Speedway Corporation made one more attempt at having the ruling by the Board of Zoning Appeals overturned by Enon Village Council on Tuesday, March 8. Jonathan Wocher requested that council disregard the BZA approval of five signs for the new Main Street store and approve his original request for eight signs on the property.
The ordinances for the village allow only three signs for a total of 300 square feet. Speedway received approval in February for a variance to allow the new store to have 312 square feet which would include the main goal post style sign and four more with the variance of also allowing five signs total.
In his request Wocher pointed out to council that the current store has the large sign on a pole, four “S” signs on the canopy, an “S” sign over the door and the reader board where specials are advertised. Wocher had also included the carpet store sign which stands on the property located across Pleasant Street as being the eighth sign owned by Speedway at this time.
In comments, council member Steve Trout asked why the current electric pole sign could not be reused for the new store. Wocher responded that this is not “our current sign” referring to the goal post style sign that features the price of gasoline, a Café sign and the Beer Cave signage for all of the new or improved stores.
Council member Elmer Beard questioned the count of the current signs which Wocher insisted that the former carpet store sign should be counted as a current sign for his corporation.
In comments from the public, John Vanderglas, the owner of the home at 106 N. Xenia which is located next to the current store asked “how many variances should they get?”
Vanderglas again expressed his concerns for the light pollution that will impact the tenants in his building and what will be done to add screening for their comfort.
Don Urbansock reported to council his desire to see the new station take on a similar look of the one on Dayton Yellow Springs Road in Fairborn where a monument style sign appears. He also noted that the corporation has also used this type of signage in Beavercreek at a recently remodeled store. He noted that the BZA allowed five signs at Rite Aid when it was built and that council should hold to the same rules for Speedway. “Speedway is acting like a bully rather than a socially responsible corporation” said Urbansock about the appeal for more signs at the Main Street location.
During the vote by council, Mayor Tim Howard noted that it would take five votes to overturn the ruling by the BZA. Council voted six to zero against overturning the decision by BZA members. Council member Rick Hanna remarked that a monument style sign rather than the planned goal post sign would “enhance the corner”. The store will be limited to five signs total.
Mayor Howard reminded council about the Clark County Rural Zoning Commission hearing scheduled for 8:30 on Wednesday morning regarding the rezoning of property along Hunter Road located in Mad River Township from A-1 agricultural to R-1 residential. Howard noted that this was not including the land which is part of the same property which sits within the village limits. Concerns were raised by council regarding the impact of development of the property related to runoff into Mud Run. It is assumed that should rezoning ever take place, the developer will be looking to add water from the village and sanitary sewers from Clark County. Hanna noted that he continues to have concerns for the areas of the property that are located in the 100 year flood plain and that recent rain events over the past few years have impacted on that area.
In other business, council approved the $11,319.60 needed for Phase Two of the TIP Main Street project. A letter will be sent to the State of Ohio that will indicated an anticipated reduction in the costs for right of way acquisition as the project moves forward over the coming years.
Village Administrator Benjamin Ross reported that LJB Engineering has been hired to review the site plans for the Speedway rebuild. He noted that building permits have been filed with Clark County and the review of utilities has been completed.
In new business, Mayor Howard presented the idea of hiring a financial planner to look at the needs of the village over the next five to seven years. He noted that this would allow the village administration and governing board to have an idea of the line by line anticipated expenses allowing them to plan ahead. The mayor noted that this has never been done by the village by a professional who is not an employee. Council member Trout noted that the council does not have a certified accountant on the panel and that this should be done in order to assure taxpayers that council is budgeting correctly. He suggested that the move could actually save the village funds in the future.
Council member Beard suggested that during the review, a line item forecasting the known costs of street lighting, utilities and other items should be created.
Council voted to approve the $1,500 cost of the financial planning to allow for planning for future needs and improvements.
The Great American Clean-up is being held March 1 to May 31 and groups interested in helping to clean areas around the village and county are encourage to visit the village web page to sign up. A meeting of the Parks and Beatification Committee will be held on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 beginning at 7 p.m. This is a new committee for the village and is led by Elmer Beard.
The Enon Village Council meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Enon Government Center.