Saturday, May 08, 1999
Rezoning decision due Monday
Apartments possible in Deerfield
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DEERFIELD TOWNSHIP — Zoning officials are expected to render their decision Monday on a controversial proposal for a 764-unit housing development near Bethany and Butler-Warren roads.
Hills Communities Inc. of Sil verton wants the township to rezone 103 acres from single-family residential to multiple-family planned unit development and general business. The company plans to build 284 apartments, 480 condominiums and a shopping center on the land.
“I suspect we will discuss the issue further and decide on a recommendation to send on to trustees for their consideration,” said Zoning Commissioner Lee Speidel.
The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at Columbia Elementary School on Columbia Road. Township officials decided on a change of location in part because of the expected turnout.
“We had quite a few people show up last time, plus there are also a number of other items on this agenda that could draw a few more people to the meeting,” said Deerfield Zoning Administrator Larry Weis. “We thought it would be more conducive for everyone to have more space and not have people waiting in the wings.”
More than 50 people — many of whom were neighboring property owners — packed the township's meeting hall on April 12 to express their displeasure with the proposal.
Property owners argued the proposal missed the mark on local housing needs. Many said people living in apartments and condos are more transient and would not contribute to the stability of the community as much as people living in larger and more expensive homes.
Officials of Mason City Schools and Mason City Council also sharply opposed the rezoning. They argue the project would generate too much traffic for heavily traveled Bethany and Butler-Warren roads, and possibly crowd schools.
The rezoning will be the first item on Monday's agenda.
Mr. Speidel said the board may hear more comments from residents, if time permits.
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