MAHONING COUNTY Panel OKs company's request to rezone farm in Boardman
The township zoning commission and trustees must still approve the request.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Developers hoping to build homes on a former sod farm along Western Reserve Road are one step closer to making that vision a reality.
Members of the Mahoning County Planning Commission approved a request by MOS Development of Boardman to rezone Orvets Sod Farm from agricultural to a residential district. The request must be approved by the township zoning commission and trustees before a zone change is granted.
Darren Crivelli, township zoning inspector, said the farm is the largest tract of undeveloped land remaining in the township. The farm contains more than 309 acres of undeveloped land.
This is the second time in the last two years that a zone change has been requested on the property. In late 2003, a developer sought to have the land rezoned to one residential and three business districts. The planning commission also approved that request, but the idea was later abandoned by the developer after the zoning commission voted to reject the idea.
What's planned
Robert Struharik of MOS Development said the company plans to place more than 500 homes on a section of the land. He said there will also be baseball fields, soccer fields, other play areas and a walking trail on the land.
One point of concern for many in developing the property is flooding. The sod farm is home to a flood plain and natural wetlands.
Trustee Kathy Miller has said it is good for people to build homes in the township, but officials have a responsibility to protect residents from water problems. Township officials have been studying flood and water issues after some residents experienced flooding in their homes.
Susan E. Dicken, executive director of Mill Creek MetroParks, told the planning commission that park officials also have some concerns about the development plans.
Dickens said all the water runoff from the proposed development would flow into Mill Creek Park, which sustained damage in recent years from flooding. She said a priority should be to maintain any open space in the area.
Ready to work on it
Struharik, following the planning commission meeting, told Dicken and Don Garver of the Mahoning County Soil & amp; Water Conservation District that MOS is interested in working with both entities in addressing preservation and flood concerns associated with the property.
"We are trying to be sensitive to the issue, because we know Boardman Township has really been hit [by flooding]," he said.
According to Struharik, homes will only be built on about 200 acres of the land. He said the area containing natural wetlands will be untouched in the development process. Those areas considered a flood plain, he said, will hold the playing fields and other open space so they can continue to flood or hold water without affecting residents.
Members of the township zoning commission will consider the zone change request at a 6 p.m. tonight in the government building.
jgoodwin@vindy.com