COLUMBIANA Commission OKs addition plan

The commission wants council to allow merchants to use special signs for the holidays.
By NANCY TULLIS
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
COLUMBIANA -- The city planning commission approved a site plan for a 20,000-square-foot addition to the C & amp;S Land Co. on West Railroad Street. Bob Belding, city building and zoning officer, said Star Extruded Shapes of Canfield will expand in the former National Rubber Manufacturing Co. building.
He said Rick Noel, C & amp;S vice president, told the planning commission Star Extruded Shapes will use the addition for storage space and its powder coating operation. Belding said the company manufactures frames for aluminum awnings.
Tom Arcuri of Arcuri and Associates Inc. of East Palestine will also move his insurance office into the C & amp;S building, Belding said.
The planning commission also approved a site plan for STG Communications Services to build an addition on Wardingly Avenue in the industrial park. Belding doesn't yet know the size of the addition. He said the company still has to purchase the property.
Belding said John Anderson and partner Scott Strong will build offices and warehouse storage to relocate the company from North Lima. Their company installs equipment on cellular telephone towers and employs about 40 people.
With approval of the planning commission, Kathy Wentz of East Friend Street will conduct art classes and sell art supplies from the basement of her home. She said there will be only about six students per class.
Belding said in another matter, the planning commission will recommend the city council allow downtown merchants to put up signs during the holiday shopping season on Main Street and in the plaza area north of town at the intersections of state Routes 46, 14 and 164.
Will recommend signs
He said the planning commission will recommend council allow the signs, then planning commission and council members will review the sign ordinances after the holidays and consider making changes to accommodate the merchants' sign requests.
Merchants told city council recently that they'd like to put up tasteful signs on the north side and along Main Street to direct visitors to the city's many quaint downtown shops.
They said many visitors who come to Columbiana to the Dutch Haus Restaurant and the Dutch Village Inn area on the north side of town often aren't aware that Main Street is the heart of the downtown business district. Merchants said those who do shop downtown often aren't aware of several shops on side streets and alleys.
Several merchants told the council they had to remove signs they had placed because they violated city ordinances. One merchant on a side street said she averaged about 25 customers a day when she had a sandwich board sign on Main Street directing visitors to her shop. After she removed the sign, business declined to nothing.