COLUMBIANA Residents oppose property rezoning

Residents don't want multifamily housing in their neighborhood.
COLUMBIANA -- Residents of Beverly Drive are adamant about not wanting their properties to be rezoned.
City council listened, voting Tuesday against the zoning change proposed by the city planning commission.
The vote was 4-0 with Councilman Don Leonard absent.
Residents of the east side neighborhood packed council chambers to voice opposition to the change in the area between Firestone Cemetery and Whispering Pines Golf Course on the south side of East Park Avenue.
They are worried about developer Charles Beiling's plans to build a dozen homes.
The planning commission recommended changing the zoning that allows only single-family dwellings to a designation that would allow condominiums.
Strongly opposed
All who spoke were strongly opposed. They said that although Beiling plans to build only single-family homes, the change would allow others to build condos, apartments or other multiple-family dwellings.
Beiling said the R-2 designation would allow greater flexibility in setback requirements -- the distance between the home and the street. He said without the change from R-1, he would only be able to build eight homes.