CANFIELD TWP. Zoning commission endorses proposal

CTW wants to build a golf course south of U.S. Route 224.
By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CANFIELD -- This township's zoning commission has endorsed a proposed zoning change similar to one rejected by township voters two years ago.
The proposal, which the commission endorsed Monday, calls for the township to extend its boundary for business development so that it is 1,000 feet from U.S. Route 224 near the Wendy's restaurant. The township allows business development up to 500 feet from U.S. 224.
Two years ago, township voters rejected a request to move the boundary for the property by 300 feet by a near 2-to-1 margin.
CTW Development Corp. of Boardman wants the property to become the site of office buildings, a hotel and a retail center. The change would affect a 16-acre parcel between Summit Drive and South Raccoon Road.
CTW also asked the commission to change the zoning of a 57-acre parcel south of the 16-acre parcel from agricultural to residential. The property is slated to become the site of a 64-unit condominium development and several single-family homes.
The commission endorsed the proposals by a 3-2 margin. Commission members Mike Lytle, Jon Ulicney, and Chuck Coleman supported it, while Ted Dunchak and Jeff Moliterno were opposed.
Public hearing scheduled
The township trustees have the final say on the proposed changes. They are expected to hold a hearing on the changes at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 28.
The Mahoning County Planning Commission endorsed the changes Sept. 24.
Jamison Place resident Daniel Bienko said he thinks township residents will place the proposal for the 16-acre parcel on the ballot if it is approved by the trustees.
"We refused them 300 feet, and now they're going to make us go through this thing all over again," Bienko said.
About 25 residents attended Monday's meeting. Some of them said they felt the township didn't need more commercial development. Others said they wanted CTW to build houses as a buffer between the back yards of homes on Summit Drive and the retail development on the 16-acre parcel.
"At least you can be showing the community that you have some sort of respect for people's property," Summit Drive resident Greg Rood said when asking the commission to reject the zoning change.
After the meeting, Coleman told the residents that the commission had to think of the good of the entire community, "not just the 11 or 12 landowners that abut the property."
CTW President Chuck Whitman estimated that the corporation's commercial development, including Wendy's, the new Dunkin' Donuts, and the businesses slated to be built on the 16-acre property, could pay $257,000 in property taxes each year.
Residents' complaint
Summit Drive resident Sandy Sferra, however, said she didn't think the commission was paying attention to the community's concerns. "You guys don't listen to anybody," she told the commission.
Mark Figurelli, CTW's vice president for development, stressed that residential development was to be used as a buffer in the proposal rejected by voters two years ago. "The story keeps changing as to what's acceptable and what's not," he said.
Figurelli noted that he feels CTW has changed its proposals based on some of the concerns voiced by residents at that time. The residents were concerned that the proposed developments wouldn't have adequate water service, Figurelli said. He added that residents were worried about the number of access roads to the developments from U.S. Route 224.
CTW has ensured that the developments would have adequate water while also limiting the number of access roads, Figurelli said.
Figurelli also said that CTW felt residents wanted to see a more detailed plan for the property than what was discussed two years ago.
The plans discussed Monday night included a golf course south of the residential development.
Figurelli didn't say when CTW would ask the commission for an endorsement of the golf course proposal.
hill@vindy.com