Wal-Mart eyes site for store in Canfield

Wal-Mart representatives will speak at a meeting at
6 p.m. Thursday.

By JEANNE STARMACK

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

CANFIELD — Wal-Mart is interested in building a store on 27.5 acres of property in the township.

It would build a supercenter, which would include a grocery store, said company spokesman Ron Mosby. The store would be 176,495 square feet.

The property in question is bounded by U.S. Route 224, the Ohio Turnpike and Raccoon Road. It is behind Taco Bell and the old Harley Davidson location.

Now owned by Gene Russo, 14 acres are zoned residential, said Dave Morrison, township zoning inspector.

Wal-Mart asked the Mahoning County Planning Commission this week for a zone change to business for the acreage.

The planning commission recommended denying the change, and Wal-Mart withdrew its request.

The company could reapply to the county planning commission for the change after a 6 p.m. hearing Thursday before the township zoning commission, Morrison said.

The hearing will be at the Canfield Township Hall on South Broad Street in the city. Morrison said that hearing will be educational, and he expects it to address issues that would arise from having a Wal-Mart in the township.

Morrison said the county planning commission, a recommending body only, recommended denying the change because it didn’t conform to the county land use plan’s idea of best use for the site. The plan indicates that best use would be low-density residential, Morrison said.

The township trustees would have final say, after getting recommendations from both the county planning commission and township zoning commission

The land that fronts Route 224 is zoned business for a depth of 1,000 feet, he explained.

Morrison said he suspects the company will meet with resistance in the township.

He said he would like more information on issues such as traffic, the effect the store would have on crime and also revenue it would generate.

He said the store could mean a large increase in revenue for the school system.

Officials contacted Friday were also taking a wait-and-see attitude before making up their minds completely on whether a Wal-Mart would be a welcome addition to the area.

“I want to be more informed,” said Paul Moracco, trustee chairman. “Where’s water coming from? Where are roads being built? I want to hear the pros and cons.”

“I’d have to study to see what people want,” said Trustee Bill Reese. He said that so far, he’s getting a sense that people would be against it.

“People I meet on the street don’t want it — mainly because of traffic,” he said. “[Route] 224 is a nightmare.”

“Could we get a road parallel to 224 to Raccoon Road?” he said.

Reese said he would “look at it strong” if there was a way to relieve some of the traffic congestion.

Trustee Randy Brashen said he doesn’t like the idea.

“It sounds like a bit much for sleepy little Canfield,” he said.