The question begs to be asked, have the neighbors talked to Mr. Baker? It appears they have not and perhaps before they jump to conclusions they should have a conversation. I am surprised that Mr. Noden, having experience as a community organizer, would not start by gathering the facts, before becoming adversarial.

The Lake St. area in question is a mixed commercial/residential area. Home prices are good in the area because of the make-up of the land use. Baker's business has to move. Arguing this seems like arguing their shouldn't be commercial usage of properties along Main or South Water Streets--properties that are built for commercial use. If there is already a commercial garage on the property, I am surprised relocation would require a zoning appeal. Moving to an already-existing structure is probably the only way to keep this business in our city. Why are Kent citizens trying to make sure he goes out of business?

I want to say thanks to all the residents in those blocks I did go door by door collecting signatures and in every door they all come out to sign and ask how they can help to stop this from happening. If Bakers comes to the new location it would be terrible for all of us, I can not imagine any one being happy living next to a junk yard.
The neighbors had also consulted to other people including a couple of realtors that DID agree with us it would be bad for our property values and quality of life.

No one wants Bakers out of business. We just dont want an auto repair shop, a towing business and possible impound lot in our backyards. We dont want those things in YOUR backyards either. As for the neighbors talking to Mr. Baker: Mr. Baker didn't talk with the city before he bought the property to see if it was zoned accordingly for his purpose. The property isn't zoned Commercial. It has conditions on it.

Nobody wants to see anyone lose their livelihood OR lose the peaceful use of their yards.

Talk about snobs--they have college students living all around them. Mel's Chuck Wagon old building has been standing vacant for years and I would think the neighbors would welcome something in there. Baker's are going to clean up the property which is needed. Everyone wants business's to stay in Kent but not their neighborhoods. I have a manufacturer 2 houses up the street and we deal with huge tractor trailers coming in and out daily--but we are not complaining. I also live in a nice neighborhood.

The residents of this neighborhood do not want Baker's next to residential property, and we are not snobs we are hard working class people. We do not tolerate this kind of obstruction and we WELCOME other kind of business as we had in the past, it has not being empty it has always been busy with business. Mr. Baker wants to clean up the property as is needed, put a pretty fence and he also promise many other things, nobody believes him, he can promise the sky, once he gets the change of zoning he will not care about the neighbors, look how he operates. All the money put on down town and look at main street auto appearance.

I have driven on Lake Street many, many, many times. It is an eyesore. When I have company at my home, I give them directions that exclude travelliong on Lake Street. The entire street is bad; cars that sit for months, homes not painted, Christmas decorations left up for months, trash everywhere, etc. I don't see how Baker's could make it any worse. In fact, it would be an improvement.

Well Brian if you aimed to be offensive in your ignorant and highly subjective and inaccurate comment, you succeeded. I take great pride in my Lake street property. I cherish my century home! I spend hours in the yard working on the landscaping and enjoy my neighbors especially those that also show pride in their homes. Your unkind words do not benefit the conversation though I am happy to hear you are able to avoid travelling down Lake Street, as Im sure you won't be missed!

please don't make any allegations about Mr. Baker's honesty, or not keeping promises he may make.
i have known him for a lot longer than the 5 years he has been at his current location, take your car to him for repair & you will see firsthand how honest he is, there's not a more honest, more fair car repair business in NE Ohio
The new building was an eyesore & its already had a big improvement, give the guy a chance & listen to his plans, before you blog another good business out of town

Not one person from the neighborhood talked to Mr. Baker from what I have heard before all this bs started. I know for a fact that the office girl tried to talk to one of the neighbors who seemed alittle upset and took it out on the guys cleaning up the back yard that was well over grown and covered in dog shit form the NEIGHBORS dogs and that neighbor refused to even open their door to the girl. Mr. Baker has done nothing but clean that dump up so far and only plans on doing more. If any of you have ever "talked" to him like you say you have you would know that he does not plan on having any junk cars there. Its not even like there is room to put any! That place was a dump with a guy living in a garage and you wanna complain about a man wanting to improve it?? Really! Im sure you would all rather see another small business owner go under and layoff his 10 employees. When you get a flat tire or your car wont start anymore at 2am who do you want to call but a tow company who can come out and help you out without ripping your mouth out. When your car breaks down and your on a budget you wanna call someone who wont rip you off but yet you all wanna run one of the last guys out of town who will do that.

Did you all forget its been in your neighborhood for the past couple years?? He's just moving across the street! lol

You people who complain are a joke.That area is dumpy anyways.why dont you clean,up your crap and leave baker alone.you act like this a great living arwa.clean up your yards and leavw tbe man alone

Thats very true people dont know what there talkin about. They think kent is richy place kent is a dump as it is they dont fix anything as into roads or houses that people left behind and you get a good guy like baker that buys a building and wants to improve and make his custermers happy and etc you guys must not have a life

Let's remember to stick to the issue and not make personal attacks.

Well they knew it was poe when they moved there so deal with baker will make improvements and make things better n not have junk there. There prob jonhs dogs lose at night.

This is Mrs Baker and i am sadden on how residents are not giving my husband a chance to make good with this building. The residents need to have a meeting with my husband and voice their concerns. My husband is a honorable man and he will keep his word, you just need to talk with him. Relocating a business in this economic time is very difficult, I am afraid for our employees losing their jobs and the business closing up.

I work for Mr. Baker and yes he did look else where and it was either here or he had to leave Kent. For the violent dogs running around maybe you should look at your neighbors and not Mr. Baker since we have no dogs here. Do you people not realize you are trying to make good employees jobless?? I am a single mother with rent and bills. Isnt like Ohio is booming in the job area. I know for a fact Mr. Baker hired at least 4 employees that would all on unempoyment and could find a job anywhere. What is wrong with you?? I would never try to make a company go under and try to force people to be jobless!! What a world we live in now a days!

That does not mean that he can come into a neighborhood and just do what he wants.
It is not our fault that he has not place to go. This is a R-3 zone he needs to change a code. We are a working class family trying to keep the value of our property. Baker's realize that his move will decrease the value of our properties ? The fact that he does want to beautify the property does not change anything an auto repair, towing, storing car business does not look pretty anywhere I look around. What is wrong with you people that want to come to a neighborhood and negatively impact its residents, devalue their properties, make noise and create pollution.

Do what he wants? far from it! I do believe him improving the place would increase the value of your home! That place was a dump! Man you all must be really slow that you cant read where it says many times theres not gonna be a storage lot! Theres no room! Its like talking to a child here. Karma... thats all I gotta say.

every one has terrible grammar in this thread.

im pretty sure he bought the place keep.mouth shut if you dont know what ur talkin about

@ Brian: I was not responding to or about every comment in this thread. Just yours (since it was the one that was critical of MY property). Im sorry you misunderstood. I would also like to let you know I certainly did not mean to make a personal attack and tried very carefully to keep my response centered on your comment and attitude toward my neighborhood. I think the editor has more issues with comments that call people names or tell them to "get a life" etc.

Maybe you folks should consider a group meeting with Mr. Baker and discuss ways of making this work to everyone's benefit... Landscaping screening the views of the property, maybe? Specific hours of business? Keep the noise inside? Wouldn't a well-cared for business be less of a problem than an empty, run-down building? They didn't own the other place and their hands were tied as to how many changes they could make, but he bought this property. You are assuming you are the only ones with any pride of ownership, but hasn't he already begun making improvements? I'd rather have a garage in the neighborhood than wonder how many creepy junkies are in there and when the inevitable meth lab is going to set up shop.

We have prof that he does not own the property. And is very simple to clear your doubts got to the portage county web page or call the city.

There are 4 simple reasons that more than 60 people have signed on in opposition to this proposed move:

1.) A towing, trucking, auto-repair, and junk car storage business should not be allowed to locate to a residential block in a neighborhood full of families. First and foremost diesel fumes and soot from an estimated 12 dump trucks and tow trucks pose serious health risks to residents who would be living adjacent to this property. Second, to have tow trucks pulling in and out of a lot next to residential homes and apartment buildings would be a constant nuisance and decrease in the quality of life of residents. Whether it be 24 hours a day (as they currently operate), 12 hours a day, or 1 hour a day, towing and industrial trucking is not suitable for a residential block. I’ve included several articles on the effect of diesel fuel fumes and soot and their impact.

2.) Cars should not be stored in any quantity on a residential block. Companies such as Baker’s have barbed wire fences to prevent access to their towing lots/junk lots. That type of fencing is necessary when cars are being towed involuntarily. The storage of vehicles (we estimate that Bakers currently has 50 to 75 vehicles on their existing property), would cause safety concerns and potentially will have long term impact on the soil of that property and surrounding lots. We do not support the storage of vehicles at this location, as it is adjacent to single-family homes.

and

3.) Allowing Baker’s to relocate to this property would almost inevitably make the six residential homes adjacent to this property lose much of their value and decrease home values for the entire neighborhood. It is hard to imagine anyone knowingly want to buy a home next to a towing/ trucking/ auto repair and junk car storage company or to move into a neighborhood that allows zoned residential properties to be granted non-conforming use permits for such purposes.

4.) Last, and most importantly. This property is zoned R-3. This is the correct zoning for this property and future use should stay under those guidelines and consistent with past use. The residents adjacent to this property bought and invested in their homes based on the knowledge that this lot was R-3. To depart from the current zoning and uses would be unfair and undermine the code.

The honorable thing to do for the owner of this property, Tim Crock, would be to withdraw the application to the Zoning Board and to start this process over with residents and engage in an open dialogue about the productive use of that building given that it is in zoned residential area. Baker's is currently in an industrial/commercially zoned area. We would encourage them to find a similarly zoned area/property for their relocation.

Wm Mahota
I've seen the shotty conditions of the old chuckwagon building over the years.. The fly by night operations that have been able to open only to close within a month or two in that building. The trash that was allowed to pile up around the building. I know the area well, being that I run a rental maintance company in Kent. I work on the Harvey st apts and other rentals in that neiborhood over the last 15 years and watched the decline of that property. If I owned an adjacent proporty I would welcome the impovements I've seen take place since Baker Auto has started their move. I've stopped and talked to Mr.Baker and in all actuality was approached to do the work many here have said would never happen. I've delt with Baker Auto service on and off for many years as a customer. And as far as integrity, I would say His could not be surpassed. I know in his last building, he wanted to do many improvments to the appearance only to be told by the land owner they did not want any work to upgrade a building they(at the time)were unsure of the buildings future.
I seen some very unfounded allegations stated here.
Cutting to the chase, I for one welcome the improvements that have been planned for a eye sore. I welcome a fellow business owner upgrade and improvements.

I have only one question to the residents that have signed a petition against this business relocating....where were you for the past few years while this property fell into disrepair? As I'm certain that it didn't help your property values living next to a vacant eye sore, where was your concern? Now that someone wants to make it a better place, you're part of a community that cares? Doubtful. I don't know Mr. Baker but will vocally support his attempt to do what you people couldn't manage to do for yourselves...make your neighborhood a better place.

I just hope that none of the residents petitioning against Bakers moving a few hundred feet down the road from where they HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS, doesn't ever need a car towed or worked on! It's all good to fight against something, till you NEED their help. Gotta love KARMA! It's a shame that some people don't realize the whole situation and how hard it is to keep a good business going when last minute changes are thrown upon you...My best wishes to Baker's and all their employees to be able to continue the business of HELPING people in their town! Just remember this when you and your family are stranded on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck~

"We had tried to work with the previous owner, the building needs hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring it up to date to be able to be rented for a business that is allowed into the zoning code"-Marilyn Carlson
Thank you for putting this information out there! It seems that, if this is the case, the building will remain vacant unless a simple zoning change is permitted. That certainly adds a new dimension to the debate...vacant properties are definitely not good for property values! As a Lake Street resident I appreciate the constructive conversation, as opposed to those simply belittling MY neighborhood.