Sparta Planning Board announces next date for ‘mega-warehouse’ discussion

At the September 21 Sparta Planning Board meeting, board members set a date for the next meeting on the controversial land use ordinance, 21-01, which allowed Diamond Chip Realty to submit its application to build an 880,000-square-foot “mega-warehouse” on Demarest Road. The ordinance and application have been the subject of many public hearings, and some legal actions.

The meeting will be held on October 19; the land use ordinance will be the only agenda item at that meeting. The planning board noted that the subcommittee formed to address this issue has met every Wednesday and is expected to have its recommendations about 21-01 ready in time for October 19.

Also on September 21, board members heard two applications regarding lot line adjustments.

The first application, by Larry and Tana Allen, concerned properties at 483 and 467 Glen Road. Both lots are in the R-1 residential zone, which requires a minimum lot size of 45,000 square feet. Applicants reside at 483 Glen Road and their lot is undersized for that zone. The lot line adjustment will add 20,000 square feet from 467 Glen Road onto the Allen’s property, which abuts an easement. The board discussed the easement, which includes the Rock Island Lake Club’s driveway, and granted conditional approved for the Allen’s application, as long as they add a small triangular portion of existing travel way to complete the existing easement.

The second application was submitted by the Pope John XXIII Endowment Fund, Inc. regarding 440 Sparta Avenue and 90 Andover Road. Douglas Dykstra represented the applicant, who is seeking to add 5.84 acres to their lot to relieve encroachments of the school’s softball field and tennis courts. However, the applicant must wait for the county to confirm that it has no jurisdiction over the matter. The board approved the application. The finished lot will be 19.13 acres with no improvements planned.