Zoning requests on agenda of plan commission

News Editor
news@presspublications.com

Two items concerning properties along Woodville Road in Lake Township will be on the June 6 meeting agenda of the Wood County Planning Commission.
Hillabrand Holdings, LLC, has submitted an application to rezone about 33.3 acres of land from an R-2 residential zoning classification to a B-3 commercial zoning.
The applicant has said it wants to relocate the headquarters and related warehousing for use by its company, Hillabrand & Sons Construction.
Properties to the west, south, and northeast are zoned for R-2 residential use while parcels to the northwest are zoned B-1 neighborhood business and B-2 general Business. Land directly north is zoned R-1 suburban residential.
Information compiled by the planning commission indicates land use in the area is mixed with varying uses occurring alongside commercial and residential uses.
“Which is typical of the portion of Woodville Road the parcel is located on,” a commission staff analysis report says.
The property sits east of the intersection of Bradner and Woodville roads.
“There have been several concerns raised by neighboring residents in regard to said request. There are concerns about increased traffic, the potential of the end use of the parcel if the land is rezoned, and incompatibility of the request in contrast to the current land use in the area. There is merit to the concerns,” the analysis says.
The staff also expressed concerns about what access off Woodville Road the Ohio Department of Transportation will allow.
The staff doesn’t have a definitive recommendation regarding the request but did state that given the location of the acreage along a major route, the rezone request is “reasonable.”
“There are, however, issues with the parcel being heavily surrounded by residential zone properties. Specifically, there have been concerns that the rural residential character of the area may be compromised with a large commercial use.
“If the commission recommends approval then staff feels that a condition of recommendation is that all buffering between commercial areas and residential areas be strictly enforced by the township and plans for buffering be submitted to the township prior to issuance of a zoning permit,” the staff report says.

Cold Forge application
The planning commission will also hear a request from Cold Forge, 5650 Walbridge Rd., to rezone about 1.31 acres from the B-1 commercial classification to an M-1 industrial classification.
The company plans to expand its manufacturing operation. The property is located on the south side of Woodville Road near Walbridge Road.
“Land use in the area is mixed with industrial, commercial, and residential uses occurring in the vicinity of the parcel. There is an existing residence that abuts the subject parcel and the homeowner has expressed concerns regarding noise and pollution that may occur if the parcel becomes developed,” the analysis says. “There are reasons to recommend approval in that it’s an expansion of the existing use, the subject parcel is located along a major corridor and land use in the area is already a mixture of residential and commercial and industrial.”
The staff recommendation says: “This one will be a judgment call on behalf of the commission. Director can see the merits of both approval and denial of this item.”
Buffering and screening would be needed if the application is approved.