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Community witnesses tell Franklin board cultural center's activities won't fit in the proposed replacement space
Summary
Long-time users and neighbors told the zoning board that the Ukrainian cultural center hosts large festivals, weddings and weekend classes that cannot be relocated to the smaller social building across the stream; a witness said the alternate space is "not even close."
Long-time users of the Ukrainian cultural center at 135 Davidson Avenue told the Franklin Township Zoning Board on May 7 that the facility's auditorium, classrooms and festival space cannot be accommodated in the alternate building the applicant proposed on an adjacent lot.
"My experience with this cultural center and the church goes back into mid seventies," witness Bogdan Jasinski said. He described Saturday schools, large festivals with vendors, weddings, christenings and other community events and said the social-building space on Lot 2.01 is far smaller than the center's auditorium and classrooms. "Not even close," Jasinski said when asked whether the alternate space could host the cultural-center activities.
Several public commenters also asked about environmental review and the risk that a permitted warehouse could later be repurposed as a data center; the board and township planner clarified that data centers are a separate use under the local zoning ordinance and that the applicant is requesting approval only for a warehouse.
The board allowed the witness's lay testimony as factual background while cautioning that decisions about the cultural center's operations and ownership are internal church matters. The broader land-use questions 'subdivision, cemetery depiction on plans, use variances and the warehouse proposal'remain before the board and were carried to June 18 for additional evidence and cross-examination.
What happens next: Community witnesses should expect additional opportunities to testify on June 18; the board asked parties to give the clerk notice by June 4 if they intend to call rebuttal witnesses.
