," J.T. Davis, president of the Friends of the Staunton River, said yesterday.
Davis said that in-stream uses would include recreation, fishery and waste assimilation.
"I think, too, what is important for downstream users is the threat to existing industry and off-stream users and future off-stream users, because it has to come past Altavista before it gets to areas like Clover," added the river advocate.
Davis warned that in the long term, "the issuance of this permit could set a precedent that could in fact affect the operation of the Clover power plant."
Although Davis termed as "most unfortunate" the fact that the Water Control Board made no decision on Wednesday, he is optimistic.
"If they consider the facts of the science and the factual information provided them at the Campbell (County) hearing and Wednesday's, then there will be no question they will rule in our favor," Davis said.

Approximately 50 Staunton River advocates boarded a bus in Brookneal on Wednesday to attend the Richmond hearing.
"It was an enormous effort put together by Shelton Miles , J.T. Davis and all the folks concerned about the permit request by LG&E," Bennett said.
"I think they made an awfully good impression, and I would be surprised if the State Water Control Board did not vote in their favor. I think that the board will and should deny LG&E 's request for an exception to their current permit."
Earlier this month, Shelton Miles, of the Citizens for the Preservation of the Staunton River, said that he was concerned that the precedent established in the pending permit and the principles involved would have long-term significance, not only for the Staunton but for all Virginia rivers.
Miles said that the issue was never how much water LG&E Westmoreland withdrew from the river, rather how much water they had to leave in the river.
Bennett had warned that if an exception were made for LG&E, an exception would have to be made for all, to the detriment of the river.

A South Boston man was arrested Wednesday afternoon by South Boston police on charges of possession of controlled substance, which appears to be crack cocaine, according to Lt. Rice.
Ronald N. Glenn, 41, of Porter Lane in South Boston, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, public drunkeness, and obstruction of justice.
Officer Mike Moreno said he spotted Glenn while on foot patrol at College Street and Taylor Avenue and attempted to talk with him.
Moreno said Glenn ran and was seen throwing something down while the officer pursued on foot.
Glenn was apprehended on N. Main Street at 2:33 p.m.
· A 46-year-old South Boston man was arrested Wednesday by sheriff's deputies on a grand larceny charge.
James H. Venable, of Love Shop Trailer Park, was charged with grand larceny after he allegedly uttered a check in the amount of $235.13, drawn on the Community National Bank and made payable to The Mulch Company.
The alleged offense occurred on December 8, 1999.
· Willie I. Cameron, 59, of Parker Avenue in South Boston, was arrested Wednesday by sheriff's deputies on a charge of threatening to kill or injure.
Cameron allegedly threatened Michael Torian on March 24.
A hearing for Cameron is schedule in Halifax County General District Court on April 12.
· A 42-year-old South Boston man was arrested Wednesday by sheriff's deputies on charges of brandishing a firearm and assault and battery.
David Anthony Rose, of Savoy Avenue, was charged after he allegedly brandished a firearm and allegedly committed assault and battery of Cathy Cook on the day of the arrest.
Rose is scheduled to appear in Halifax County General District Court on April 12.

A totaled Lexus was the result of a two-car crash Wednesday morning on Huell-Matthews Highway.
South Boston police officer T. M. Van Aernem said the 11a.m. crash occurred on Route 501, one-quarter of a mile north of the intersection of Route 58, when a 1990 Lexus, driven by Ann F. Butler, 47, of Halifax, was struck in the rear by another vehicle.
Van Aernem said Butler was stopped in the left lane to make a left turn when a 1989 Chevrolet pickup, driven by Matthew S. Jones, 18, of South Boston, struck Butler's vehicle.
According to Lt. Rice, Jones told Officer Van Aernem that a car in front of Jones quickly switched into the right lane before he saw Butler's vehicle.
Rice said Jones was injured and was treated and released from Halifax Regional Hospital.
The officer estimated a total loss for the Lexus with $40,000 in damages and $7,000 in estimated damages to Jones' vehicle.
Charges are pending.

Halifax County High School's varsity girls soccer team made it two wins in a row Tuesday with a 4-2 win here over Laurel Park.
The victory in the non-district contest evened the Comets' record at 2-2 for the season.
Halifax County was led by Rebecca Barker who scored two of the team's four goals. Lateisha Chambers scored another.
Halifax County led 2-0 at the half. The team's first score was on itself and Barker kicked in the first of her two goals to give the Comets a good cushion at the break.
Barker scored Halifax County's first goal of the second half and appeared to have gotten another score not long after that from Stephanie Bomar.
However, Bomar's goal was withdrawn by the officials when they tagged Halifax County with an offsides penalty.
Chambers added the Comets' final goal of the contest before Laurel Park punched in a pair of late goals against Comets reserves.
The Comets got solid play all the way around. And, Liz Rorrer had a small handful of good shots at the goal that barely missed their mark.
Halifax County was seeking to add to its winning streak last night when it faced Laurel Park in a return match.

Halifax County High School's varsity baseball team will be looking to extend its perfect record here Saturday when it faces Brentsville High School in a doubleheader.
Game time at the Halifax County High School field will be 12 noon.
In facing Brentsville, the Comets, 3-0 for the regular season, are facing a pretty much unknown entity.
"All I know about them is that they usually rank pretty high in their district," Davis said of the Group A opponent from Nokesville in Prince William County.
Saturday's doubleheader against the Brentsville High School Tigers will mark the first ever meeting between the two teams.
The Comets will return the favor of the appearance here by Brentsville with a return engagement there next season.
With Saturday's doubleheader, Halifax County will be looking to rebound from an 8-5 loss it sustained to Heritage Tuesday night in a scrimmage game in Lynchburg.
"It was a wakeup call," Davis said.
"The good thing about it was that it came on a day off."
Davis' intent with the scrimmage was to get a look at a handful of pitchers, move some players around and get a look at as many people as possible.
And he did.
Jonathan Wallace, who had been used as a closer, started for the Comets.
"He really didn't pitch that bad," Davis said.
"They (Heritage) hit some good pitches. He got into trouble in the second inning and Heritage scored. I wanted Jonathan to pitch three innings and he did. If it had been a real game we probably would have taken him out sooner but I wanted him to get some time on the mound."
Scott Adams came to the hill in the fourth inning for the Comets and, as was in the case of Wallace, Heritage took advantage of some walks and hits.
"He had some trouble trying to find a strike," Davis pointed out.
"I left him in because I wanted him to get some game experience. Because it was only a scrimmage, I left him in the game and let him work his way out of trouble."
Justin Smith and Michael Priest each came in and got an inning of work.
"They didn't look bad," Davis said.
"Priest pitched the last inning. He really looked sharp on the mound."
Davis said his team's defense did a good job.
"Basically, our defense was there," Davis said.
"We did the things we have to do. We walked a lot of batters but I needed for our pitchers to get time on the mound."
The Comets hit the ball fairly well and scored four runs in the fifth inning and another in the sixth inning.
Matt Hastings was a perfect two for two at the plate and several others had hits in the contest.
The downside of the Comets' offense, however, was that the team didn't manufacture runs when opportunities opened up.
"We left over 10 runners on base," Davis pointed out.
The Comets coach pointed out that in one inning his team had the bases loaded and none out and failed to score.
And, in another inning, the Comets had runners on second base and third base with nobody out and failed to score.
"You can't win ball games like that," Davis said.

Otis Thompson Epps Sr., age 65, of 1157 Union Church Road, Halifax, died March 29, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Epps was born in Halifax County on May 19, 1934, the son of Mose Anderson Epps and Mary Thompson Epps and was married to Hazel Trammell Epps. He was an employee of JPS Converter and Industrial Corp. for 45 years and an Army veteran.
Survivors include his wife; four sons, Otis T. Epps Jr. and wife, Sarah of Halifax, Michael A. Epps and wife, Phyllis of Halifax, Jerry A. Epps and wife, Jacque of South Boston and Brian T. Epps of Halifax; seven sisters, Lucy E. Tuck of Danville, Annie E. Whitlow of Keeling, Mary E. McDowell of Java, Nannie Sue Beard of Halifax, Pearl E. Crenshaw, Hazel E. Eades and Ruby E. Seamon, all of South Boston; one brother, Lacy Epps of South Boston; three grandsons, Nicholas Epps, Matthew Epps and Kyle Epps, all of Halifax. He was preceded in death by three brothers, Bernard, Robert and Obie Epps.
Funeral services for Mr. Epps will be held April 1 at 2 p.m. at Powell Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Bill Leonard, Jack Stewart and Grover Stevens conducting the service. Burial will take place in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Powell Funeral Home this evening, March 31 from 7:00 until 9:00, and other times at the home.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax County Cancer Association, PO Box 875, South Boston 24592.

Mary Frances Carrington Vickers, age 86, of Saratogo Springs, N.Y., formerly of Halifax, died March 25, 2000, at Saratogo Community Hospital.
Mrs. Vickers was born in Halifax County on June 6, 1913.
Survivors include three sons, James Vickers of New York, Carl Vickers of Halifax and Rashael Abdur Rahman of Saratogo; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Mrs. Vickers will be held April 1 at 2 p.m. at Crawford, Garrett & Burton Funeral Chapel in Halifax with the Rev. Robert Wimbish officiating. Burial will follow in New Hope CME Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home of Carl and Mary Vickers, 1010 Paul James Road, Halifax.

Philip Joseph Bradbury, age 69, of 1124 Newton Farm Road, South Boston, died March 28, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mr. Bradbury was born in Lowell Mass. on June 19, 1930, the son of Joseph A. Bradbury and Agnes Judge Bradbury and was married to Kathleen R. Bradbury. He was a retired salesperson with Jack L. Slagle Fire Equipment, a member of St. Paschal Catholic Church, a member of American Legion Post 8, and a Marine veteran.
Survivors include his wife; one daughter, Susan B. Kirksey of Concord; two sons, James Philip Bradbury of Cocoa, Fla. and John Joseph Bradbury of Danville; one sister, Mona B. Volonino of Lowell, Mass.; four grandchildren; three step grandchildren and one step-great-grandchild.
Services for Mr. Bradbury will be held at St. Paschal Catholic Church April 1 at 11 a.m. with Father Mathias Newell officiating. Burial will follow in Cherry Hill United Methodist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends this evening, March 31, between 7:00 and 9:00, and other times at the home.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the American Heart Association.

Rosa Chandler Elliott, age 75, of 1311 Bernard Street, South Boston, died March 30, 2000, at Halifax Regional Hospital.
Mrs. Elliott was born in Charlotte County on February 11, 1925, the daughter of Thomas Frazier Chandler and Mary Crenshaw Chandler and was married to Lewis Johnson Elliott. She was a member of First Baptist Church and was a retired teacher.
Survivors include one son, L.F. Elliott of South Boston; one daughter, Mary Ann Lewis of South Boston; one grandson, Drew Lewis of South Boston; three granddaughters, Lee Elizabeth Lewis, Anne Frazier Elliott and Meredith Lewis Elliott, all of South Boston.
Funeral services for Mrs. Elliott will be held at Brooks Funeral Home Chapel, April 1 at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Robert Fox officiating. Burial will follow in Clover Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Brooks Funeral Home this evening, March 31 between 7:00 and 8:30, and other times at the home.

Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider the Halifax County Cancer Association, PO Box 875, South Boston, Halifax County Rescue Squad, PO Box 183, South Boston, or a charity of choice.

Louise Evans Burns, age 99, of Hampton, formerly of Halifax, died March 27, 2000, at Sentra Hampton General Hospital in Hampton.
Mrs. Burns was born in Halifax County on October 23, 1900.
Survivors include two nieces, Bertha Patrick and Louise Kelly; and a devoted cousin, James Daniels of Halifax.

Funeral services for Mrs. Burns will be held April 1 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul CME Church in Halifax with burial in the church cemetery. The Rev. George Brown will officiate.