Published Wednesday, June 26, 2002
voice
opposition
By Sherris Moreira-Byers
Herald Staff Writer
Though the turnout was smaller and the comments were less heated, most of the 15 people that showed up for a zoning hearing Tuesday night at the Brookfield administration building were no less adamant in their opposition to zoning in the township.
"Zoning don't mean crap," said Frank Murcko of Merwin Chase Road.
A five-member local zoning commission listened to concerns and opinions from residents as they followed the now familiar process of getting the zoning resolution on the ballot in the fall. The same group of people attempted to get zoning passed last November, but it failed by 169 votes.
"Last fall, we had 1,662 vote against zoning and 1,493 for it. It's almost an equal number. I think it would be ludicrous not to try to find some common ground here," said zoning commission member Rocco Vadala of Brookfield.
This will be the fifth time that zoning has been placed on the ballot in the township since the 1950's and it has failed every time by a large margin, except for last November. But residents in attendance weren't impressed.
"The problem with zoning is that it has a tendency to grow," said Robert Maskrey of 1175 state Route 7. "If a whole new group comes in, they could have an agenda."
Tom Cornelius of Oakwood Drive agreed. "This is the potential that Brookfield will run into down the road. The whole thing is ripe for false interpretation," he said. "I think some of the concerns that the gentlemen in this room have is not what is going on today but what will happen 5, 10, 20 years down the road."
Audience members also wanted to know how zoning would help the township.
"Who's going to benefit from zoning?" asked Ron Germadnik of Warren Sharon Road, who also owns Cars II, an auto repair and sales business in the township.
"Citizens on the whole," said commission member Ralph Carsone of Brookfield.
"It doesn't seem like any of them who are for it are here," Maskery said.
"You're right. Most of you are against it. But we're just here to get your testimony about this (present resolution). This is just a hearing to clarify and discuss the resolution," said committee chairman Chris O'Brien. "It's not about a philosophical argument that no one's going to win."
Don Strawbridge, who has owned Strawbridge Commercial Pallet on state Route 7 for the past three years, asked the commission why his business wasn't on the zoning map. "Did you even know I was there? Did you ever check?" he asked. His business is near the Hubbard/Brookfield line and the commission admitted they were unaware of it but would get it placed on the map.
"We're diligently working on the map so people can see their plot on the map. The map will be available through the county real soon," said Vadala after the meeting.
Other revisions of last year's zoning resolution is the addition of a section that specifically addresses sexually oriented businesses.
"We want to regulate them with a special use permit," Vadala said after the meeting. "There have been rumors of a strip club coming into Brookfield Avenue."
"We're trying to keep it simple," said Vadala of the 38-page resolution. "Other townships' zoning resolutions are 100 pages plus. We're trying to keep it the least restrictive as possible but protect the property owners' rights."
The Brookfield Township trustees, who all attended the meeting, will hold the second zoning hearing in about a month.
Copies of the zoning resolution can be picked up at the administration building for a small fee.