The CAT Rental Store in Niles Township is attempting to create new jobs and facilitate growth by expanding its business several hundred feet to the south.

Troy Farkas, CAT branch manager, said Monday night that between three and 10 new jobs would be created if the company gets the go-ahead to move forward with expansion.

MacAllister Rentals, which owns the heavy equipment rental store at 2147 S. 11th St., has created a proposed site plan for the expansion. It will be reviewed by the Niles Township Planning Commission at 7 p.m. Oct. 13.

“Everything hinges on the meeting,” said Farkas.

MacAllister Rentals already cleared one hurdle Monday when the Niles Township Board of Trustees unanimously voted to rezone from residential to general business four parcels that would be part of the expansion.

Farkas said MacAllister Rentals has already worked out deals with each property owner on the condition that the site plan is approved.

The parcels that were rezoned are located at 1113 Wightman St., 1117 Wightman St., the corner of Bicknell and Wightman streets, and 2230 S. 13th St.

MacAllister Rentals also plans to purchase three additional parcels already zoned general business immediately south of CAT Rental, including where Ken’s Discount Sales is located.

In total, the expansion would include the entire area south of CAT Rental to Wightman Street and from S. 11th Street to S. 13th Street.

Peg Hartman, the township’s zoning administrator, recommended that the township approve the rezoning of the four properties.

Two citizens who said they live near the proposed expansion site said they’d be fine with it as long as noise is kept to a minimum.

Farkas said they plan to take steps to keep noise from increasing.

The expansion is needed, Farkas said, because the business is running out of space in which to store its rental equipment.

“We have outgrown our lot,” he said.

Township officials advised people with concerns about the proposed expansion to attend the planning commission meeting.