AUSTINTOWN Residents seek zoning change

No development deals are imminent, a representative for property owners said.
By STEPHEN SIFF
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Planning and zoning officials will soon determine if state Route 46 will be the township's next big commercial corridor.
Eight property owners want the township to change zoning to permit retail development.
The properties line the east side of the road, from Colgate Avenue south to Willowcrest Drive. Seven of the properties have homes. A counseling center sits at 46 and Willowcrest.
"The whole corridor is obviously going to become more commercial as time goes on," said Thomas Niemi, a broker at Landmark Commercial Real Estate Services who is representing property owners. He expects officials to approve a zone change to B-1, where offices are permitted, and hopes for a B-2 retail designation.
Busy intersection: The intersection at 46 and Mahoning Avenue is the busiest in the township, with 50,000 cars passing daily, said Niemi, whose company is developing a retail plaza there.
"We are rezoning for no particular purpose other than to be prepared for when development does happen," he said. "There is no big deal on the table."
The planning and zoning commissions will be setting "a matter of philosophy" about the future of state Route 46 in Austintown, said zoning inspector Michael Kurilla Jr.
The stretch of road between Mahoning and Interstate 80 is primarily residential, with some B-1 properties thrown in. The only property zoned for retail use is a nursery, Kurilla said.
Six of the residential properties covered by the rezoning request extend to a depth of almost 1,300 feet, abutting the rear of houses in the Kimberly subdivision on DeHoff Drive, but the zoning request is only for the first 500 feet, Kurilla said.
Between these houses and two more properties further south, there are two properties that are not part of the change request. One of them is owned by Richard Erb, who said he does not want to see his taxes go up or be surrounded by stores.
"At this point, the houses on this side have architectural appeal and I really don't feel there is a need for this," said Erb. "If you look at Mahoning Avenue, there are probably 100 vacant lots that are up for sale."
The planning commission will meet April 24 to discuss the change. The zoning commission meets May 3.