Pfymoush District Library 22s S, Main Street' P ly m o u th , m i m m i m i C r ie r December 3,1997 Lr f o v m f f C ity dissolves agreem ent w ith hotel at ow ners ’ suggestion BY BRYON MARTIN Don Dismuke said. “Then, they can set a Plymouth’s City Commission voted unan­ ‘Now they can explore the costs without a firm deadline and come back to us.” imously Monday to dissolve the lease and tax Dismuke, who met with the Karmos last agreement it had with Matt and Keith Karmo, week, said he doesn’t think that the dissolu­ owners of the Mayflower hotel. City-set deadline hanging on them.’ tion of the agreement suggests that they are Monday was to be the deadline for the Don Dismuke backing off from the project. Karmos to present to the commission an “I walked away from our meeting pretty updated plan for the hotel renovation project. Mayor of Plymouth encouraged that the project would go for­ But rather than renovate, the Karmos may ward,” he said. decide to tear-down and rebuild the hotel. A Walters agreed, and said he thought the decision on which route they will take may the commission last week, suggested that the Steve Walters said. “We’re just going to talk Karmos continued to have a vested interest in be as far as 90 days away, they said. City end it. about it when they’re ready.” seeing the Mayflower open. The Karmos did not ask for another exten- “I think they recognize the awkwardness “Now they can explore the costs without a sion on their agreement but, in a letter sent to of short-term extensions,” City Manager City-set deadline hanging on them,” Mayor Please see pg. 4 Home-away-from-Pole County puts hold on Hanford Road BY SCOTT SPIELMAN slowed the project significantly, and contends So close, yet so far. that the project still could have been complet­ With about three days left before concrete ed before winter fully set in. could be poured on Hanford Road, Wayne The county disagreed, and refused to County shut down the project for the winter, allow township engineers to work on Canton according to Tom Casari, Canton Engineer. Center Road, Casari said. “It’s typical for something like that to “We had to widen Canton Center and put happen around this time of year,” he said. in a left turn lane as part of the project,” “It’s just shut down for the winter.” Casari said. “Their policy is, once you start it The Hanford Road project has been you have to finish it, and they were con­ plagued with problems, both known and cerned that there was not adequate time to unknown, since the outset. open it and close it before the cold weather Engineers had to deal with condemning, sets in.” demolishing and removing a building that sat Casari said that since the Township on the property, relocating a Detroit Edison couldn’t complete the entire project, they telephone pole and filling in an old, hand-dug decided to not pave even the portion of well, Casari said. Hanford that was ready. The township will The Township also'had to replace an old also avoid winter protection costs this way. inadequate storm sewer line that had been Protection costs include covering the left in a thin layer of top-soil instead of prop­ poured concrete to shield it from the ele­ Nick Paul and his mother were among the throngs of people who welcomed er fill, according to Casari. All totaled, the ments until it has time to dry, a process that Santa to his Home-away-from-pole in Kellogg Park, Friday. Santa will be extra projects have pushed the cost of the would cost more than $50,000, he said. available for pictures every Friday from 5-8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays extension to more than $500,000. Engineers will clean up the site and wait from noon - 5 p.m. until Dec. 21. (Crier photo by R. Alwood, Jr.) But Casari said none of these obstacles Please see pg. 11 Car care Flower power Chiefs bounced OLGC scouts learn car main­ Piccadilly Petal’er helps furry Canton girls basketball out of tenance from alumnus friends with fundraiser playoffs after Wednesday loss See Friends & Neighbors pg. 6 See Getting Down to Business pg. 8 See Sports pgs. 27-29 Page 2 THE COMMUNITY CRIER: December 3,1997 Sa n t a Canton planners block restaurant Property owner seeks use for odd-shaped parcel* BY SCOTT SPIELMAN com er.” The Canton Township Planning The restaurant would have been a stand­ Commission voted 3-2 Monday to deny alone structure similar to the Grecian Cafe special land use for a restaurant on on the corner of Main and Starkweather Haggerty Road near Joy Road. Chairperson streets in Plymouth, which Yaldo also . Vic Gustafson and Commissioner Catherine owns. Johnson were absent. Melissa McLaughlin voted with Rob The site for the restaurant is a sliver of Lieberman against denying the request, land between Old and New Haggerty roads, because of the unique size and location of just South of Joy, according to Rocky the site, she said. Yaldo, son of property owner Mark Yaldo. “It’s a difficult site to develop. It’s hard The site currently contains a gas station to say that this land could support an indus­ n o ! He's just checking Out all The New stops and car wash. The restaurant would have trial building with its size constraints,” she He’ll Have To Make For Christmas 98' w ith Linda occupied the southern most portion of the said. “By denying this we may be denying property and complete the development, he him an opportunity to develop his land.” i f l r said. Greg Donovan, who sold the property to “It would be a first-class business,” Yaldo, agrees. Donovan donated the proper­ S t u d i o • Studio Deluxe Yaldo said. “We had planned a family ty for New Haggerty Road, he said. restaurant that would enhance the look of “It’s difficult to conceive an industrial K ffilr a • One B e d r o o m • Two Bedroom the corner.” facility on the site, based on the shape of VILLAGE INDEPENDENT LIVING Yaldo would require a special land use the property,” he said. for a restaurant on the site, which is current­ The project faced other obstacles in addi­ Northville Rd. INDEPENDENCE PLUS ly zoned for light industrial, according to tion to location and traffic concerns, South of 5 Mile LllXUrl Retirement Apartments with a Jeff Goulet, community planner. according to Commissioner Bob Wade. Cracious Catered Lifestyle Goulet said that to be eligible for special “They didn’t demonstrate a need. land use, the restaurant must be on the cor­ There’s a restaurant right around the cor­ Call Linda for Information or A Free Color Brochure ner of two major thoroughfares or as an ner,” Wade said. “If I’m going to vote to 313-453-2600 or 1-800-803-5811 accessory to an outdoor recreation site, such override an ordinance I want to be sure we as a softball complex or park. really need it.” The Elegant Retirement Community in Plymouth The commission’s main point of con­ The request goes to the Township Board Marketing By P.M. One Ltd. tention was that the site was not located on of Trustees in January, and Yaldo said he the comer of Joy and Haggerty, according hopes to persuade the board to overturn the to Goulet. planning commission’s decision. “The intent of the ordinance^ was to not “Right now the site is vacant. It’s a bring non-industrial traffic into an industrial dumping site for people who want to get rid area,” he said. of their trash,” he said. “We want to put a Yaldo said that technically the site was high-class restaurant there; something to on the corner. enhance the nature of the community.” “It’s one project,” he said. “It’s no dif­ ferent than having a shopping center at the S t o r e THIS PAPER IS C l o s in g Community Crier PROUDLY U S PS-340-150' PRINTED ON Published weekly at 100% RECYCLED LOCKING OUR DOOR FOREVER 821 Pennlman Ave., P ly m o u th , MI PAPER WITH ' 48170-1624. Carrier Please continue SOY INKS delivered: $27 per the recycling loop SATURDAY DEC. 13 ™ year. Mail delivered: $40 per year. DAILY Periodicals postage paid at Plymouth, MI 48170-1624. Call S a l e (313) 453-6900 for delivery. In today's C rier, CLOSED The Crier’s advertisers strive to hon­ look: for an estly present commercial messages to H o u r s our readers. 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