HOWELL – During its meeting on April 29, the Howell Zoning Board of Adjustment was expected to hear comments from residents regarding a proposed asphalt plant, but residents never had a chance to state their case in favor of or against the application.
An overflow turnout of residents who filled the meeting room at the Howell municipal building, Route 9, caused the meeting to be cancelled.
When the zoning board holds its next regularly scheduled meeting on May 13, it is expected that a date and location for the continued public hearing on the L&L Paving asphalt plant application will be announced, according to zoning board officials.
On May 1, municipal officials announced that the L&L Paving meeting will resume at 7 p.m. May 20 at Howell Middle School South, 220 Ramtown-Greenville Road, Howell.
Multiple hearings have been held during the past year on an application that has been filed by L&L Paving, 89 Yellowbrook Road, Howell. The company is proposing to remove an existing concrete manufacturing facility and to develop a bituminous (asphalt) concrete manufacturing facility at its property in a Special Economic Development (SED) zone.
The applicant must obtain a use variance from the zoning board in order to proceed with its plan. A use variance requires five “yes” votes from board members hearing the application.
After months of testimony from representatives of the applicant and representatives of a company that is objecting to the L&L Paving application, residents were expected to have the opportunity to comment on the plan when the board convened on April 29.
As the start of the meeting approached, residents filled all the seats in the meeting room, they lined the walls of the room and they filled the hallway outside the room.
It did not take long for zoning board officials to determine the public hearing on the L&L Paving application could not continue under those conditions.
The zoning board’s attorney, Ronald Troppoli, opened the meeting by announcing the L&L Paving application would not be heard that evening and would be carried to another night because of the number of people who were attempting to attend the meeting.
“As all of us can see this evening, the room is overflowing, the hallway is overflowing. I would imagine the parking lot is overflowing as well. So it is my decision in consultation with the chairman to adjourn this meeting,” Troppoli said.
The announcement received a disappointed reaction from those in attendance, but the attorney explained his decision.
“We need to get into a bigger venue so that whomever wishes to speak can be heard,” Troppoli said, adding he does not want anyone to subsequently claim their right to be heard was ignored. “The building right now is overflowing and the fire marshal needs to have everybody vacate the building.”
There will not be any testimony or public comment relating to the L&L Paving application on May 13. The meeting was carried to that date for scheduling purposes only. The zoning board will officially announce the next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. May 20 at Howell Middle School South.