BAZETTA — A proposal to rezone a residential parcel along Elm Road to commercial use drew strong opposition from residents during a Bazetta Township Zoning Commission meeting earlier this week.

The request, filed by Matthew Bellin on behalf of Equity Trust Co., seeks to change a Trumbull County auditor’s parcel from residential (R1) to commercial (C3) to allow for development of a contractor-focused “flex space.”

“The plan is a commercial flex space, so it’s geared toward contractor use, electricians, landscapers, plumbers that want to have an office on site as well as the warehouse for their goods and equipment. It’s not really retail, but it’s not self-storage,” Bellin said.

The parcel in question is along Elm Road, just past the Apostolakis Honda dealership and a hair salon. Two of the parcels, owned by the same company, are already zoned commercial.

Bellin said the parcel sits between properties he owns that are already zoned commercial, making the residential zoning inconsistent.

“My other parcels are zoned C3. It would be inconsistent zoning for use with my other two parcels that are already C3,” he said.

“This directly affects where we live,” said resident Dilip Kumar, who owns one of about eight homes on Knapp Drive — a cul-de-sac that is directly behind the property.

“We do not want to lose the natural beauty that we have. Our street is private. The reason I bought my house on Knapp Drive was because it was private, it was wooded and I don’t want to lose any of it. We do not want anything in our backyard that will cut down all the trees and the birds and the wildlife that we get there, nor do we want to create a flooding hazard,” he said during the public hearing.

Residents who spoke opposed the change, citing concerns about flooding, traffic, groundwater contamination and the loss of a wooded buffer between homes and existing commercial development.

“It should matter that you intentionally built or bought your home in a residential zone,” Knapp Drive resident Karen DeFrancesco said. “The land behind the homes is zoned residential. It should stay residential.”

Traffic safety along Elm Road and nearby intersections also was cited as a concern.

Trumbull County Commissioner Denny Malloy, who lives near the property under discussion, told the board he supports economic development, but urged officials to consider the impact on residents.

“You can’t do it,” Malloy said of turning onto Elm Road during peak hours. “Now you’re talking about adding trucks and equipment traffic.”

“We want growth. We want economic development. I’m all in favor of that everywhere,” he said. “But when you govern, you got to govern with common sense.”

Bazetta Township Trustee Michael Hovis said the zoning commission’s role is advisory.

“The zoning board’s job is to take a look at the plans and zone change, take a look at the comprehensive plan from the Trumbull County Planning Commission, and then make recommendations based on that,” Hovis said.

The ultimate decision rests with the township’s board of trustees, which will review the commission’s recommendation.

“We will listen to the pros and the cons, and citizens that want to be heard,” Hovis said.

A public hearing on the proposed zone change is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 19 at the township hall.