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Canfield officials address residents’ concerns about Flower Mill property
TweetBy Elise Franco
Canfield
Township officials answered some questions but still have no resolution for residents’ complaints about the old Flower Mill.
Township Administrator Keith Rogers and Zoning Inspector Dave Morrison both addressed questions and complaints about the facility, located at 4575 S. Canfield Niles Road, during Wednesday’s trustee meeting.
Trustee Marie Cartwright said previously that after Shari Francis purchased the land several years ago, her partner Jim Steiner tried to have it rezoned from agricultural to industrial to open a towing business there, but his request was denied by the zoning board.
Morrison said rezoning the property in that way would be considered spot zoning, which he knew residents didn’t support.
Rogers said he contacted the county building inspector as well as the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Department of Transportation and the Cardinal Joint Fire District about inspecting for potential hazards.
He reported that Chief Building Inspector Jeff Uroseva went to the mill Oct. 28 but could not go onto the property unless invited by the owner.
“He did an inspection through the right-of-way and found no violations,” Rogers said.
Fire Chief Don Hutchison also told Rogers fire officials aren’t permitted on an agriculturally zoned property without permission.
Rogers said on Oct. 31 that the EPA conducted a water runoff audit to determine if dozens of mounds of street grindings stockpiled on the property were polluting the water. The grindings are about 30 feet from the edge of the property with a grass buffer in between, according to the EPA findings report.
The report, sent to the township by the EPA, said that the asphalt particles were too large to be transported by storm-water runoff.
Steiner told the EPA inspector that the materials would be used as fill on the property by summer of 2012.
Morrison said in addition to a citation issued Oct. 28 for stockpiling the grindings, Francis was cited for violating the township’s landscaping and screening provision by not having a barrier between the property and the residential neighborhood across the street.
Morrison said there has to be a 4- to 6-foot barrier in front of the piles.
In the citation, Morrison gave the property owner 14 days to abate the stated issues.
He said a vacant house on the property, which passed an inspection by the Mahoning County Health Department last week, is also in poor condition.
“They have taken out building permits to reroof and reside the home, as well as some interior renovation,” Morrison said.
He asked trustees if they would discuss declaring the property a nuisance.
“I hope we can find a resolution to this Flower Mill issue,” Morrison said.
Trustee Martha Zarlenga said several neighbors contacted an attorney who specializes in these types of matters. Zarlenga said she expects the attorney to interview residents living around the property and give a report at the next meeting, scheduled for Nov. 22.
Comments
OMG! worry about what your going to do with your schools now that more academic choices will have to be cut as well as class sizes increasing to 35-40 per class. Put that money your waiting back into the schools. Canfield schools are now no longer longer the top school system of the top 3 anymore. Boardman and Poland are now the better academic choices! Nice job people of Con-field!
This is humorous the whole problem was started by the very laws meant to stop it, zoning, govt. at it's finest
Them clowns in Canfield at it again....
Attorneys are laughing all the way to the bank.
Tear down the buildings and build low income housing . The area is in dire need of it and this would be an excellent location .
I agree with Stan. Canfield is filling up there appartments with subsidised residents like every other community. It's about time they did something good for the area. Build low income housing on the property. These people have a right to live there too!
If you idiots read the article, the lot is zoned agricultural so large tract housing is not permitted. Under Ohio laws, townships without home rule have very little governance authority EXCEPT through zoning regulations. Therefore, smart locales use tight zoning restrictions to prevent the degradation of the property values. This was once an attractive property and is now an eyesore right on a main thoroughfare. A low income person indded has the right to live on this property IF they purchase the property and choose to inhabit the home on the lot.
Taxme,
The Canfield School district receives plenty of revenue from the citizens already. The student achievement is a direct result of parental involvement in their children. Thus, the Canfield schools can do more with less.
Couldn't agree more Walter!
If rustic is not in vogue then beautiful new will fill the void . I'm sure that the snobs wouldn't mind rezoning it to get new construction . Being that private monies are a little tight a low income housing project built with federal funds is the answer . The poor would have a crime free zone to live in and it would be a win-win situation for all involved .
Stan if you build low income housing then it won' be a crime free zone anymore
I can't believe how divided the Youngstown area has become since I moved away 15 years ago. Have any of you (particularly "taxme" and "whitesabbath") been around long enough to remember when people didn't trash-talk to each other's community? I had friends from Boardman who were no different than my friends from Canfield. I can't say I regret moving away now because where I live, people don't treat each other the way you do. When a levy gets voted down, residents where I live come together and find ways to either help the next one pass or to fill the gaps by fundraising. And what does the levy not passing have to do with a property that's not kept up, anyway? From this story to the one about the parent who's suing the district because her daughter isn't getting enough playing time on the volleyball team to the story about Dante Zambrini retiring, I'm ashamed to have ever lived there. I've never seen a message board so littered with negativity, hatred and ignorance. You all need some lessons in decency and respect. Ask yourselves, what have you done today to make your community better, rather than get on Vindy.com and write nasty things? Please stop the divisiveness and be civil. Do some good for the WHOLE community for once.
lee :
"if you build low income housing then it won' be a crime free zone anymore"
Naw . . .. Pride in their new housing and the positive influence of their neighbors will head them in a new direction . . ..
Lee - that's rubbish. Low income by itself doesn't mean crime .
I have low income tenants in some of my rentals , through a social agency which provides them the social support they need , as well as financial support to pay the rent . I don't take "section 8" tenants as such .
Over nearly 2 years , I haven't had any tenant behavioural problems & the tenants are a credit to my properties & the neighborhood . We would have much better neighborhoods in Youngstown if the state didn't just throw money at traumatised groups & leave them to fend for themselves.