By Bill Wolcott/wolcottb@gnnewspaper.com
ROYALTON — The town board approved rezoning of property at 7551 Dysinger Road on Monday, clearing the way for H.M.P. Home Improvement.
The change from residential did not sit well with neighbor Warner Tucciarone, however, who said, “I’ll have to bring in an attorney on this — Al Sharpton.”
Town attorney Thomas H. Brandt apparently did not take Tucciarone too seriously and responded, “He’s busy with the governor right now.”
During the public hearing, there were some serious objections to putting the H.M.P. office in the neighborhood. “There are a lot of places to put a business, but not across the street for my house,” a neighbor said. “The area is residential. Business is not a good fit for the area. No one knocked my door. It’s not neighborly or nice.”
H.M.P. has been in business for five years, and president Harry Illenz answered questions from the residents. He said there wouldn’t be any heavy equipment, and the business would have nice landscaping.
“In hindsight, I wish that I had (talked to the neighbors),” Illenz said. “I came to the town and got direction from them. I never tried to rezone a property before and thought I did everything correct.”
Some voiced support for the business.
Councilman Lee Criswell, who voted in favor of rezoning concluded, “He went through proper channels but should have talked to the neighbors.”
Illenz still has to get site plan approval and hopes to start building in April.
In other business:
• A public meeting on the town’s master plan is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday with Wendel Duchscherer, Architects and Engineers.
“We are looking for direction from the town as to what they feel, where they want business, residential and agricultural,” Lang said.
• There were no concerns voiced at the meeting about the 2008 reassessment. “Assessor Tom Arlington has been meeting with the public,” Lang said. “I believe he’s handling most of them with just informal meetings.”
Contact reporter Bill Wolcott at 439-9222, Ext. 6246.
