PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
PLANNING FOR COMMUNITY … Members of the Swanton Planning Commission meet for their regular meeting on March 4 at Ritter Hall downtown. From left: Village Administrator Shannon Shulters, Commissioner and Councilman Noah Kreuz, Mayor Neil Toeppe, Commission Chair Kevin Young, and Commissioner Steve Kasparzak.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
The Swanton Planning Commission approved a variance for a West Street residential property during its March 4 meeting.
Property owner William Murray explained to commissioners that the 111 West Street property — which is 66 feet wide where 70 feet is required in an R-2 zoning district — will likely be the location of a double-wide manufactured home he is seeking to purchase and place on the lot.
Murray provided pictures of the home for reference. It is currently located on the property of a $1 million home in Catawba, and its current owners want it removed so they can build a cottage.
If Murray is unable to purchase that home, he plans to purchase either a new manufactured home or have a stick-built home constructed on the West Street property.
Murray currently owns 12 properties, including his own residence, in Swanton, Toledo, Napoleon, Metamora, and elsewhere in Fulton and Lucas counties.
He also owns the property neighboring the one in question, located at 113 West Street, which he recently bought at auction.
After confirming the home was originally built in 2014, meeting the village code requirement that it have been built after Jan. 1, 1995, commissioners voted unanimously to approve the variance.
Village Administrator Shannon Shulters reported to the commission that, in the wake of the fire at the village offices, she approved the splitting of 0.179 acre from a lot at 14019 Brindley Road to be sold to the owner of the neighboring residential property.
According to Shulters, she made the decision despite it normally coming before the commission for approval because of timing and the fact that there are no other adjacent or affected property owners.
“Technically what should have happened is the lot split would have came in, I would have brought it to the planning commission and they would have said ‘yes, go ahead,’” Shulters said after the meeting.
“Given the state of everything that has occurred and knowing that there weren’t any adjacent properties that were going to be affected that I would have to notify them of the lot split … but since this was a different situation I made the executive decision to do it.”
She said in situations where there are affected properties, notifications of the meeting would be sent out and a public hearing held.
Commissioners reacted positively to the report, sharing a general approval of her actions.
Shulters also reported that proposed changes to regulations affecting the storage of seasonal vehicles in driveways and addressing abandoned or non-functioning vehicles would be brought before the Swanton Village Council at its next meeting the following Monday. The changes had been recommended by the commission.
The next regular meeting of the Swanton Planning Commission will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, at Ritter Hall, 124 N. Main Street.