The Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission gave its support Monday for rezoning two properties on West Waterloo Street from low density residential (R-3) to neighborhood commercial (NC).

Commission members approved both recommendations unanimously, 6-0. Commissioner Jeff Graber was absent from the meeting.

The recommendations will be forwarded to village council for public hearings and then votes. The dates for the public hearings have not been set. Council has final approval on zoning changes.

Several residents of the Charleston Lake subdivision adjacent to Walmart were opposed to rezoning Beth Bayless's 0.9-acre property at 485 W. Waterloo St.

Randy Tucker, president of the Charleston Lake homeowners association, said locating a business on Bayless' land could lead to traffic and parking problems.

Moreover, he said, a nearby building could upset the residential character of Charleston Lake.

"Neighbors are concerned about use," Tucker said. "I think the biggest concern is if you had a house behind you one day and the next day it could be a daycare center or Starbucks or whatever. You wouldn't be too excited about that. If we had an idea of possible use, we might feel better about what's going on."

Zoning administrator Allan Neimayer said that the NC zoning, according to village code, is "intended to encourage the clustering of small, individual retail and personal service establishments to promote convenience and to service the daily staple needs of the surrounding residential areas."

Businesses allowed under NC zoning include -- but are not limited to -- retail stores, personal services, business and professional offices, child nurseries, day care centers and preschools, Neimayer said.

He also said numerous parcels on West Waterloo Street are already zoned commercial.

Charleston Lake resident Herb Davis said that rather than add more commercially zoned land, Canal Winchester should focus on developing areas of the community already have that zoning designation.

Bayless, who has owned the lot since 2002, said she has no development plans on the table. She said she is seeking the rezoning to NC in order to "position myself, should the day come that there's an opportunity to sell my property."

Planning commission member Dan Konold disagreed with the Charleston Lake residents, and said additional commercial zoning on West Waterloo was appropriate.

Bayless's land is "not marketable as a residential property," and as such, is "grossly undervalued," he said.

Konold added that residents can trust village officials to approve only appropriate and residentially harmonious commercial uses for the land.

With the condition that any future business located on the property have only one curb cut instead of two, the planning commission unanimously agreed to recommend the rezoning to council.

Virtually across the street from Bayless's property, Ken Heiberger sought to have his land at 458-464 W. Waterloo St. rezoned from light manufacturing (LM) to neighborhood commercial.

Heiberger said he has reached the maximum of 25 percent of retail space in his building that is allowed under LM zoning. He wants to remodel a block garage at the back of his property and then rent it as a music studio. The planning commission unanimously agreed to recommend that council approve Heiberger's request.