BOTKINS — The Botkins Village Council voted down a proposal to rezone a property, at their meeting Tuesday night.
The Botkins Planning Commission recommended to the council to approve the change to 503 E. State St. from a commercial property to a residential-3 (R-3) property. The owner, Gurdev Takhar, wished to turn the property, which used to be a pizza restaurant, into a multi-unit home. The R-3 designation would let him make two or three units out of the building.
The thinking behind approving this change would be to turn a non-tax paying structure into a tax paying one, by collecting income tax from the future occupants.
“If those three people work at say Honda, that’s three people’s income tax we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise,” Village Administrator Ryan Piche said.
The council also discussed how this property might look nicer because it would be occupied and fixed up. But more concern was put on what sort of people it would draw with it’s location and no yard, and maybe it becoming worse than what it is currently.
“I know it’s an empty building and it doesn’t look like a lot now, but I don’t think from an outside perspective it’s going to look different with the inside remodeled,” Council Member Lance Symonds said. “Besides more cars parked in front of it I don’t see how it’s going to be any different. That’s my hang up. But we don’t know, I could be completely wrong. He might make it look nice.”
Some council members suggested they have enough rent-able units in the village already, and maybe leaving it commercial surrounded by commercial properties would be better.
“From a community prospect, it is revenue, the village makes more money. Personally, do I think it will look great? I hope to God it does, but I’m just trying to picture the kind of clientele it will drawl,” Council Member Steven Heuker said. “But again, you can’t predict what sort of clientele will pay rent there.”
Council Members Josh Meyer and Nick Greve voted for the rezoning. Council Members Craig Brown, Steve Heuker, Lance Symonds, and Casey Dietz all voted against the rezoning.
There is an appeal process the owner can go through to try to get the property rezoned again.
Also at the meeting Tuesday night the council heard an update about the subdivision. They are working on choosing street lighting and a retaining wall for a certain spot. The council then approved the final plat. The engineers on the project approved it, the county engineer has approved it, and all other relevant parties have approved it, also.
Mayor Steve Woodruff brought up an issue with people blowing grass into the street. It fills up the catch basins and keeps water from draining properly. The council is going to look into drafting some sort of ordinance against people blowing grass into the street at their next meeting. Village Solicitor Aaron Lowe said it’s completely within the council’s power to do something like this.
The Botkins Pool opens May 31. They are looking for qualified lifeguards, and mentioned they recently raised the pay.
The next Botkins Village Council meeting was moved to May 24 to accommodate Memorial Day.
