Staff photo / J.T. Whitehouse Jeff Lunger and Stephanie Sulka spoke at Tuesday’s Canfield Township meeting, asking for help regarding a neighbor’s motor home that is not parked the required 10 feet away from a property line.

CANFIELD TOWNSHIP — Trustees heard Tuesday from residents Stephanie Sulka and Jeffrey Lunger regarding a zoning violation that has not been resolved after more than a year.

“There is a big camper parked way less than the 10-foot requirement,” Sulka said.

She and Lunger have a corner lot at Gibson Road and Bella Jean Drive. The motor home in question belongs to Raymond Miller and is parked a few feet from Sulka’s backyard fence. Her backyard is the side yard for Miller.

Sulka said she has spoken with Miller and asked him to move it to the legal 10 feet off the property line, but it did little good. She said he moved it once and backed into her fence, which she put up for her dogs.

“Our lawyer said our best chance is through enforcement through the township,” Lunger said.

Canfield Zoning Inspector Traci DeCapua said she has tried to resolve that and other issues at the property. She has made several trips to the site and spoken with Miller several times.

“In November of 2023 I started sending him violation letters and again in July of 2024,” DeCapua said. “In August of 2024, I filed criminal charges.”

She said Miller was in court on Dec. 6, 2024, and the judge fined him $500. She said he has 90 days to pay the fine.

“Jan. 30 I started another violation and will be filing it on Friday,” she said. “By law, I could file a new violation every day that it is not resolved.”

She said other issues on the property also need to be resolved.

“He is a multiple offender,” DeCapua said.

She told trustees if Miller doesn’t pay his fine by March 6, the court will put a block on his license plate.

Sulka said she would rather see the issue resolved by simply having Miller move the motor home to the proper distance from the property line.

“We just want it moved to 10 feet off the property line,” she said. “We are going to continue to pursue this.”

Trustee Brian Governor told Sulka the trustees are aware of the situation, but zoning enforcement comes through the courts.

Also Tuesday, Township Road Department supervisor Bob Burkett was asked about road salt.

“As of Friday, we have used 921 tons of salt so far,” he said. “Last year, we used 637 tons the entire season.”

He told trustees he has received 544 tons this year and according to the contract, he can purchase about 150 additional tons. That total includes an overage amount that is in the salt contract.

“If we don’t go for the 150 tons, we will receive 77 tons,” he said. “We may want to get as much as we can now, because the price is expected to be higher next season.”

Township Fiscal Officer Denise Joseph said a budgeted amount of $35,000 was set aside for the purchase of 600 tons of salt. She didn’t have the actual amount spent, but said there are funds to purchase the overage amount.

“Since it is going to go up in price, we are better off buying it now,” Governor said.

In other business, trustees were informed by township administrator Keith Rogers of replacement door prices for the fire station on Messerly Road. He said Murdock gave him a price of $21,974 for two 3-inch doors with an R-24 rating, and $19,978 for two 2-inch doors with an R-18.3 rating. Trustees decided to table the issue until the next meeting.