A Franklin Township man has filed a complaint against its zoning officer over a fishing camp that was temporarily shut down on a verbal cease-and-desist order for operating outside its approved limits.

Tom Lawler, of Mill Run Drive in Sawmill Estates, asked supervisors last week about the matter of compliance at Fazenda Fishing Camp. Supervisors said they would meet, review the files, dig into it, but that he didn’t hear back.

Lawler said he sent an email to the board asking what the status was and there was no response. Board Chairman Jason Frey said he didn’t see an email.

“But at the last meeting, when we agreed to that, that was before we knew that you went over to the police to file criminal charges on (township zoning officer) Paul (Jarrett),” Frey said. “You expect us to be happy with that?

Frey updated Lawler.

“We are doing the compliance on our end,” Frey said. “They have started the conversation with the bond, that I’ve seen, they were back and forth with getting a bond and the bond amount, I think.”

Lawler said he was “absolutely within my right to file what I filed.”

“It’s been stated in this meeting that enforcement is following the law,” Lawler said. “I followed the law; he broke the law.”

Lawler then asked if the fishing camp was in compliance with all of the township’s zoning ordinances.

Frey responded “they are working to be in compliance.”

Earlier this week township police Chief Jason Doll said Lawler came to the police department and spoke with Det. David Roberts about the incident.

“Roberts advised him (Lawler) that the matter was not a violation of criminal law and he should file a personal complaint against the zoning officer with the township,” Doll said. “The township would need to determine if his behavior was appropriate and professional or if he was in violation of their rules and then act accordingly with calling the incident unfounded or disciplinary actions.”

Subdivision bond approved

Lawler continued to press the board. “Please clarify the communication that you’ve had with Fazenda Fish Camp regarding their compliance,” Lawler said. “Is this just verbal, is there anything in writing about their compliance at this point that the public can know.”

Township solicitor Tom Nanovic said the one thing he knows about is that on the land development plan, the township has been waiting for the fish camp to get its bond.

Frey said that Fazenda Fishing Camp had a land development plan conditionally approved in 2023, but that he hasn’t been on the property.

Lawler then asked the board if the zoning officer has been on the property to know if anything was built.

Supervisor Fred Kemmerer Jr. said there’s nothing the camp can do until conditions are met.

“They can’t move forward until they suffice all those things,” Kemmerer Jr. said. “It would just be redundant to keep popping in and we know they’re not ready.”

Kemmerer Jr. added that once they are ready, that would be the time to walk on their property and make sure they’ve done it right.

Lawler said he feels the township should have someone look at that land development word for word, look at timelines and make sure that they are building only what they said they would build, following submitted plans.

“There’s a process, part of the process is getting a bond,” Frey said. “They shouldn’t have started anything, the owner’s agreement isn’t even done.”

Kemmerer Jr. said it wasn’t an open plot of land in that they’ve had other things going on there.

Resident Jim Bestider said that ultimately the oversight falls on the township.

Crazy Trout LLC, owner and developer of the 100-acre property, has said it intends to create a private, members-only fishing camp.

Plans submitted to the township proposed limiting the camp to 50 members and employing five people. The project includes a lodge with kitchen facilities and a bar, 10 private cabins, and the use of existing buildings, ponds and outbuildings. A private well and on-lot septic system would serve the development, and parking would accommodate 50 guests and five employees.

Joe Craig, builder of the lodge, said there would be no public guests and that the camp would operate solely as a members-only club requiring an initiation fee.

Lawler said the fish camp has been occupying the site with RVs, and has been advertising glamping.

“If they’re advertising it and they’re showing it and it’s not what they brought to this community and it’s not in the land development plan, then Mr. Kemmerer how can you say ‘they can build whatever they want, it’s a camp, they can do whatever they want,’” he asked. “Does that mean I can build a garage in my front yard.”

Frey defended Kemmerer Jr. and said he never said they can do whatever they want.

Kemmerer Jr. said land development is for a specific purpose, and they came to the township with five cabins.

“That’s all that’s involved with the camp land development; that’s all that this is about, those five cabins or whatever it ended up being,” Kemmerer Jr. said. “I promise you our crux of what we’re doing is for those five cabins, and that land development, period.”

Frey added that sometimes plans change as they go through.

Afterward, the board unanimously approved the subdivision bond and rider to the subdivision bond for Crazy Trout LLC.

Lawler commended the board after the last two months to take this action so that it has that.

“Moving forward, I want to encourage the board to look at the issues I’m bringing up that they’ve built other things that are outside of the original development plan,” Lawler said. “So if that’s allowed, then that should be across the board, should be allowed for other people in the community to do.”