Despite residents’ concerns, Jerome Township Trustees approved a zoning application for developer Evergreen Land Company for more than 20 acres of land located between 9689 U.S. 42 and 9740 New California Drive.
The land was originally zoned for a school. With the change it is zoned residential.
The approval came after a zoning commission meeting in July in which four members voted yes to the application.
Township resident Marilyn Valois said residents are unhappy with the amount of development “all at once.”
“Stop approving everything that is put in front of you,” she said.
Trustee Ron Rhodes said under state law, when an application is filled out with the proper forms, trustees must process it.
“We do not control who comes into our door at what time,” he explained. “We are bound by law — by certain procedures.”
Valois said although she appreciates the law and the duty the trustees must fulfill, the trustees must “stop before they start.”
“If we turn somebody down because you don’t like it or your neighbors don’t like it, we just broke the law,” Rhodes maintained.
Valois added that she is not only concerned about the amount of development, but also rain runoff.
“The land [being discussed] is higher than my property and the loss of trees will add rain runoff to my property,” she said.
Township resident Barry Adler also voiced concern with the amount of new developments being approved in the township.
“You do have to process applications, but you don’t always have to approve them,” he reasoned. “I’m not opposed to development. Properly planned development can benefit this community. Poorly planned development will not and some recent decisions [by the trustees] are not good enough.”
In other business, trustees approved the use of G2 Consulting, at a cost of up to $3,600, for zoning consulting while the township searches for a new zoning inspector.
Trustees also approved the director of departments, Fire Chief Doug Stewart, to act as the zoning inspector until a replacement is found.
Stewart also announced there will soon be town hall meetings planned to discuss the fire levy on the ballot. Earlier this year, trustees agreed to put a new 5.5-mill fire levy on the November ballot.