Poland council discusses housing plan

October 9, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Village council was slated to discuss a proposal for two houses to be constructed on the site where plans for apartments and villas met with opposition.

The proposal from Rick Liddle, a village resident, to purchase a lot at 126 E. McKinley Way and to build two single-family homes has been approved by the planning commission, said Richard Ames, zoning administrator. Brownstone Construction of Canfield would lead the project.

Council still has to approve the proposal, he said.

The property would be divided into 1-acre and a 1.5-acre lots, said Barry Tancer of Brownstone Construction. He added that one driveway would access U.S. Route 224, and the other would access Edna Street.

Earlier this year, a project to build18 villas in the area between East McKinley Way (U.S. Route 224) and Marion Drive worried nearby residents. In 2009, Singer Homes tried to build four six-plex apartments and six garages on the property — a plan that also was met with resistance.

Those plans would have required a change from single-family zoning to multifamily housing. The plan for two single-family houses would require the property to be replotted because it is zoned for one single-family house, Ames said.

Steve Queen, a resident of Marion Drive near the proposed site, said residents were worried about increased traffic and having apartments so close to Union Elementary on Riverside Drive.

“I don’t have concerns about two family homes being near the school,” Queen said. “The neighbors seem to be happy with the new proposal.”