Pines International will go ahead with plans for an expansion at its site in northern Douglas County.

The County Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved a preliminary plat for the addition to its manufacturing facility at 1997 E. 1400 Road, directly south of U.S. Highway 24-59. The site is expected to house an addition of 8,000 square feet.

Pines International is required by the Food and Drug Administration to keep certain types of grasses separate during processing and manufacturing, thus necessitating a separate, new facility. The company makes a variety of nutritional supplements out of cereal grasses, including wheat, barley, rye, oats and others.

The site includes an old schoolhouse that has been deemed valuable by the Douglas County Historical Society. Pines International is planning to construct its new facility in a way that would leave the schoolhouse undisturbed.

The commission briefly discussed changes to an amendment to zoning regulations for unincorporated Douglas County. The changes would create a new business district zoning that would support rural conference, recreational and tourism sites.

The commission agreed that any project that moves forward would need to serve rural tourism, while also protecting the integrity of the natural area that surrounds the site.

Additional discussion was deferred until a later date.