Lake Township trustees approve rezoning request

During the regular meeting March 9, the Lake Township Trustees held a public hearing for a map-change rezoning request by GBC Design Inc./Highland Heights School Development Company Ltd.

The request was to rezone part of a parcel, or 80.8 acres, located east of Aultman Avenue and south of State Street in the SW ¼ of Section 30 from General Industrial and Medium Density Residential to General Industrial and Medium Density Residential.

Company representative Nicole Wilkinson told the trustees that around 80 acres of the parcel are currently zoned residential, with the remaining acreage zoned industrial. The company wants to flip the zoning to 80 acres industrial and the remaining areas to residential.

She said the company has no plans for developing the area at this time. She also said flipping the number of acres zoned industrial will promote economic growth, possibly create more jobs in the future and aligns with the Stark County comprehensive plan. She added the company is aware of the mines on the property and is seeking grants to address the issue.

The Stark County Regional Planning Commission and the township Zoning Commission recommended approval. The trustees followed the recommendation of the Planning Commission and approved the rezoning. No one spoke against the request.

In other business, the trustees approved $103,252 in expenditures as of March 9, approved several road-open permits and authorized the board to execute several cemetery deeds in Mt. Peace Cemetery.

Board members also approved a purchase from Bobcat of Canton of a hydraulic-driven plate compactor attachment for the road department for $6,950. The trustees also approved a Lake Township walk/run/race policy. Trustees said they are seeing more walks and races scheduled throughout the township and needed a policy they could communicate clearly and consistently to groups holding the events.

There were no reports from the police, road, zoning or fire departments.

The trustees went into executive session to discuss employment matters and to conduct interviews for the Lake Township zoning and economic development position, with no action taken.

The next trustees meeting will be held at 5 p.m. March 23 at township hall.