Akron Ohio News - Copley trustees close cemetery to nonresident burials

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Copley trustees close cemetery to nonresident burials

9/13/2012 - West Side Leader

By Pam Lifke

Effective immediately, only current Copley Township residents will be allowed to purchase gravesites in the township cemetery.

Copley Township trustees, at the Sept. 5 meeting, said they plan to allow burial of former residents, but needed time to formulate guidelines for their inclusion. Service Director Mark Mitchell told trustees only 116 lots remain — approximately 220 graves. The township distributed a survey asking residents what should be done about the dwindling number of graves available, but of 7,000 surveys distributed, only 144 were returned, Mitchell said. A new cemetery would require 20 acres of land, Mitchell told trustees.

Trustees said several life-long township residents expressed concern there would not be space available in the cemetery when they need it. The township does not presell lots.

In other business, prior to the regular meeting, the board had public hearings on two text amendments to the township zoning resolution. There were no public comments on a text amendment to adopt what will become Article 1. Formerly titled General Provisions, the new article will be titled Interpretation and Purpose. The amendment was accepted by the Board of Trustees.

The second text amendment heard was for sign regulations. Mark Majewski, president of Northstar Planning and Design, spoke in favor of the amendment as it was presented, specifically supporting the provision that allowed exterior signage to be a proportion of the overall building face without a limit to its square footage. Majewski said he advocated for the provision on behalf of his clients and had met with the township Zoning Commission as it formulated the regulations.

Zoning Commission President Jim Phelps spoke in opposition to the amendment. Phelps opposed the same provision Majewski supported, saying he felt strongly there needed to be a limitation on the square footage of a building’s wall sign. Phelps said the recommendation for no limitation came from the consultant who has been working with the Zoning Commission on rewriting the resolution. Although the Zoning Commission voted 4-1 to accept the article with no limitation on square footage of wall signs, Phelps said he felt so strongly about the issue he decided to offer testimony in opposition at the public hearing.

Trustees agreed with Phelps and placed a 200-square-foot limitation on wall signage before accepting the amendment.

In other business the board:

• approved directing legal counsel to begin action to compel Madden Brothers on Collier Road to comply with zoning regulations for landscape businesses. Trustees said the fire department has been called to the location numerous times this year because of smoldering mulch piles. The business also allegedly has not followed regulations for mulch grinding, trustees said;

• approved a flu shot clinic for employees and approved reimbursing employees up to $15 for flu shots administered by their own health service providers;

• approved spending $4,000 for computer repair and maintenance;

• approved training for police and fire personnel;

• approved the purchase of recycling containers for Copley Community Park and administrative offices at a cost of $2,954; and

• approved a $6,500 purchase order for road sealant.

The board’s next meeting is set for Sept. 19 in the Copley Township offices, 1540 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road.

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