Sheetz appeals zoning decision in court

by Sheldon Ocker

Aug. 10 township trustees meeting

Denied a variance by the Bath Township Board of Zoning Appeals, Sheetz Inc. has gone to the Summit County Common Pleas Court of Judge Christine Croce in an effort to overturn the decision.

Visconsi Land Company Ltd., of Cleveland, joined Sheetz in the administrative appeal to force the township to allow a larger building than what is permitted in a B-1 business district, per township zoning code. Visconsi has an option to purchase the entire 12-acre site at the intersection of I-77 and Ghent Road (the old Dimitroff’s Furniture property). Sheetz wants to turn 3 ½-4 acres into a gas station/convenience store.

According to township Planning Director/Zoning Inspector Bill Funk, the zoning commission approved a building no larger than 3,000 square feet for Sheetz, which asked for a 6,139-square-foot structure.

The furniture store, closed for several years, encompasses a footprint of 17,000 square feet, a fact that Sheetz argued made its request for a larger building reasonable.

Funk said the zoning commission approved one variance for Sheetz, to increase the size of the driveway.

The next step in the appeals process is for Sheetz to present a written argument to the court before Aug. 28. The township will have until Sept. 18 to submit its brief to the court. Sheetz’s deadline to answer will be Sept. 25.

“We expect a ruling by late fall or early winter,” Funk said.

Happy trails

Parks Director Jeff France reported that an addition to an equestrian trail at Bath Nature Preserve is “about 90% done.”

“We just have to put some signs up,” he said. “I saw horses there already. It’s being used.”

France said the new addition is only about two-tenths of a mile, but it completes the entire trail into a circle of about one mile.

Work at Bath Nature Preserve also includes improvements to the parking area, picnic tables, landscaping and planting of trees.

In other action

Trustees approved a memorandum of understanding with Richfield Village and the Revere School District to continue the school resource officer program from Sept. 1, 2026, to Aug. 31, 2029.

Trustees approved the following: $13,681 to Kiesler’s Police Supply for ammunition; $165,659 to Wichert Insurance for property and casualty insurance renewal; and $39,590 to Richfield Village for the township’s portion of costs related to one of Revere’s two school resource officers.