Kidder Township residents argue proposed warehouses and truck depots will destroy local ecology.
While not on the township’s agenda, LOVE Kidder Township pressured supervisors to halt construction of warehouses and truck depots along State Route 940 at Tuesday’s meeting. Besides sharing concerns over the environmental effects of clearcutting forests, the grassroots organization also criticized township supervisors for not publishing project plans online.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Ray Gluck clarified how residents can access public information.
“If you’re going to ask where reports or documents are, the simple answer is: file a right-to-know request. And it will be processed,” said Gluck.
Chuck Cutshall, a LOVE Kidder Township member, said supervisors had waived or allowed developers to submit insufficient environmental impact statements (EIS) for the approval of several projects. EIS statements are part of a Kidder Township ordinance designed to limit the effects of new developments on local ecology.
“It almost feels like we’re rolling out the red carpet,” said Cutshall. “Why are we making it so easy – waiving things and giving it away? Y’know, a lot of builders, they want to find the path of least resistance. If that’s Kidder Township, that’s not good.”
However, Gluck said the board has little power to stop developers from building companies across Route 940.
“We’re not allowed by state law to exclude any type of business from our area, from the township. And unfortunately, we have to accept them,” said Gluck.
Residents were specifically concerned about a series of changes to the zoning code that allowed for more developers to build in the township. In May 2022, a parcel of land was rezoned from residential to commercial land, allowing the area to be clearcut for a proposed truck terminal.
Gluck said the land was unusable to the developer.
“It was a tiny strip of residential-zoned property between two large sections of commercially zoned property,” said Gluck. “The developer said, ‘I can’t do anything with this. Nobody wants to locate along a state highway like 940. So, could we please rezone to commercial to tie the two pieces of property together?’”
LOVE Kidder Township member David Hunter questioned the board’s definition of ‘usefulness,’ arguing the land was home to various plants and animals.
“This is ridiculous that we are actually doing this,” said Hunter. “This was supposed to be a pristine area. And you said, you consider this unusable land. How is this land unusable?”
The township’s next board of supervisors meeting is on Feb. 27 at 5:30 PM.
