More than 20 people expecting fireworks attended the Nov. 14 Wayne County Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, but their issue of concern fizzled.
The five-member board was scheduled to hear a petition from Gary Wolff and Jesse Wolff requesting a variance of use to permit 12 shipping containers storing fireworks at 4937 Esteb Road, which is zoned agricultural. The petition, however, was continued until the 6 p.m. Dec. 12 meeting.
One board member was absent, and another was recused for being an adjacent landowner. That left only three members to hear the petition, needing all three votes either favoring or opposing the findings of fact for official action. Any 2-1 vote would have resulted in the petition being delayed for the missing board member to hear it in December.
With the number of speakers signed up to express their opinions, the petitioner’s statements and public hearing would have taken considerable time. Had there been a 2-1 vote on any finding of fact, the entire hearing would have been repeated for the absent board member to hear.
Ron Cross, the county’s and BZA’s attorney, recommended continuing the hearing, and the petitioners and board agreed conducting the hearing only once is preferable.
The Wolffs have already begun storing fireworks on the site despite the lack of zoning approval, but an order that no more fireworks be put in storage now remains in effect until December’s BZA meeting.
The BZA did approve a variance of use for Benuel King to operate a furniture wholesale and retail business at 5970 Morgan Creek Road.
King plans a small shed for retail sales and another building for light manufacturing and assembly. The business would operate 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and the only employees would be immediate family.
A version of this article appeared in the November 20 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.