TRUSTEES South Ave. zone upheld

By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Trustees have denied a request that would have changed the zoning of a South Avenue property from residential to commercial.
Elaine Mancini, trustees chairwoman, said trustees voted 2-0 at a special meeting Monday to uphold the decision of the township zoning commission.
Both the Mahoning County Planning Commission and township zoning commission had previously recommended denial of the zone change request.
Mancini and Trustee Kathy Miller voted against the zone change. Trustee Tom Costello was out of town and did not attend Monday's meeting.
The 6-acre property at 7650 and 7680 South Ave., owned by Suzanne Melia, is south of Presidential Drive. It was formerly owned by the McKay family, which founded Home Savings & amp; Loan.
The owner wants to sell the property, although no specific buyer has been identified.
Mancini said that 60 to 80 residents attended the meeting and 15 spoke in opposition to the zone change. Atty. Sebastian Rucci, who represents Melia, was the only one who spoke in support of the change, Mancini said.
Many residents of Presidential Drive had attended the hearing before the township zoning commission, voicing opposition to the change. They said they opposed the change because of concern about further traffic congestion and fears of more flooding.
Rucci has said that he expects the request to end up in court. He said at a hearing earlier this month that the zoning change should be approved, because the area surrounding Melia's South Avenue property is zoned commercial.