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CHESTERLAND NEWS Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Volume 54, No. 22
Your Community Newspaper Since 1967 Chester Township To Seek Advice on Zoning Language By Brian Doering brian@karlovecmedia.com Chester Township Trustees, Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals discussed potential areas of change to the township’s zoning laws at the Geauga West Public Library March 1. During the joint meeting, trustees and zoning board members touched on a number of topics, including the ex- Chess clusion of nursing homes, signage, cluster homes, swimming pool covers and park district designations. Zoning Commission Chair Johnathan Oswick said Chester Township’s location — easily accessible from the interstate and the next closest area for people to move to — has drawn interest from developers. “It’s become a hotbed for people to come in and take a look and start poking around, as we all know from the first congregate care,” said Oswick. “Those things, cluster homes and developments. The developers are keying in on our township.” In August of last year, trustees voted unanimously to deny a zoning amendment change sought by an out-of-state nursing home corporation wishing to build a nursing home facility on property in the commercial district. If the amendment had passed, congregate care facilities would have been permitted for any property zoned as commercial in the township. Trustees nixed the plan after hearing from members of the community and other interested parties, including recommendations from the zoning commission and the Geauga County Planning Commission. Other concerns voiced were that allowing a congregate-care facility could lead to the building of high-density housing and drug rehabilitation centers; an increased need for police, fire and emergency services; increased traffic; sewer See Conservation • Page 4
Former Pet Store Takes On New Life in Chester By Allison Wilson editor@karlovecmedia.com Mark Wardeiner hopes his new pet supplies store in the West Geauga Plaza maintains the spirit of its previous inhabitant — the late Theodore ‘Ted’ Berr, longtime owner of A Pet’s Life. “I had hoped to carry on his legacy and great reputation,” said Wardeiner, who recently opened Happy Tails Pet Supply in the same spot as Berr’s store, 12654 West Geauga Plaza. Wardeiner, a native of Mentor, is no stranger to the West Geauga Plaza, having also opened a Great Clips salon there in October 2020. At the time, he found his fellow business owners to be incredibly welcoming and helpful, he said, adding the experience has been no different with his expansion into pet supplies.
Business Social
March 16, 8 a.m. Learn more about Destination Geauga and how it can benefit one’s business at the West Geauga Chamber of Commerce’s Third Thursday Business Social at Geauga West Library. Visit www.wgchamber. com to register.
Outreach Spaghetti Dinner
March 16, 6-7 p.m. Christ Presbyterian Church offers free drive-thru spaghetti and meatball dinners the third Thursday of each month. The church is at 12419 Chillicothe Road in Chester Township.
Girl Scout Cookie Sales SUBMITTED
A dog shows off its shopping skills in the aisles of Happy Tails Pet Supply in Chester Township, a newly-opened pet supply store and dog spa that took over the space formerly occupied by A Pet’s Life.
“I’ve had stylists from Great Clips come over and make signs or help stack the food, and I had Ace (Hardware’s help). I kept asking how they run their POS sys-
tem and printing out their price labels,” he recounted. Wardeiner said the atmosphere in Mentor is busy with See Conservation • Page 6
West G Alum Performs Innovative Classical Concert
By Rose Nemunaitis editor@geaugamapleleaf.com
Katalin La Favre was drawn to music at a young age. “It was during (ballet) lessons that I was really exposed to music for the first time,” La Favre said. “I distinctly remember the moment when I realized that the choreography was connected to the music and it really felt like an immersion into a different world. I have always been so taken with music’s magical ability to color the way we experience the world, sculpt the space around us, remind us of emotions we felt even decades ago. So, my first experience with music was really through movement and I fell in love with it initially through dance.” Upon graduating from West Geauga High School in 2006, La Favre, of Chester Township, moved to San Francisco and has been living in different locations for the past 15 years. Her passion
Town Crier
West Geauga Girl Scout troops will be out in the community the weekends of March 17-19 and 24-26 selling cookies. They will be at Patterson’s Farm Market, Discount Drug Mart and Giant Eagle. There will also be a drive-thru booth at Chester Town Hall.
WG Kiwanis Pancakes
Sundays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kiwanis Club of West Geauga is hosting its breakfasts every Sunday in March at West Geauga High School, 13401 Chillicothe Road, Chester Township. Cost is $10 for adults and $6 for children 6-11. Children under 6 are free. Early bird special is from 8-9 a.m. Curbside pickup is available. For more information, visit wgkiwanis.org.
Networking Luncheon
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Musicians Katalin La Favre and Brian Calhoon recently collaborated on Bach’s “Music Box – Goldberg Variation” reimagined, featuring unique percussion instruments.
led her to study at some of the most prestigious schools in the country and around the world. She studied at the San Francisco Conservatory, Colburn School in Los Angeles and received a Fulbright grant funding the first year
and a half of her studies in Lyon, France. “I was planning on spending two years in France, but soon enough, two years turned into nine years as I really loved living See Conservation • Page 6
March 22, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. West Geauga Chamber of Commerce is hosting a networking luncheon at Oak & Embers. Presenter Cindy Holzheimer, of NOACC, will discuss the exclusive benefits offered to all chamber members. Visit www. wgchamber.com to register.
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