BOARDMAN Officials issue permit for new Sam's Club

Construction could begin at any time.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Township zoning officials have issued a permit for work to begin on what has become a controversial new Sam's Club store, and alcohol sales are a part of the plans.
The permit was issued early Tuesday. Zoning officials said work could begin at the site at any time. The new building will be 156,230 square feet.
Voters in the 40th precinct, which is dry, narrowly defeated a permit request by Sam's Club for beer, wine, mixed drinks and Sunday sales in November with slightly more than 50 percent of voters rejecting it. The current Sam's Club, at 7461 South Ave., has a permit to sell beer and wine.
Some township residents believed the move would be a moot point with the rejection of the permit request. The denial by residents in the 40th precinct, however, may not matter because the site for the new Sam's Club is partially in the 51st precinct, which is a wet precinct.
Company's plans
Sam's Club officials submitted a letter to zoning inspector Darren Crivelli detailing the company's plans to sell alcohol at the new store once it is completed.
Crivelli said a small section of the yet-to-be-built building will sit in the wet precinct. That section of the building, he said, will be set aside for beer and wine sales.
Customers who buy beer and wine will then have to go outside and enter the rest of the Sam's Club store through a separate entrance.
The letter sent to Crivelli indicates that state officials have said such a set up at the new Sam's Club would be allowable.
Matt Mullins, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Liquor Control, said such permits are not common, but do happen. He said Sam's Club would have to apply for a new permit and the site inspected before sales would be allowed.
Opposition
Many residents have openly opposed the store's move to township trustees, saying it will have a negative effect on traffic volume, noise levels, water drainage, property value and the environment.
Crivelli said homeowners near the new store should be shielded from noise by a 60-foot buffer and rows of pine trees. Meadow Lane, which runs alongside the site, will be upgraded to a commercial-type street.
A traffic light will be installed at the intersection of Meadow Lane and South Avenue. Store patrons will access the parking lot from Meadow Lane and another entrance off South Avenue. Crivelli said there may also be an exit connecting the Sam's parking lot and the neighboring Lowe's Home Improvement Center parking lot.
The northern part of the lot also will have a small gas station.
jgoodwin@vindy.com