Trustees said no.
“You were heard,’’ said Trustee Tom Farrell.
Resident Kyle Doughman said he and his neighbors were grateful for the support from trustees but believe “they (BCL) are not going to give up either on continuing to adjust their plans.
“I support having businesses in the area, but along main thoroughfares – along Cincinnati Dayton where there has been space available for 10-plus years.”
The township’s 2020 comprehensive plan calls for neighborhood business – such as a hair salon, dental office or other less intense uses serving local residents – at the site.
But in its application for the zone change, BSL was described as a “technology infrastructure design and installation company serving business-to-business needs such as data infrastructure, audio-visual systems and security.”
Neighbors opposed the plan and dozens brought their concerns to township trustees during Tuesday’s nearly 3-hour public hearing on the matter.
They cited safety concerns with the pond since the site is close to Independence Elementary School. They were also worried about lowered property values, traffic, and light pollution.
“It will directly and negatively impact the residents,’’ said Gail Kist-Kline. “Keep residential areas residential.”
Not so, says Christy Miller, a Liberty Twp. resident and owner of both BCL and HAC. She said changes were made to the plan following a previous hearing before the township’s zoning commission.
“We are the neighbor you never notice,” Miller said. “The property will actually look like a home.”
Many said the company had already begun clearing – and burning – debris along with receiving supplies, while getting ready for construction before any hearings on a zone change that would allow the business.
The plan called for a two-phase approach to the project that would be completed over three years. In the first phase the existing 1,263 square-foot home would be updated for office use while the 4,380 square-foot barn would be used for storage.
In the second phase, an 8,270 square structure would be built for both office and storage. The two existing buildings would be demolished.
That plan was drastically different than the original plan presented to the township’s zoning commission, which rejected it on a 5-0 vote.
The original plan called for two commercial buildings, one for BCL; the second for other clients.
“It was a total redo. That bothers me,’’ Trustee Steve Schramm said after the meeting.
“I had way too many questions I wanted our zoning commission to hone in on and answer for us.”
Schramm said the applicant was asked by the township’s zoning department to pull the application and resubmit the revised plan to the zoning commission, but declined.
“The delta between what was brought to the zoning commission and us was way too drastic. I really want the zoning commission to rehear this case the way it sits today,” Farrell said.
“Is it really neighborhood business? That needs to be analyzed and defined.”
Trustee Todd Minniear said the main thing that bothered him was that the project was not a neighborhood business, although he acknowledged office use was a permitted use in neighborhood business zone.
“The office part was fine, but almost a third was warehouse storage which was inconsistent with neighborhood business,’’ Minniear said after the meeting.
“That was the main thing that kept me from voting for it.”
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