The owners of the Canton, Ohio property are requesting to rezone 62 acres for commercial development. The majority of the property’s 225 acres would be sold to Stark Parks to be used as a passive park, and about 20 acres would be donated to the township for athletic fields.
Owners of Tam O’Shanter Golf Course in Canton, Ohio will be asking to have 62 acres rezoned to allow for commercial development, the Canton Repository reported.
Course owners have met with some residents who live nearby and explained plans for redeveloping the property. Plans call for commercial development on course property along the south side of Fulton Drive NW. The majority of the 225 acres that border Hills & Dales Road NW would be sold to Stark Parks and used as a passive park. About 20 acres would be donated to Jackson Township to be developed for athletic fields, the Repository reported.
The owners would have to apply for a zoning change—from residential to a business designation—for the 62 acres, the Repository reported.
Tam O’Shanter is owned by members of two families. The course has operated for more than 80 years, with the first 18 holes opening in 1928 and the second 18 opening three years later. Plans to sell the property have been floated for several years, in part because the ownership is aging and no longer wants to operate a golf course, the Repository reported.
“We don’t want to be in the business more than a few more years,” said Chuck Bennell, president of Tam O’Shanter Co.
Because the property is zoned for residential use, it could be developed into nearly 400 houses, Bennell said in a letter inviting residents to last week’s meetings. The owners believe a large housing allotment in the area would burden the local school districts and township services, as well as increase traffic in the area, Bennell wrote.
There are no plans for housing or apartments at the site under the current plan, Bennell said. An earlier plan called for apartments, but that was changed after residents last year blocked an unrelated proposal to build an apartment complex nearby, the Repository reported.
“We pulled the whole notion of multi-family out of our plan completely,” Bennell said.
The commercial zoning being sought matches property along the north side of Fulton Drive NW. The zoning allows for restaurants, retail stores and offices. Course owners would have to apply for a zoning change with Jackson Township. Once an application is filed, it will be sent to the Stark Regional Planning Commission for consideration, the Repository reported.
If recommended by county officials, the application returns to the township’s zoning board for consideration. Jackson’s zoning officials will make a recommendation to township trustees, who can approve, reject or modify the recommendation, the Repository reported.
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.