By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
A public hearing was held Monday evening to discuss a number of amendments to Bucyrus’ zoning district maps.
The proposed amendments had already been discussed at a Platting Committee meeting in September before being presented as a whole to the public.
“The issues we have before us today are a testament to the people that believe in Bucyrus and have chosen to invest their dollars right here,” said John Rostash, Planning and Zoning Administrator for the city.
The first item up for discussion Monday was rezoning 816 North Sandusky Ave. and three nearby lots from Limited Industrial/Commercial and Neighborhood Residential to General Business.
John and Margie Maddox have recently purchased 816 North Sandusky Ave. with the intent to establish a counseling and rehabilitation office there.
The structure was designed for commercial use in the front of the lower level and a residence above with the possibility of a second residence behind the commercial office. The parcel, which had stood vacant for more than two years and lost the grandfather status that allowed residential use within the Limited/Industrial Commercial district, needed to be rezoned in order for it to be used as it was intended.
“We were working out of our house for the last 10 years,” explained Margie Maddox, CEO of the Alpha 12 Step Recovery Program and chaplain at the county jail. “It’s beyond anything I could ever imagine to work out of the basement of my home.”
Maddox said they had been fortunate to buy the building and have the potential to put an office there. The Maddoxs have also already put money into the building to restore it.
“Mrs. Maddox has worked extensively with both the jail system and the courts . . . for people that are transitioning back into our community,” noted Law Director Rob Ratliff. “From my perspective as city prosecutor, it’d be a good thing for our community to have a space like this. From my understanding it will really focus on women in particular, which is a historically underserved population with respect to the justice system.”
A proposed amendment had also been made to rezone two lots at the 216 South Spring St. area from an Urban Neighborhood Residential (R3) district to Neighborhood Business. The Crawford County Council on Aging had purchased two parcels south of its complex with plans to build a kitchen facility that would provide meals for its Meals on Wheels program.
“The Council on Aging has looked at many possibilities for extending their service and have looked to moving outside the city limits,” Rostash said. “They felt it would be better to stay here in the heart of Bucyrus and build on land they already own.”
Peg Wells, Director of the Crawford County Council on Aging, said they typically bid out for food preparers. The last bid had been from a large competitor from Franklin County, which had been awarded to two adjacent counties.
“We think it’s very important that we keep that food preparer portion local as opposed to allowing it to go out of the community,” Wells explained.
She added that, with the addition of the kitchen, Council on Aging would not only be able to keep the food preparation local but it would also be able to keep costs down and allow locals to participate in the menu.
“It does generate a little income and that income will be used to not only construct the building but to also maintain the building,” Wells said. “We just think that it’s really important to keep that locally. Anyone who is familiar with our kitchen knows that we do well to prepare 250 meals out of it, much less do it efficiently. And we’re going to have to be efficient in order to remain competitive with these other folks bidding against us.”
The final issue concerned redistricting a number of lots on Isaac-Beal Rd, Beal Ave., and the airport area from Limited Industrial/Commercial to General Industrial. The area would begin at the City Garage and extend south to include Port Bucyrus and west to the railroad tracks.
Central Ohio Recycling and Salvage has plans to relocate its business from the Woodlawn Ave. to this area.
Hord Livestock is also constructing a livestock trailer wash station. Though ground has already been broken and Hord Livestock can currently wash some of its trailers there, the area needed to be rezoned in order to bring in their larger trailers.
Concerns were raised once again about the smell and the possibility of flies that may come as the trailers are brought in to be washed. The station would be an enclosed facility that would clean and sanitize trailers before using them again. The facility would be similar to the one established on Lincoln Highway across from Wynford High School.
“I feel very confident in what they’re doing,” said Service/Safety Director Jeff Wagner. Councilman John Walker echoed Wagner’s sentiments.
The Platting Committee met directly after the public hearing to discuss the zoning changes. Motions were made on all three zoning issues to amend each district and legislation was requested for Wednesday night’s special Bucyrus City Council meeting.