Twp. trustees reject proposed zoning change

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Union Township trustees rejected an application for a proposed zoning parcel amendment Thursday during a special meeting.

The proposed zoning parcel amendment sought to change the zoning classification of property located at 49 N. Ludlow Road from U-1 rural underdeveloped district to M-2 heavy manufacturing district. The proposed amendment was filed by Howell Brothers Development, LLC.

A conditional use permit was granted in October 2015 for the future use of property by the Sutphen Company, a fire equipment refurbishing company. Howell Brothers Development, the property owners, were seeking rezoning which would eliminate the need for future conditional use permits.

Thursday’s action follows the township’s zoning commission’s recommendation to deny the application in March. A statement summarizing the zoning commission’s recommendation was read during Thursday’s meeting.

Unlike the zoning commission’s March meeting, few comments were given by residents regarding the proposed amendment.

The North Ludlow Road property was built by Howell Brothers Development in 2012 and leased to Pioneer. The DuPont Pioneer Research Facility opened in December 2012 and closed in the summer of 2014.

Howell Brothers Development managing partner Terry Howell said during Thursday’s meeting that the company was advised to apply for M-2 during the application process because M-1 light manufacturing was not in the township’s zoning schedule.

“It was never our desire to have M-2,” Howell said. “That’s not a suitable site nor would we want that in that building.”

After taking action on the application, the trustees approved a request to add M-1 light manufacturing district regulations to the township’s zoning schedule.

Township trustee Ron Williams said the request would go to the township zoning commission for further review and hearing before it would come back to the trustees for potential action.

By Nick Walton

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Nick Walton can be reached at 937-652-1331 Ext. 1777 or on Twitter @UDCWalton.

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