Amherst News-Times, 1998-08-05

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This pup's gone to cops — Page 3     Full-time mayor is CC decision — Page 5
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Vmherst News-Times
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y.  August  5,   1998
Amhorsl,  Ohio
50 cents
npike, railroad saga goes on, and on...
r\>
EN MILLER
...... . imes reportsr
Despite the Lorain County commissioners' failure to guarantee a
vital $500,000 loan for it, there is a
slim possibility an excursion and
freight railroad may be able to coexist with a turnpike interchange on
Rt. 58.
The solution is for the county to
buy it as long as it does not interfere
Heated
debate
erupts
over
rezoning
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
"...to be continued with a war of
words."
That's the best way to describe a
verbal confrontation between two
groups of residents over the rezoning of a residential section of N.
Leavitt Road north of North Ridge
Road.
About eight property owners who
want their property rezoned from residential to commercial use were out
numbered by opponents from the
Rock Creek Run subdivision.
After an hour of hearing pro and
con comments and arguments, city
council decided July 27 to adjourn
the public meeting until Sept 15 at
6:30 p.m.
"We definitely need more input
on this," councilman John Dietrich
said.
The 55-minute public hearing ended at 7:25 p.m. to allow council's
finance committee to briefly meet
prior to the start of council at 7:30
p.m.
Council members decided to adjourn the hearing because of a
lengthy city council agenda and then
later tabled action on an ordinance
on the rezoning proposal. Dietrich
said the delay also will give both
skies an opportunity to bolster their
file for or against .the rezoning.
The subdivision abuts Rock
Creek Run properly to the east
m May, council was presented
with a petition signed by more than
100 subdivision residents opposing
(he commercial rezoning for fear it
will devalue their property or cause
an unsightly mess and noise.
Among them was Robert Dono-
forio. He reminded council of the
principle of majority rule despite the
endorsement of the rezoning by city
planning and zoning officials.
"There are 128 of us and (eight)
property owners. You represent us,'
too. You should take us into consideration," he said.
One of the most vocal opponents
was George Schuman, of 483 Rock
Creek Run.   •
Even though about 40 Rock
Creek Run opponents were present,
he said they could not compete with
the expertise of Elyria real estate attorney Michael Blaszak, who represents the N. Leavitt Road property
owners.
Blaszak cited a six-year-old Ohio
Department of Trswsportation traffic
study that found 7.5 million cars and
trucks drive by the 11 properties
each year. He and die number is
likely to increase if the proposed
Ohio Turnpike interchange is built,
making the land unsuitable for anything but cctnmcsTcial development.
He reminded council that reaon-
ing me properties has been ignored
by the city for about 20 yam de-
spile the iixusawwaettons of •
with the construction of the long-
delayed turnpike exchange.
The idea was proposed by commissioner Michael Ross during the
July 30 meeting at which the loan
was voted down. He and fellow
commissioner Mary Jo Vasi voted
against it while commissioner Betty
Blair voted for it
His concept involves making the
abandoned Wellington to Lorain rail
line owned by the Lorain Shore
Railway Association part of a larger
county economic development
effort.
Ross and Vasi said they felt uncomfortable guaranteeing the loan
without more information and documentation on financing and use of
the railroad.
"All I've heard.is talk. The state
is doing this and the association is
doing that, but nobody has anything
written down," Vasi said.
Ross agreed, but said the railroad
could play an important part in the
county's economic stability and
growth.
Regardless of the turnpike interchange's design, the county's purchase of the railroad from the excursion group could be a major link for
future development It would provide a major connection to the development of the Lorain County Regional Airport, a rail terminal proposed by Lorain officials, the Lorain
Port Authority and USS/Kobe Steel.
Just how the railroad might coex
ist with the interchange will be decided Aug. 10 by the Ohio Turnpike
Commission. It will decide whether
to use an underpass beneath the
turnpike or build a redesigned
entrance-Axil using bridges built
over the highway.
The underpass is sought by the
railway association and prompted a
deal whereby the railway would pay
for a redesign.
If the underpass plan is chosen, it
will end Lake Shore's dream of a
and Ma clients wtve accompanied by Alan Weinetaw, •
Cool dip
The pool looks inviting, and so do the prizes that accompany the
ducks in this miniature pond, set up during the Amherst Public Li
brary's Summer Reading Fun Fair. Dozens of children turned out
for the annual event, held last week on the library lawn.
CONTtftffDee
It
If a tree falls in the woods...?
This one
drops too
close for
comfort
Russ Turner and his sisler
Marilyn are thankful an old
oak tree zigged rather than
zagged when its life came to
an abrupt end last week.
The tree was probably
more than 100 years old.
Turner and his wife, Melo-
dey, were both home about 6
p.m. July 29 when they heard
what sounded tiirs*. a limb
breaking off a tree. He was
inside and she was in the
front of 414 W. Martin St..
Marilyn Turner's home.
Neither thought much until
they heard what sounded like
a muffled thud in the back
yard.
They were astounded to
find a huge, 150-foot oak tree
had split in two and silently
come crashing to the ground
— six feet from da) house.
The tree, which Rum and
Marilyn had grown op with
as children, was actually two
oak trees that had grown
least 100 years ago.
The family has lived in
their home 34 yean. Ever
since they can remember, one
half leaned toward me houee
and the other half toward me
Creek, welsh hi adje-
Ruas Turner talks with hit mother, Helen
Turner, ae he welts across the trunk of a fal
len tree that nearly mltaed crushing their
home.
cent to aw
wan bar
daughter. She had always
feared one tneak or a branch
might ml oa it the houee,
eepromXy it a bad atom.
But mere was no wind,
inouonr or BBBroatasj amy aw.
It was anany and ant wmd
nomiaal, aoihmg met would
uproot a MtV
"Yon would anwe dWMnt
«swt «MuaM ssssM sssssWsl a laastt
*^rw wt^sans ssssrS^p ussaw • ssusssv
crash and amnammg else, tmt
ao," Halm Tenmr ami "Wo
were very lucky."
Rum and Unto dry Turner
had bean living with Marilyn
and Helen Turner for several
atonthi while mev looked for
a noem of man* own.
They movad tern their owe
place Seaanmy. Had the mm
Men mat am ctoaar, me two
anight lave moved hi
But there is a bright and
profitable end to the tale of
the split tree. Rum Turner
said his sister stand to made
a few extra dollars when the
fallen one is cut up. Oak is a
valuable lumber.
When me cmmai atarts.
e^emnw   •.ajpamnm   ammmp '*jBnW  o^e»anaMW
will he ante m know the m>
lea giant's real age by
iag dm nags mams me
26-mile long rail line that would
haul tourists plus freight to industries located along the track.
If the commissioners had agreed
to cosign the loan, the railway association would have been eligible to
receive a $1.8 million loan from the
Ohio Rail Development Authority.
Mark Chappo, the association's
president, explained the group has
$1.4 million in equity in railroad
CONTINUED on page 2
City, twp.
must hash
over their
differences
by GLEN MILLER
News-Times reporter
Mayor John Higgins wants city
council and Amherst Township trustees to meet in an attempt to resolve
difference that have developed between the two government entities
over the last several months.
Depending on the availability of
members of the two groups, the
mayor hopes to hold a joint meeting
in city council chambers Aug. 17.
Several township policies are being questioned by the city, but the
chief concerns involve the proposed
Joint Economic Development District (JEDD), free fire protection for
the district and the bonding of city
utility crews who do work within
the township.
Higgins suggested the meeting to
city council after township trustee
David Urig presented him with a list
of "demands" during a recent meeting between the two.
Talks over the development of a
60-acre JEDD between the Norfolk
Southern rail line and Ackerman
Road have come to a standstill since
Urig and fellow trustee Ronald
Leoni have sought changes in an
agreement drafted by a JEDD expert
and the mayor.
The trustees want free fire protection in the area and township voter
approval before the JEDD can be*
expanded to areas not contiguous to
it
Both changes are opposed by
Higgins and council members.
Under the existing agreement, township voter approval only would be
necessary to formally create the
JEDD, not expand it
Higgins and council members
contend the expansion process
would take at least seven months
every time voter approval is sought.
The delay would drive businesses
away from the JEDD rather than attract them, jobs and additional tax
income for the city and township. In
addition, the township would have
to pay for the issue to be continuously placed on the ballot
Trustee David Urig said the current agreement may not be suitable
for every area of the township.
"Different areas have different
needs," he explained. "One area
may already have utilities, another
may not or it may net be suitable."
In addition, Urig said township
residents may not warn to give
blanket approval for expansion of
the JEDD beyond a given area.
"We just believe this is the right
thing and people should have a
voice in what happens, that's al."
he added.
The demand for free fire protection within the JEDD also disturbs
the mayor. TO Mejms's toewladge.
no other township JEDD in the stele
receives free On protection.
"I am am going to send oar finv
men out there and ask them to risk
their lives or oweq
Trf"
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