Holland gets OK to annex 45 acres

7/17/2003

Lucas County commissioners have approved the annexation into Holland of 45 acres from Springfield Township north of Spring Meadows Shopping Center.

The property faces McCord Road across from Springfield High School, and is split by North Mall Drive.

The next and last step is for Holland to approve it.

The annexation was sought after development of about 10 acres of the site, north of North Mall, was stymied by township trustees who said development didn't meet open-space requirements of the township.

Trustees had asked developer Gary Grup to remove a building from the series of self-storage structures he had planned, but Mr. Grup declined. Some of the structures were described as having climate-control and that from the exterior they would look like office buildings.

Mr. Grup's development had been approved by both the Lucas County and township planning commissions, but trustees denied approval for the final plan review.

Susan Meek, chairman of the trustees, said it may be unfortunate that the annexation petition was approved, but added that, “holding to our development standards is always the right thing to do.''

Holland Mayor Mike Yunker said he met informally with Mr. Grup before the developer went forward with annexation action.

“He said he wanted to explain his position, because he didn't want to go through the annexation process if he was going to have the same problem,'' Mr. Yunker said.

The mayor said he couldn't give any absolute assurance that the development would be approved by the village, “but since it was approved by the county and township commissions it will probably be approved here.''

He said the city doesn't have a lengthy approval process, because it doesn't rely on the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commission.

“We can take care of everything here, just a mile-and-a-half from where the work will be done,'' the mayor said.

Mr. Grup said that if village officials give him approval, he is ready to begin construction within 30 days.

“I hope we can be under roof by winter so we can continue construction through winter,'' he said. He added that he hopes to be open for business by early or mid April.

Some of those renting storage space, he said, will probably be Spring Meadows merchants, “so they can use their more-expensive space for their showroom.''