A Family Dollar store might be established in Cedarville, now that a first step has been taken in the process of rezoning and developing land for it. Township and county approval must still be secured for the project.

In the first step, the Clark Township Planning Commission is recommending that the township board of trustees rezone a 40,000 square feet on the northwest corner of the M-134 and M-129 intersection in Cedarville from agricultural use to commercial. The recommendation came in a 6-3 vote of commissioners during a public hearing Thursday, October 22, at the Clark Township Hall.

The matter will go before the Mackinac County Planning Commission for support and then to the township board for final approval. If zoning is approved, Joseph Perazza plans to develop an 8,000-square-foot Family Dollar store on the site. He is purchasing the land from James and Susie Martin of Cedarville.

Commissioners had differing opinions concerning the rezoning. Commissioner Steve Honnila, who voted against rezoning, said commercial development there will detract from the rural character of the Les Cheneaux area, as stated in chapter six of the township master plan under the future land uses section. Commissioners John Grenier and Joe Eger also voted against. In September, Commission Eger announced he was leaving his spot on the commission at the end of October to move south for the winter. This was his last official duty as a commission member.

"I think it goes inherently against what our master plan states. It's definitely not going to be something that's going to be a draw to the people that are coming here for the specific reason of the Les Cheneaux Islands, which is to have the quaintness of small businesses," Mr. Honnila said. "I do not believe Family Dollar is within the character of what Clark Township and the Les Cheneaux Islands represent."

Two motions denying a recommendation for rezoning, made by commissioners Honnila and Grenier, were voted down before a motion supporting the rezoning was approved. Commissioner Mike Freel suggested the property adjoins other commercial properties, allowing for the change in zoning.

"The fact is, what we're determining here tonight is whether that should be commercial or not," he said.

The future use of the property was not in question at Thursday's public hearing and was not to be considered in the rezoning recommendation. Some commissioners felt that because Mr. Perazza is committed to building the store if the plot is rezoned, its future use should be taken into consideration. Commissioners Freel, Pam Thompson, Paul Smith, Gary Wellnitz, Vaughn Rye, and Jeff Davis voted to approve the recommendation to the township board.

Most of the members of the public who spoke at the hearing endorsed the rezoning, owing to their desire to see a Family Dollar operate in Clark Township. About 30 township residents attended the hearing. Family Dollar sells general merchandise and groceries.

" I think a Family Dollar would be beneficial, because I think people will travel to it. It will enhance our other businesses because they may come to Family Dollar instead of going up to the Soo. It would be housed here, the tax base is here, and the employment would be here," said Cedarville resident Rose Miller. "Family Dollar is not a dollar store. It does carry higher quality things and it does carry things that people do travel to."

Cedarville resident Diane Patrick said, "I would recommend and support the changing of this plot into a commercial use. I think it makes sense. It's in a natural commercial area; everything around it is commercial."

Carl Rich, the owner of Cedarville Inn, which is near the intersection, said he wants the parcel to be changed to commercial to help stimulate the local economy and create jobs.

"It's a prime piece of commercial property on a state road," he said. "The community could use another business."

Not everyone who spoke was in favor of the rezoning. Cedarville resident Bob Smith questioned how such a store would fare in Cedarville.

"It's too bad [Mr. Perazza] isn't here tonight, because I want to get some idea what his business plans are," Mr. Smith said. "If there is one in Kinross, one in Cheboygan, and one in Pellston, how does he expect to turn a profit and not saturate the area?"

Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace, and Newberry also have Family Dollar stores in the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

Added Cedarville resident Bob Dunn: "I'm not totally against it, but I'm not totally for it, either. That corner, if we let it go to cheap construction metal buildings and no landscaping, we're going to detract from the rural character of the community."

Jim Granger, who represented Mr. Perazza at the public hearing, said the building will likely be made with cement blocks and the project contracted out to local builders.

If the rezoning is approved by the township, Mr. Perazza will have a green light to develop the Family Dollar store because such a retail outlet is permissible in a commercial district, according to the township zoning ordinance.

"This would go through without a special land use permit," said Ken Waybrant, the township zoning inspector. "It would not need a special land use, because typically these stores have groceries and food, hardware items, hobby-shop items, and variety-store items," which are all permitted uses for retail stores on commercially zoned properties.