Residents upset over development changes

Residents say they were surprised by the developer's plan.
By JEANNE STARMACK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CANFIELD -- Residents of the Westbury Park development off Gibson Road are angry at its developer because he has changed his plans to allow more smaller homes.
Residents of 72 larger single-family homes in the development say the smaller homes are too close to their properties. They are worried about property values and overcrowding.
And, they say, they were sold on the vision of how the development would look when they bought their homes. Many of them said they would never have bought a home in a development that included the smaller villas and cottages T.C. Quality Homes is planning.
They told the township trustees at their meeting Monday that they are against a zone change from agricultural to planned unit development, which would allow construction of the smaller homes. Township Trustee Bill Reese told the crowd the trustees will not be hearing the issue.
A township zoning commission hearing is set for 5 p.m. Thursday, although Chris Abraham of T.C. Quality Homes said after the meeting he may ask for a postponement until he can meet with residents to go over plans. After the zone change is heard by the zoning panel, it makes a recommendation to the trustees, who have a hearing. Abraham said after the meeting that the Mahoning County Planning Commission approved the zone change last week and also approved the change in his plan.
One resident's view
Dorothy Sniezek of Barrington Drive said that when she moved into Westbury Park 16 months ago, it was with the understanding that there would be 140 larger single-family homes and 55 villas. A 1.8-acre park in the plan is now reduced to about a quarter of an acre. Now, the developer is planning fewer larger homes, which she said range from $270,000 to $400,000. In their place will be more of the smaller homes.
Sniezek said she is also worried about storm water flooding from more concrete and asphalt, and showed pictures of her back yard, which partly floods after a rain. She said there is only one road into the development.
Carol Potter, another Barrington Drive resident, said she and her husband met with Abraham several times before they bought their home. "He defined Westbury's character. He told us about the wonderful park. That character now is being changed. He's dropping in an extended PUD in the middle of the development."
Abraham said he believes people are upset because they've been hearing rumors that he is going to build cheap houses in the development. He said that isn't true, and he said the houses will be a lot like the home his company built for the Novak family in Boardman for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."
He and Westbury residents agreed to meet about their concerns. He said there were always 10.8 acres reserved for smaller homes in the plan. He said that even though the park size will be reduced, he has added other parks throughout the development.
If the zone change passes the zoning panel and the trustees, Abraham must still get final approval for the PUD plan itself from the county planning commission, the township zoning panel and the trustees.
What else
In other business, developer Ken Zuzik will be able to break ground for Abbey Road, a planned unit development that includes 62 homes on 18 acres south of U.S. Route 224 between Tippecanoe and Raccoon roads.
Trustee Judy Bayus voted no, Paul Morroco voted yes and Reese abstained. The township zoning commission approved the final plan, so trustees needed a unanimous vote to overturn its decision. Reese said he had concerns about only one access road is planned for the development, from Summit Road, and that people using Summit Road to turn onto Route 224 were going to create a safety problem. He said though, that he believes the developer can resolve the problem.