Date: Fri 03-Jul-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

P&Z-Hawleyville-Nicolosi

Full Text:

Hawleyville Industrial Zone Proposal Rejected Again

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

After a third attempt, zoning applicant Steve Nicolosi has again come up short

in his attempt to have some residential land in Hawleyville rezoned for

industrial use.

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members July 1 turned down Mr Nicolosi's

attempt to convert land on Barnabas Road and Hawleyville Road from R-1

Residential zoning to M-4 Industrial zoning.

In voting on a motion to reject the application, P&Z members Lilla Dean, James

Boylan and Robert Taylor opted to deny the proposal. P&Z member Daniel

Fogliano cast a dissenting vote.

P&Z member Heidi Winslow said she had a conflict of interest and did not

participate.

Last January, P&Z members decided not to consider a second request from Mr

Nicolosi and others to rezone the land, because it was similar to his zone

change proposal rejected by the P&Z in June 1997.

In a discussion on Mr Nicolosi's third application, Mr Fogliano said, "I'm not

100 percent opposed to a zone change in that area."

Ms Dean stated her opposition to the proposal. "The M-4 (zone) is a very bad

choice for that area," she said. It may be 20 years before sanitary sewers are

extended to that area, she said. The Ferry family of 58 Barnabas Road, which

has strongly opposed a zone change, has a right to retain the residential

zoning for their home, Ms Dean said.

M-4 zoning allows industrial uses of lots as small as one-half acre.

The lack of a public water supply and sanitary sewers in the area is

problematic, Mr Boylan said. The minimum acceptable lot size for industrial

sites without sewers or public water supplies should be at least one acre, he

said.

A recent transportation and development study of Hawleyville endorsed by the

P&Z recommends lessened industrial uses in the area for which the zone change

was sought, Mr Taylor said. "The industrial M-4 (zone) is not in keeping with

the overall intent of that study," he added.

Besides Mr Nicolosi, other applicants for the zone change were property owners

John B. and Doreen E. Cash and Elizabeth J. and Donald Leon Nichols.

Generally, people with a financial interest in such a zone change spoke in

favor of it at a June 18 public hearing, and people living in the area without

a financial interest in a zone change opposed the proposal.

If the zoning for the land were changed to M-4 Industrial, it is unclear

exactly what would be built there, but any land use permitted in an M-4 zone

would be allowed, provided that site plans meet applicable zoning regulations.

Permitted uses in M-4 zones include laboratories, public utility complexes,

offices, printing plants, publishers, light industrial uses, wholesale

businesses and warehouses, among other uses.

In June 1997, when Mr Nicolosi had his initial zone change request pending

before the P&Z, he indicated he wanted to build a pre-fabricated building for

various industrial uses, including space for businesses such as radon

reduction, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning.