Howell considers possibility
of allowing paint ball facilities
BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer
HOWELL — The question of whether officials should allow paint ball facilities in the township was scheduled for discussion on last night’s Township Council agenda.
The matter was preliminarily discussed by the members of the governing body at a May 4 public meeting.
At that time council members seemed favorably disposed toward allowing this form of sport entertainment at indoor and outdoor locations in Howell.
According to William T. Hiering, associate township attorney, at the present time paint ball venues are completely prohibited in Howell on private property and publicly owned land.
In a May 12 memorandum to Town-ship Clerk Bruce Davis, Hiering suggested that if council members want to make paint ball venues a permitted use in specific zones, they should have the township planner recommend which zones should be used to accommodate such a venture. In addition, Hiering noted that regulations would need to be developed that would apply to indoor and outdoor locations.
At the May meeting, Deputy Mayor Cynthia Schomaker said paint ball venues would be "a good business and not something we want to turn away."
At that same meeting Township Planner Michael Vena informed the mayor and council members that if they adopt an ordinance making paint ball venues a permitted use with a set criteria, those seeking to open such a business would only have to go before the Planning Board or the council if that was how the council members wanted it set up.
Vena said the criteria for paint ball centers should include specific buffer requirements and a requirement that they be located away from residential areas on properties that meet a certain size requirement. For indoor paint ball venues, Vena suggested using closed supermarkets as possible locations.