Residents group to meet in development battle

A developer was to present his zone change request to the planning commission today.
CANFIELD -- A group of residents who object to a development in their subdivision has organized to fight it and will have a public meeting.
The meeting of Citizens of Canfield for Responsible Development will assemble at 7 p.m. March 7 at Canfield Township Hall.
The neighbors object to developer TC Quality Homes' proposal to build 91 single-family homes on smaller lots in the midst of their "estate" homes on larger lots in Westbury Park off Gibson Road. Residents say Chris Abraham of TC Quality Homes has proposed a planned unit development in the middle of their neighborhood, and they were never told before they bought their homes that such a plan would happen.
The group said in a prepared statement that the plan creates lots that are one-third smaller and 30 feet narrower; increases a PUD allotment originally in the subdivision from 11 acres to 43.6 acres; increases density from 1.95 units per acres to 2.29 units per acres; increases single-family residences by almost 30 percent; reduces the single-family home setback from 60 feet to 25 feet; and negatively affects traffic patterns.
Abraham has argued that the homes proposed are no smaller than many of the homes there now. He said front yards are scaled back, but back yards will be as large or larger than yards there now.
Fighting zone change
Residents are trying to fight a zone change from agricultural to PUD that would allow the plan to move forward.
The developer was expected to present his request for the zone change to the Mahoning County Planning Commission today. The township zoning commission will hear the request at its meeting at 5:30 p.m. March 9 at township hall. The commission makes a recommendation to the trustees, who have the final say.