Brandon Twp.- Jason Muz wants to save the nearly 100-year-old barn that sits on a 2.5 acre lot at 2233 Hummer Lake Road, but time is running out.
Muz bought the property about four years ago, unaware that it was not in compliance with zoning ordinances, which require that any accessory buildings on lots in the township be accompanied by a home. The former owner obtained a variance that allowed the barn, but with only a 2-year timeframe to come into compliance, by either building a home on the property or taking the barn down. He did not inform Muz of the variance.
Muz has since been struggling to appease the township planning commission, cleaning up the barn which was being used for storage, and trying to make repairs as finances allow. However, the clock is ticking.
‘It’s an ongoing struggle to fix the barn, because it’s a catch-22,? Muz said. ‘If I put $5,000-$10,000 down to reshingle the roof, when the ZBA variance runs out, and I can’t build a house, the barn would have to come down anyway. Right now, I would like to find someone who has financial means to save the barn and put a house on the property before the dozers come in. They are forcing me to sell, but as long as barn can be saved, that’s what I want.?
At the township board meeting April 6, boardmembers approved 6-0 going forward with an amended consent agreement in which Muz shall have 180 days to sell the property, complete repairs, or remove the barn from the property in its entirety. If the barn is not sold or brought into compliance by the end of the 180-day term, the township would be authorized to enter the premises and remove all structures and dispose of all materials and Muz would have to pay the cost of the removal, plus a 25 percent administrative fee.
As of Tuesday, Muz had not signed the agreement.
‘They’re playing hardball,? he said. ‘I’ve tried and tried to stem this off as long as I can… I’ve put a lot of work into it, and to tear it down would be going backward… Someday, the barn will serve a valuable purpose to the community.?
Township Building and Planning Director Tim Palulian said the approximately 3,000 square-foot barn built around 1913 is a nice example of Brandon history, but is deteriorating and something needs to be done. The barn has a hole in the roof that has increased in size and needs to be reshingled. Palulian estimates reroofing of the barn would be in excess of $50,000. Repairing just the hole would be about $22,000. Another possible solution would be removing the barn from the property and rebuilding the timbers elsewhere, but even that is estimated to cost $16,000.
‘The township can’t wait any longer because this has been going on for a few years,? said Palulian who notes the ordinance was put in place to prevent the use of residential property for commercial purposes. ‘Initially, we had a few complaints from the neighbors, now we’re just moving forward to ensure compliance.?
Paul Barber, a neighbor on Hummer Lake Road, wants the barn to remain.
‘I’d rather have the barn stay than be torn down and have it be an empty lot,? he said.
Palulian was unsure of the number of old barns left in the township, but said there is certainly none in the same predicament as the one at 2233 Hummer Lake Road.
‘It is labor intensive to restore an old barn and expensive,? he said. ‘You need historical or deep intrinsic value for members of the community to preserve them and in these economic times, it’s difficult. I can’t say this barn is of great historical character, but its presence is representative of what we were 100 years ago. It’s sad to see this pushed over when you have that. But as Scripture tells us, all things must pass.?