42 people showed-up at a Boardman Zoning Board of Appeals hearing last week at the Government Center where a privacy issue involving a Dairy Queen at Market St. and Brookfield Ave. and, in particular a residence adjacent to the business, the home of Meghan and Brian Parry, remained unsolved.
      The Parrys say the business operates a drive-thru that is located at a point where patrons of the Dairy Queen can see into their home, and as well the speaker system used to place orders can be heard on their property, and parking lot lighting shines light into their home.
      To date, the Dairy Queen has not addressed those issues to the satisfaction of the Parrys; and owners of the Dairy Queen, Raymond and Christine Smith say they followed all regulations of Boardman Township Zoning Ordinance when building the business, including appearances before the Boardman Township Board of Architectural Review.
      The Parrys, the Smiths, as well as Boardman Township government officials all agree the Architectural Review Board approved plans for the Dairy Queen project that did not meet the requirements mandated by the township’s zoning ordinance.
      As such, Boardman Township has indicated it will provide funding for a fence to help alleviate the Parry’s privacy and noise issues; and at the same time has requested the Dairy Queen to lower the parking lot lights from the current 27-feet tall to 21-feet tall (as was called for in plans developed when building the Dairy Queen), and take steps to reduce noise levels from the drive-thru speaker system.
      “We are trying to get a resolution to this problem, and not hurt anyone,” Atty. John Shultz, chairman of the Boardman Township Zoning Board of Appeals said, accenting his remarks adding “We are striving for a resolution.”
      In addition to the privacy, noise and lighting issues, the Parrys have complained about delivery trucks at the business.
      Ray Smith said at the hearing last week “I have my own reasons for not wanting a fence...I don’t want the responsibility of a fence....I don’t want anything that I have to maintain.” He claimed that 60 per cent of the Business at the Dairy Queen is generated from drive-thru customers.
      His wife, Christine, said she opposed a fence between the Dairy Queen and the Parrys’ property, noting “customers would feel like they are in a prison.”
      Another hearing on the matter has been set in November.