By Karen Cornelius
Public hearing: Vermilion City Council held a special city council meeting on Monday, August 14, before five committee meetings. The hearing was for rezoning land on Vermilion Road from A-1 Agricultural District to R-1 Estate Residence District at the request of property owner Paul Sedar and with the recommendation of Vermilion Planning Commission. The rezoning was for 3.0014 acres. A-1 requires 2 acre lots and Sedar could not take his four properties which total three acres and create two building lots in A-1. He could rezone to R-1 as it allows 1 acre lots so he could achieve his two lots as each one would be about 1.388 acres. It was said this would fit in with surrounding lots in the neighborhood which are 1.5 acres and 1 acre.
Several members of the audience had questions and wanted to be assured this rezoning would not affect them in any way or invite more housing into their more rural atmosphere or more drainage problems. Councilwoman Barb Brady was uncomfortable and called it spot zoning having R-1 in the midst of an agricultural district. She added that R-1 has different setbacks than A-1. Others felt there would be no negative affects. When city council convened after the hearing they voted to adopt the rezoning ordinance 6-1 with Brady opposing.
Council president’s report: The special council meeting was called to order. City engineer Lynn Miggins was absent as well as law director Ken Stumphauzer. There was no correspondence, no committee reports, and no reports from the mayor, service director, and finance director. There was no old or new business or audience participation. Council president Steve Herron said he had no report, but he wanted to comment as a city and government they say the Pledge of Allegiance with “One Nation Under God.” Given the recent tragedy in Virginia, he said there is a lot of anger and emotion. He stated it’s a hard time for a lot of people in this country, but in the end, we are all citizens of the United States.
OPWC applications for projects: Under the reading of the ordinances, council gave a second reading to amending the 2017 budget for current expenses. Remaining on the agenda were three resolutions up for a first reading. They were all authorizing the mayor to prepare and submit applications to participate in the Ohio Public Works Commission State Capital Improvement Program (OPWC). The applications would seek funding for three different local projects. The first resolution would be funding for Vermilion Road Resurfacing Phase 1. The second resolution would be funding for the Hollyview Drive Reconstruction Project, and the third resolution would be for the Adams Street Water Main Replacement Project. Council suspended the rules on all three resolutions and adopted them by emergency.
Councilman Fred Ostrander asked if they were obligated to do the projects, and was told the city was just applying for funding. Since there is a lot of competition for the money, Vermilion could get one project or all three, or none.
Council’s schedule: Vermilion City Council will not meet again until Monday, September 11, at 7 p.m. at the municipal complex on Decatur. All five committees will meeton Monday, September 18, at 7 p.m. Another council meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 25.
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