POST Wednesday, October 4, 2023 • Vol. 16 No. 10 • FREE
Parkman Residents Rail Against Proposed Amish Youth Center BZA to Revisit Variance Request Due To Notification Oversight By Ann Wishart ann@karlovecmedia.com
Nearly two dozen angry Hosmer Road residents attended the Parkman Township Trustees meeting Sept. 19 desperately hoping their elected officials could overrule a variance the Parkman Township Board of Zoning Appeals recently approved. While they were doomed to disappointment last Tuesday, a notification oversight has put a pin in the BZA’s decision for the moment. On Sept 12, the BZA unanimously approved a variance for a partially-wooded flag lot of 46.9 acres permitting the creation of a community center for Amish youth. Access would be off Hosmer Road,
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Nearly two dozen concerned Hosmer Road residents complained to Parkman Township Trustees about a variance the township board of zoning appeals recently granted for the development of an Amish youth center on more than 40 acres adjacent to their properties.
which is a gravel road running north and south from Old State Road to state Route 528. At the Sept. 18 trustees meeting, Trustee Henry Duchscherer told Hosmer residents he talked to the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office about the situation. Although the trustees appoint the five BZA
members and two alternates, the elected officials exert no control over the board’s actions. “The BZA is a separate entity from the trustees, so we can’t overrule it,” he said. Between 200 and 250 Amish youth are expected to come to the community center on Saturday
nights, Trustee Joyce Peters said. The center would be open from 5-9 p.m. weeknights and from 5 p.m. to midnight on Saturday evenings, she said, adding the BZA was assured there would be no drinking or drugs allowed at the center. “But, you cannot monitor 250 kids,” she noted. Robert Kramer asked what options residents have before the property, owned by Enos Frey, is sold and construction begins on a $1 million recreation facility. “If you can’t overrule it, what’s our recourse?” Kramer asked. “Nobody wants it on our road, but it’s going to get rammed through. Do we have to get a lawyer to fight this now?” When one resident said the BZA hearing was not advertised, Peters showed him a copy of the Aug. 31 ad in the Geauga County Maple Leaf, adding Geauga County requires the BZA to notify via mail any property within 200 feet of the parcel for which a BZA hearing is scheduled. See Center • Page 4
Huskies Versatility a Game Winner By Rich Kelly sports@karlovecmedia.com On a beautiful night of celebration of their annual homecoming event, most schools also hope for a great effort from their football team. The Cardinal Huskies needed a tad more confidence. The team has a plethora of skilled athletes, but as they learn a new system this year, with different modes of operating, mistakes can happen, and such was the case in their neighborhood battle with Berkshire. Hosting the Crestwood Red Devils for homecoming, though, things fell into place; those skilled players all had superb nights, and Cardinal defeated the Red Devils by a score of 34-14. See Huskies • Page 3
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Cardinal junior Reese Soltis ran for 146 yards in the Huskies Homecoming home win against Crestwood, 34-14. Cardinal, now 4-3 on the season, next travels to Grand Valley in Week 8 to take on the Mustangs.
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