Builders ask Berlin Twp. to table rezoning

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Berlin Township trustees have rescheduled a hearing regarding the potential rezoning of land for industrial use.

Trustees moved the hearing to Oct. 9 at the request of developer Savko Brothers Properties X LLC. Savko officials want to have 24 acres of land located along U.S. 36 and State Route 37 near Plunkett Road rezoned to Planned Industrial Development in order to build a concrete batching facility called Savko Commerce Park.

“They sent a letter requesting it to be tabled,” said Trustee Steve Flaherty.

Trustee Adam Fleischer was not in attendance leaving the board with only two members present and the potential for a tied vote on the rezoning issue.

According to Flaherty, the board is required to hold a hearing within 30 days of the Berlin Township Zoning Commission’s decision.

“If there are only two of us here, a one-to-one tie is basically (that). We’re not approving it, but we’re (also) not denying it,” he said.

Flaherty said by state law the tie would be recognized as an inaction and revert back to the zoning commission’s decision allowing the rezoning of the property.

“It seems like they have a 66 percent chance of winning if they came tonight,” he said. “That’s an approval either way.”

Savko Brothers Properties X LLC approached the zoning commission in March requesting the measure for the development of the land. The township’s Master Land Use Plan calls for the area to be rezoned to commercial with several hundred feet on both sides of the highway zoned farm residential.

Savko Brothers Properties X LLC did not return The Gazette’s phone call for comments on tabling the issue.

In other business trustees, approved a 10-year, $18,500 lease agreement with Delaware County Commissioners for space at the township’s fire station for the Delaware County Emergency Medical Service.

“When we built the fire station,” Trustee Ron Bullard said. “We built it with that in mind. Everywhere else in the county they have their own buildings and everything else. Here we work together. We’ve done that for five years and it’s worked out well for our residents. I think it’s a really good thing and more people should be doing it.”

“County mutual aid is more than adequate enough for our residents,” Flaherty said. “We’ve got a great benefit in having them here.”

Additionally, trustees received a report from the zoning board that township had received 60 home building permits and approved 126 permits for the year.

The board approved $1500 for the printing and mailing of the 2017 fall newsletter; discussed updates for the township’s website and hall rental calendar; approved a requisition from the fire department for the replacement of outdated equipment; and approved posting to hire driver with a commercial drivers license to plow snow in the winter months.

By D. Anthony Botkin

[email protected]

D. Anthony Botkin may be reached at 740-413-0902 or on Twitter @dabotkin.

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