WHITEHOUSE – The Finzel and S.R. 64 roundabout is Whitehouse’s southern gateway, with more than 8,000 vehicles a day traversing the stretch between Finzel and the downtown area each day.
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, Whitehouse Village Council will vote on legislation that will allow administration to move forward on the sale of village-owned property at the roundabout, and the purchase of another property just to the west of the intersection.
The 6.5 acre parcel at the northwest corner is currently a pollinator garden, with wildflowers attracting photographers, bees and butterflies. If approved, the village will sell their land to the Toledo Lucas County Public Library (TLCPL) for $620,000. The plan is to use the property for a new Whitehouse Branch, confirmed Public Information Officer Stephanie Elton.
“The reading planned for the August 4 village council meeting is one of the first steps of the process,” she said. “We anticipate closing on the property later this fall and are working to organize community engagement opportunities to coincide with that milestone.”
In March 2025, the TLCPL held community sessions along with Metroparks Toledo to look at constructing a library branch and conservation center in Blue Creek Metropark. Those plans changed, however, due to several reasons, including reduced funding for public libraries at the state level and uncertainty around the future of property taxes as a revenue source, according to a FAQ section on the Library’s website. This prompted taking a more conservative approach.
As a result, Library leadership began looking for a different sites in Whitehouse, working with Village Administrator Jordan Daugherty and Mayor Rich Bingham.
“This will be a perfect site for the library, and a beautiful entryway into Whitehouse,” Bingham said, adding that the village-owned property had been eyed for a possible hotel or gas station. “This is a win-win for everybody. It’s open to the public. It’s right down from the schools, and accessible from bike paths, including the Sgt. Andy Eckert Memorial Bridge that was dedicated last year. We’ll have a new library and we’ll get $620,000 back for the taxpayers of Whitehouse.”
Once the sale is finalized and community input received, TLCPL will engage an architect to plan and design a structure for the site, Elton said. The volunteer-run Whitehouse Library, which is not affiliated with the public library system, remains open to the public until the new library is open. For information, visit whitehouseohlibrary.org.
While the village is selling the property to the Library, it is also looking at purchasing a 2.3-acre property just across from the Cemetery Road entrance to S.R. 64. The family of the late Gary Pennell has offered to sell 10125 Waterville St. to the village for $200,000. Bordering Blue Creek, the property has mature trees, a 1901 home that is hidden by greenery, and three outbuildings.
Once the purchase is complete, Bingham said council and administration will explore opportunities for the property, which is in the business district. Several years ago, the village rolled out a big picture vision for the future of the S.R. 64 corridor. Among those plans is an idea for a roundabout at Cemetery to provide safe access at the intersection. Whether economic development, additions to the multi-use path system or some other use, Bingham said purchasing the property will enable the village to be flexible.
Also on the agenda for the August 4 meeting is an ordinance disapproving of the Planning Commission’s July 6 decision to approve a preliminary site plan for Country Meadows South, due to the commission’s granting of variances on lot widths for the R-2 zoned property for 49 percent of the lots. During the July 7 council meeting, council members Steve Fine, Carrie Tuohy and Larry Yunker voted in favor of having Law Director Kevin Heban draw up the ordinance, while Dave Riggenbach was opposed. Louann Artiaga and Joe Bublick were absent.
Artisan CraftBuilt Homes owner Charlie Grass, who is developing Country Meadows South on land west of Oak Brook subdivision, had his attorney, Lane Williamson, present during the July meeting. Williamson asserted that the Planning Commission has sole jurisdiction over such decisions, and that council was displaying “an abuse of corporate power.”
Council will discuss the ordinance during the meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at Whitehouse Village Hall, 6925 Providence St.
