The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 1998-11-25 |
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Intersection brings complaints — Page 3 Twp. fire contract extended — Page 3 .*>'• mherst News-Times \ mhor ->5. 1998 Amhorst. Ohio Fte ling foes to lpromise on Rt. 58 land use exclusions ,<: : .. ' • vy. ■> '■< . City officials are considering revising Amherst's C-l commercial zoning regulations in an effort to resolve a dispute over the controversial rezoning of residential property along N. Leavitt Road. The idea is being viewed as a possible compromise to the continued debate between more than a half dozen residents who want to sell their properties for commercial development and their Rock Creek Run neighbors who oppose it It was the end result of a lengthy Nov. 17 public hearing continued from September, one that is "to be continued" again in 1999 — six months after it started. The controversy involves rezon- \ ing about 1,000 feet ofrcsjdenual property along iJbe-^asTTside of N. : Leavitt Road between North Ridge Road and Spruce Tree Lane. The owners of the property claim their land has little value unless ft can be sold for commercial use. They are seeking C-2 zoning, which allows a wide variety of com- ! mercial development ranging from retail stores to restaurants or motels. Garrett Murray, the attorney for more than 100 Rock Creek Run residents, said his clients oppose the • rezoning because they have no idea ' what kind of businesses would be located in the strip of land. He called the request for rezoning "premature'' because it lacks specific planning. Among the most vocal opponents were residents of High Meadow Lane, whose back yards abut the property. They demanded the city require adequate buffers, such as trees mounds or fences, from the developers. Mayor John Higgins said buffers would be required. James Blazak, the attorney for the rezoning advocates, argued the city had set a precedent in the area by allowing several retail outlets to be located across the highway or adjacent to his clients' homes. Most neighboring Rock Creek Run subdivision residents want to keep the area residential. Nevertheless, several said they were willing to accept zoning for small retail development (C-l) if motels, bars, gas stations and fast food restaurants are excluded. The N. Leavitt Road homeowners reluctantly agreed after a quick conference with Blazak, although they made it clear they still would prefer the more general C-2 zoning. Council put a hold on its decision until the city planning commission can amend existing C-l zoning to exclude the four types of businesses. In turn, banks, which are not now included, may be added to it. Once this is done, the mayor said the ordinance authorizing the change will have to be approved by council before the public hearing can be reconvened. The process may take at least two months. For this reason, the rezoning may not occur until late winter or early spring, if the compromise holds and neither side changes its mind, he added. Wizzer is snug in the arms of Rachel Adams as he surveys his temporary home, a thrift shop on Rt. 113 started by Adams to help finance the Lorain County Animal Rescue Society. New shop aids animal shelter by QLEN MLLER News-Times reporter Velvet, Chance, Bean and Wizzer are happy and warm puppies thanks to Rachel Adams. So are Nicholas, Buddy, Shady and Grady, some of the stray cats that are temporarily guests in her newly-opened thrift shop. Temporarily •*o**MM*v-*_t/s keeping some of them ill her home until caring owners can be found for them by the Lorain County Animal Rescue Society. Started by her more than a year ago, the agency is one of several animal shelters in the area that tries to find good, caring homes for stray and abandoned cats and dogs. Adams, of lx>rain, opened the society's thrift shop earlier this month in a small store located in a strip shopping center on Rl 113 just west of Leavitt Road. She is using the thrift shop's profits to feed, shelter and medically care for animals given the society by a host of people and organizations. They have included the county dog warden and the Amherst Police Department. So far, secondhand merchandise, a lot of it donated by animal lovers, has been coming in faster than some of the society's cats and dogs have been adopted. "But that's okay, it's good for now," she said. "The wider variety of good stuff we have to sell, the more money we can make and the more we'U have for things we want to do."*» Still, she wants animals to be adopted so she has room for others. Adams started raising funds by holding garage sales at her home. That stopped after Lorain passed a law limiting the number people can have in a year. She and her husband, Herman, then began looking around for a small, low rent shop until they found the Amherst Township store. The location is perfect because it's near Amherst, which doesn't have a shelter or pound for stray dogs or cats, and is centrally located in the county. Now what's needed is a place the society can temporarily house animals until they are be adopted. So CONTINUED on page 3 Students find hands-on projects easy to handle by PAUL MORTON Newt-Times reporter Groups of Shupe Middle School students are learning about math and science by digging into the earth and looking to the stars. Under the guidance of teacher Rosemary Hesmond, about 30 fifth grade students at the school are learning about archeology, and ab- oiit 21 sixth grade students are designing a colony on Man. The projects are intended to teach math and science by exposing the students to areas where they are used in the archeology and space exploration fields. Hesmond said the projects were offered to all students in each grade, and those who were interested filled out an application. She said in order to participate, the students must be "pretty good students" who have an interest in the topic as well as parental consent The student's classroom teacher must also recommend the student The sixth grade project of designing the Mars colony was limited to 21 students because of the structure of the class, which is a joint venture of the Lorain County Gifted Consortium sponsored by NASA. The Shupe students are working on the project together with students in the Avon Lake, Firelands, Lorain, Mid- view, and North Ridgeville school districts. The students are divided into groups, each of which works with similar groups in two other schools to build a habitat the basic component of the Mairs colony, called Marsville. Each habitat group works on three different systems which would be necessary for the habitat's function in the Martian environment. The systems include air supply, architecture, food production, communication, and waste CONTINUED on page 3 Shupe students get a taste of an archeological dig for one of their school projects. Legion loses liquor appeal; plans to sell post by QLEN MLLER News-Times reporter The American Legion post on Middle Ridge Road is for sale, a decision brought about after the Ohio Department of Liquor Control revoked the facility's liquor license. The decision was made by post officials during a Nov. 14 meeting because of their inability to win back a license revoked in 1995. "This wss a very hard decision for us lo make. This (facility) means a lot to us," poet adjutant and 1991 Legionnaire of the Year, Corky Godfrey said. Projected revenue from as canteen and hall, in which liquor was sold, was a aoajor factor in fruftiHi>g the post hi the late '70s. htbo-pnWuand fraternal organisations have often rented she pest for a wide variety of "Now, obviously that's not going to happen," post member and attorney Kenneth Stumphauzer said.' "So, in light of circumstances and decreased revenues, they realize it can no longer be supported by their customary (legion) activities." The post has a large kitchen area and the canteen area/dining hall is shout 2.000 square feet Both are no longer needed or affordable for it to operate, he added. But the poit will not cease Opfaf,10*0*0 j U**fste*—ftaL lACQIDOTS plan to "downsize" by building or moving into a smaller mete affordable she, where liquor will not be sold, he explained. Patty Ha-drn, a son for the Ohio of Liquor Control, said the pott's bqnor violations date beck 20 years. They have hv cbded the ale of uqeor to non-members and gambling while allowing liquor to be sold, which is against state law. The violations have resulted in a series of fines and license suspensions, the most recent of which was issued in 199S. The legion's license was revoked for selling liquor on Aug. 3.' 1993 while under a 180-day license suspension for a previous violation. An appeal en the revocation filed by attorneys for the post was upheld by the Lor* ain County Qxnmon Pleas Court in August of thto year, thus ending the quest to re- _,_!— *L_ If n aaai ■■ ____ ___*E__J KbUm Isov UOwflBBtj B**v SDODQ* Now, it is the sale of te property, not ths violations, that coawerna iiTlrJfrni living near fee Maddfe Ridge Reed post aad dry far fee r. Ths issue of matter. It began last year after the legion requested the land be rezoned commercial (C-2) to facilitate its possible sale. The issue has not been resolved and will continue into 1999. Discussion on retaining residential zoning was tabled by council Nov. 16 until next year. Members of council's building and lands committee felt the issue cannot be resolved before council recesses for its Christmas and New Year's break in mid- December. * Second ward counciiman Edward Cowger, who represents residents around ths post, wanted to know when ihe natter would he brought op far discussion Main. No data wa ~ John Dietrich noted fee rezon- ing part of N. Leevkt Road between. North Ridge Road .end Spruce Dee Lane must 11 isn mil i m .ii i m i 11 an I. ii he said it might be better to wait until American Legion officials have located a buyer with whom the city can talk. Under state law, the post's land automatically became re- sidentially zoned when it and several other acres were annexed into the city from Amherst Township nearly 10 years sap. It was under township residential zoning regulations (R-l-1) and has been regarded as falling into a non- cemforming residential use city zoning category ever since. It has not been officially placed under fee dry's more restrictive (R-l) zoning, a move supported by most council la fee roeentime, Stum- said feeee is no im- «ssd teasel *s tion is a good one because of the open land surrounding the building. It also has a baseball diamond in the rear, making it suitable for possible recreation use, he added. "But they (post officials) want to be socially responsible," Stumphauzer said. "They'd lite to find someone who would be interested in the property who would work in conjunction wife the city's needs." Up pwfewuui would be to ^ fee land to fee city, although poet offidals realise it afford fee fend be- of other flnanrial he added. ■ ■■- ■ % ___IE_H ■
Object Description
Title | The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 1998-11-25 |
Place |
Amherst (Ohio) Lorain County (Ohio) |
Date of Original | 25-NOV-1998 |
Searchable Date | 1998-11-25 |
Collection | Amherst News-Times |
Submitting Institution | Amherst Public Library |
Rights | Online access is provided for research purposes only. For rights and reproduction requests or more information, go to http://www.ohiohistory.org/images/information |
Type | Text |
Format | newspapers |
LCCN | sn84028333 |
Description
Title | The Amherst news-times. (Amherst, Ohio), 1998-11-25 |
Place |
Amherst (Ohio) Lorain County (Ohio) |
Date of Original | 25-NOV-1998 |
Searchable Date | 1998-11-25 |
Submitting Institution | Amherst Public Library |
Rights | Online access is provided for research purposes only. For rights and reproduction requests or more information, go to http://www.ohiohistory.org/images/information |
Full Text | Intersection brings complaints — Page 3 Twp. fire contract extended — Page 3 .*>'• mherst News-Times \ mhor ->5. 1998 Amhorst. Ohio Fte ling foes to lpromise on Rt. 58 land use exclusions ,<: : .. ' • vy. ■> '■< . City officials are considering revising Amherst's C-l commercial zoning regulations in an effort to resolve a dispute over the controversial rezoning of residential property along N. Leavitt Road. The idea is being viewed as a possible compromise to the continued debate between more than a half dozen residents who want to sell their properties for commercial development and their Rock Creek Run neighbors who oppose it It was the end result of a lengthy Nov. 17 public hearing continued from September, one that is "to be continued" again in 1999 — six months after it started. The controversy involves rezon- \ ing about 1,000 feet ofrcsjdenual property along iJbe-^asTTside of N. : Leavitt Road between North Ridge Road and Spruce Tree Lane. The owners of the property claim their land has little value unless ft can be sold for commercial use. They are seeking C-2 zoning, which allows a wide variety of com- ! mercial development ranging from retail stores to restaurants or motels. Garrett Murray, the attorney for more than 100 Rock Creek Run residents, said his clients oppose the • rezoning because they have no idea ' what kind of businesses would be located in the strip of land. He called the request for rezoning "premature'' because it lacks specific planning. Among the most vocal opponents were residents of High Meadow Lane, whose back yards abut the property. They demanded the city require adequate buffers, such as trees mounds or fences, from the developers. Mayor John Higgins said buffers would be required. James Blazak, the attorney for the rezoning advocates, argued the city had set a precedent in the area by allowing several retail outlets to be located across the highway or adjacent to his clients' homes. Most neighboring Rock Creek Run subdivision residents want to keep the area residential. Nevertheless, several said they were willing to accept zoning for small retail development (C-l) if motels, bars, gas stations and fast food restaurants are excluded. The N. Leavitt Road homeowners reluctantly agreed after a quick conference with Blazak, although they made it clear they still would prefer the more general C-2 zoning. Council put a hold on its decision until the city planning commission can amend existing C-l zoning to exclude the four types of businesses. In turn, banks, which are not now included, may be added to it. Once this is done, the mayor said the ordinance authorizing the change will have to be approved by council before the public hearing can be reconvened. The process may take at least two months. For this reason, the rezoning may not occur until late winter or early spring, if the compromise holds and neither side changes its mind, he added. Wizzer is snug in the arms of Rachel Adams as he surveys his temporary home, a thrift shop on Rt. 113 started by Adams to help finance the Lorain County Animal Rescue Society. New shop aids animal shelter by QLEN MLLER News-Times reporter Velvet, Chance, Bean and Wizzer are happy and warm puppies thanks to Rachel Adams. So are Nicholas, Buddy, Shady and Grady, some of the stray cats that are temporarily guests in her newly-opened thrift shop. Temporarily •*o**MM*v-*_t/s keeping some of them ill her home until caring owners can be found for them by the Lorain County Animal Rescue Society. Started by her more than a year ago, the agency is one of several animal shelters in the area that tries to find good, caring homes for stray and abandoned cats and dogs. Adams, of lx>rain, opened the society's thrift shop earlier this month in a small store located in a strip shopping center on Rl 113 just west of Leavitt Road. She is using the thrift shop's profits to feed, shelter and medically care for animals given the society by a host of people and organizations. They have included the county dog warden and the Amherst Police Department. So far, secondhand merchandise, a lot of it donated by animal lovers, has been coming in faster than some of the society's cats and dogs have been adopted. "But that's okay, it's good for now," she said. "The wider variety of good stuff we have to sell, the more money we can make and the more we'U have for things we want to do."*» Still, she wants animals to be adopted so she has room for others. Adams started raising funds by holding garage sales at her home. That stopped after Lorain passed a law limiting the number people can have in a year. She and her husband, Herman, then began looking around for a small, low rent shop until they found the Amherst Township store. The location is perfect because it's near Amherst, which doesn't have a shelter or pound for stray dogs or cats, and is centrally located in the county. Now what's needed is a place the society can temporarily house animals until they are be adopted. So CONTINUED on page 3 Students find hands-on projects easy to handle by PAUL MORTON Newt-Times reporter Groups of Shupe Middle School students are learning about math and science by digging into the earth and looking to the stars. Under the guidance of teacher Rosemary Hesmond, about 30 fifth grade students at the school are learning about archeology, and ab- oiit 21 sixth grade students are designing a colony on Man. The projects are intended to teach math and science by exposing the students to areas where they are used in the archeology and space exploration fields. Hesmond said the projects were offered to all students in each grade, and those who were interested filled out an application. She said in order to participate, the students must be "pretty good students" who have an interest in the topic as well as parental consent The student's classroom teacher must also recommend the student The sixth grade project of designing the Mars colony was limited to 21 students because of the structure of the class, which is a joint venture of the Lorain County Gifted Consortium sponsored by NASA. The Shupe students are working on the project together with students in the Avon Lake, Firelands, Lorain, Mid- view, and North Ridgeville school districts. The students are divided into groups, each of which works with similar groups in two other schools to build a habitat the basic component of the Mairs colony, called Marsville. Each habitat group works on three different systems which would be necessary for the habitat's function in the Martian environment. The systems include air supply, architecture, food production, communication, and waste CONTINUED on page 3 Shupe students get a taste of an archeological dig for one of their school projects. Legion loses liquor appeal; plans to sell post by QLEN MLLER News-Times reporter The American Legion post on Middle Ridge Road is for sale, a decision brought about after the Ohio Department of Liquor Control revoked the facility's liquor license. The decision was made by post officials during a Nov. 14 meeting because of their inability to win back a license revoked in 1995. "This wss a very hard decision for us lo make. This (facility) means a lot to us," poet adjutant and 1991 Legionnaire of the Year, Corky Godfrey said. Projected revenue from as canteen and hall, in which liquor was sold, was a aoajor factor in fruftiHi>g the post hi the late '70s. htbo-pnWuand fraternal organisations have often rented she pest for a wide variety of "Now, obviously that's not going to happen," post member and attorney Kenneth Stumphauzer said.' "So, in light of circumstances and decreased revenues, they realize it can no longer be supported by their customary (legion) activities." The post has a large kitchen area and the canteen area/dining hall is shout 2.000 square feet Both are no longer needed or affordable for it to operate, he added. But the poit will not cease Opfaf,10*0*0 j U**fste*—ftaL lACQIDOTS plan to "downsize" by building or moving into a smaller mete affordable she, where liquor will not be sold, he explained. Patty Ha-drn, a son for the Ohio of Liquor Control, said the pott's bqnor violations date beck 20 years. They have hv cbded the ale of uqeor to non-members and gambling while allowing liquor to be sold, which is against state law. The violations have resulted in a series of fines and license suspensions, the most recent of which was issued in 199S. The legion's license was revoked for selling liquor on Aug. 3.' 1993 while under a 180-day license suspension for a previous violation. An appeal en the revocation filed by attorneys for the post was upheld by the Lor* ain County Qxnmon Pleas Court in August of thto year, thus ending the quest to re- _,_!— *L_ If n aaai ■■ ____ ___*E__J KbUm Isov UOwflBBtj B**v SDODQ* Now, it is the sale of te property, not ths violations, that coawerna iiTlrJfrni living near fee Maddfe Ridge Reed post aad dry far fee r. Ths issue of matter. It began last year after the legion requested the land be rezoned commercial (C-2) to facilitate its possible sale. The issue has not been resolved and will continue into 1999. Discussion on retaining residential zoning was tabled by council Nov. 16 until next year. Members of council's building and lands committee felt the issue cannot be resolved before council recesses for its Christmas and New Year's break in mid- December. * Second ward counciiman Edward Cowger, who represents residents around ths post, wanted to know when ihe natter would he brought op far discussion Main. No data wa ~ John Dietrich noted fee rezon- ing part of N. Leevkt Road between. North Ridge Road .end Spruce Dee Lane must 11 isn mil i m .ii i m i 11 an I. ii he said it might be better to wait until American Legion officials have located a buyer with whom the city can talk. Under state law, the post's land automatically became re- sidentially zoned when it and several other acres were annexed into the city from Amherst Township nearly 10 years sap. It was under township residential zoning regulations (R-l-1) and has been regarded as falling into a non- cemforming residential use city zoning category ever since. It has not been officially placed under fee dry's more restrictive (R-l) zoning, a move supported by most council la fee roeentime, Stum- said feeee is no im- «ssd teasel *s tion is a good one because of the open land surrounding the building. It also has a baseball diamond in the rear, making it suitable for possible recreation use, he added. "But they (post officials) want to be socially responsible," Stumphauzer said. "They'd lite to find someone who would be interested in the property who would work in conjunction wife the city's needs." Up pwfewuui would be to ^ fee land to fee city, although poet offidals realise it afford fee fend be- of other flnanrial he added. ■ ■■- ■ % ___IE_H ■ |
Format | newspapers |
LCCN | sn84028333 |
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