A zoning change that went unnoticed for 13 years was corrected by the Oxford Village Council last week and as a result, it appears a new boat repair and storage business will be able to locate itself on Lakeville Road.
Council voted 4-1 to amend the village zoning map to reflect the 1994 rezoning of 592 Lakeville Road from single family residential (R-1) to light industrial (I-1).
‘I don’t know why this (went) 13 years without being changed (or) how it slipped through the cracks,? said Councilman Tom Benner.
‘The map should have been updated back in 1994,? said village Manager Joe Young.
The property is currently owned by Lloyd G. Ellis, who previously operated a light industrial business there for many years. It’s sat vacant for the last 18 months.
Ellis wants to sell it and has a purchase agreement with Daniel Cline, owner of the Leonard-based Dockside Mobile Marine.
Dockside does boat and jet ski repair, winterizing, shrink wrapping and outdoor storage of boats, jet skis, jet boats and other equipment. Small engine repair including snowmobiles, ATVs and lawn equipment would also be conducted on the site.
Cline plans to remove the current building on the property, except for the office area, and erect a new, more attractive structure.
Cline’s purchase of the property is contingent upon confirmation from the village that the business activity he’s planning to conduct is appropriate for the zoning.
Back in early 1994, the property was rezoned from light industrial to single family residential. Ellis protested and got the property rezoned back to light industrial effective October 17, 1994.
However, the zoning map was never amended 13 years ago as directed by council at that time and when the village adopted its new zoning map earlier this year, the rezoning was still not reflected and the property continued to be shown as single family residential.
Councilwoman Teri Stiles, who cast the lone vote against amending the zoning map, expressed her displeasure that boats were currently being stored on the property in violation of the ordinance, a fact which Cline was informed of a few weeks ago.
‘If he’s not even following the rules now, what’s going to happen when that marine shop gets in there and we have noise issues and everything else,? she said. ‘I’m really concerned. I’m really disappointed that this has happened because it’s hard for us to protect the residents against this.?
Light industrial zoning does allow for outdoor storage through a special land use permit which Cline would need to apply for and obtain approval from the planning commission.
Young said both Ellis and Cline have been advised of the ordinance violation and that the boats have to be removed, otherwise a ticket will be issued.