Concrete plant zoning opposed

4/12/2006

Lauvern Haas of Stony Ridge said she enjoys throwing open the windows of her home on a warm summer day to draw in the breeze.

But she's afraid those days are over, since the owners of a concrete company have been given permission to open a plant with access roads adjacent to her backyard.

"You're not going to be able to open your windows in the summertime because of the diesel fumes and the dust because of the concrete plant," said Mrs. Haas, 58, of 24630 Bean St. "They're not going to do anything for the residents here but create havoc."

But plans for the M&R Redi-Mix concrete plant were unanimously approved by the Troy Township Zoning Commission last week.

They considered the measure after the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency issued a general permit to the company in February.

But before the five-member Zoning Commission considered the plans, about 35 residents attended last month's Troy Township Zoning Board of Appeals meeting to protest the conditional-use permit that the company needed to operate at the 5601 Cherry St.

A number of other residents from the village said their biggest concerns stemmed from the potential for their wells to run dry.

"I don't really mind it going in, but the main thing is the wells and the amount of water it's going to use," said Edward Emch, 24119 West Railroad Ave. "That's the only thing that really bothers me."

Others mentioned they were concerned about air pollution, noise, children's safety, and increased truck traffic.

Richard Morrison, 5497 Fremont Pike, said he was vehemently against the plant and its operation. "It's just a disaster waiting to happen," he said.

But the appeals board voted 3-1 to grant the conditional-use permit, said John Briggs, chairman of the appeals board. Member John Nissen was excused from the vote because of a conflict of interest.

Mr. Briggs said he voted in favor of the permit because he was adhering to the criteria set by the zoning code and "because I have to follow the law."

The issue did not appear before the Troy Township trustees because the land needed approval of a conditional-use permit only - not a zoning change - because it was zoned for light industrial use, Trustee Phillip Farmer said.