Three townships
begin zoning

By TOM KANE

[This is the sixth in a series on zoning in Wayne County]

WAYNE COUNTY — Zoning isn’t going to stop development, but it will control how it happens.

This is, in essence, what many residents and officials of the Townships of Canaan, Clinton and Lebanon are saying as the three municipalities begin the sometimes long and sometimes expensive process of zoning.

Similarly, all three groups say they are being motivated by recent controversial development projects coming to their townships.

Within the past two years, a high-security federal prison project, a wind farm project and a quarry pro-ject have come to these townships, often with mixed reactions from both residents and township officials.

In another township that already has zoning—Palmyra—a local developer wants to introduce another quarry and is in the process of seeking a curative amendment to the zoning that would limit its size. Opposition has been heated.

Just a week ago in Buckingham Township, it was learned that another developer wants to open a quarry there.

In each of these projects, the Wayne County Commissioners have been publicly supportive and, in the instance of the prison project, have actively sought it, to create a positive effect on the economy of the county.

Beach Lake planning and research expert Thomas Shepstone told The River Reporter, “The Federal Prison will be an outstanding project and I base that conclusion on a very long view. One has only to look at the positive impact of Farview in Wayne County.”

Opposing that viewpoint is a group of residents, who last week organized a demonstration at the prison, and were joined by several individuals and groups from other parts of the country, who oppose the recent spate of federal prison construction in rural areas.

“It’s becoming clear that zoning is a necessity,” said Lebanon Supervisor Ron Lewis. “It’s our plan for the future. We have to act and not react to things as they come. Zoning isn’t designed to stop anything, but it gives a township a chance to plan how development happens, and puts things where it can be handled and where it’s more suitable.”

Clinton Township Supervisor Ron Poska takes a similar position.

“We’re definitely beginning the process for zoning,” he said. “If there’s going to be growth—and it looks like it’s happening—then we want to control and regulate it. We want to preserve the rural nature of our community as much as we can.”

“We’re definitely looking at zoning,” said Canaan Township Supervisor Lewis Henshaw. “We’re going to begin with a planning commission and a comprehensive plan. We want to make a place for everything. It could take a year and a half.”

A municipality begins with a planning commission, develops a comprehensive plan and then hires a zoning consultant, who helps with the first drafts of the zoning ordinance. A series of public hearings must then be held, giving residents a chance to comment and make changes.

“The more informed people are about zoning, the less they oppose it,” Lewis said.

Roger Hector, a Berlin Township Supervisor, articulated the traditional arguments against zoning. “Zoning causes all kind of problems,” Hector said. “First of all, it’s very expensive and will cause higher taxes. It creates more government. Zoning isn’t going to stop development. It will happen anyway, even with zoning. We can control development with our land use ordinances. We don’t need zoning. I don’t want to make rules that will hurt people and limit their ability to make a living.”

Phil Dux, another Berlin Township Supervisor, has a different take on it. While not in favor of zoning, Dux is concerned that the township should be prepared for growth. With the construction of a new sewage treatment plant that opened recently, things might change quickly.

“Zoning would be too big a jump for us,” Dux said. “We have to walk before we run.”

Dux points to a number of places in the state and not so far away, where pig farms were introduced before people had a time to react. “I don’t want to see that kind of thing happening,” he said. “We should attempt to plan so that our township keeps its rural quality.”