SWANTON TOWNSHIP – Airport Highway properties and projects were among the topics shared by Zoning Inspector Ben Mooney during the Swanton Township Trustees’ July 14 meeting, held immediately after the start of the quarterly Zoning Commission meeting.
Mooney reported that the commission approved Shawn Albert‘s plans to build an office building on the southeast corner of Girdham and Airport Highway for his S & J General Contractors. The material will be corrugated metal, typically not allowed in the overlay district, but the design is attractive, the commission agreed, also approving an alternative landscaping plan.
The commission also approved Kevin Martin‘s plans to use the parking lot behind the building, located on the southwest corner of Airport Highway and U.S. 20A, for customers of the Greens at Oak Openings. He will close one entrance on Airport and one on U.S. 20A, leaving the main entrance on U.S. 20A. The Zoning Commission is allowing Martin to use gravel in the lot for up to two years, but then he must get it paved. The business includes a mini golf course, restaurant and gathering space, and is set to open in the coming months.
The Zoning Commission approved the re-zoning of 13 parcels totaling 112 acres in the Land-Air Commerce Park, 11520 Airport Highway. Interstate Capital acquired the land for development. Any construction plans will required a special meeting with the commission and the Ohio Department of Transportation will require a speed study.
An abandoned home at 11650 Airport Hwy. was also discussed. The owner is in more than $22,000 in arrears on taxes. The Lucas County Auditor can do a tax foreclosure on the property, which would be put up for sale through the sheriff’s office. Whoever buys the property will need to be aware that it’s less than the required five acres, so doing anything with the land would be a challenge. If it doesn’t sell, the township can work with the Lucas County Land Bank, which will clear the taxes and title and give it to the township – which would then be responsible for demolishing the building. Mooney and the county have both attempted to contact the owner and received no response. He described the condition of the home as being dangerous. Trustees agreed to begin the foreclosure process.
Mooney reported that the operators of a business at 12565 Airport Hwy. are working on changes to mitigate the impact of their business on neighboring residences, including planting arborvitae and reducing dust from the gravel lot where semis enter. And, elsewhere in the township, he continues to look for options to remove an a boat that was abandoned in front of a Reed Road residence many years ago. The boat can’t be donated because it doesn’t have a title, and he continues to seek answers from Michigan and Ohio.
Since taking the position in March, Mooney has begun working on updating the township’s zoning resolution. He presented new residential and commercial zoning violation fees, and plans to later submit ordinances for zoning – rules that he said will help protect residents and businesses. The fees for violations will allow the township to follow up on zoning violation letters and spur the recipient to contact the township, he said.
“It will allow us faster and defined rules to help accomplish township goals,” he said.
While the township’s Zoning Commission is complete, with members Mike Bayer, Johnnie Bryce, Liz Thurman, Mike Tye and Bruce Wholf, the trustees are working to recruit members to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). That board hasn’t met in five years, although legally required to at least hold an organizational meeting every January. The trustees contacted those listed as BZA members and one one – Ron Oberhaus – agreed to continue. The BZA meets as needed to hear cases in which an applicant wants an exception to the rules in the zoning resolution. Interested members should send a resume or letter of interest to Fiscal Officer Mindy Curry at [email protected].
During the meeting, the trustees also:
-Held a moment of silence for former trustee and U.S. Navy veteran Joseph Zielinski, who passed on July 7.
-Agreed, with some conditions, to have Mooney contract with iWorQ Systems for a $250 activation fee and $2,000 a year for three years. The system will allow Mooney to track all of the zoning records with notes, photos and renderings, as well as permits and violation letters. Trustee Matt Beil plans to contact TrioTech to see how it fits in with cybersecurity measures and with the county prosecutor to look over the contract, while Mooney ensures that iWorQ does not sell the township’s data.
-Heard Curry say that she has asked assistant county prosecutor John Borell to come to the next meeting to address the topic of legal expenditures and outside council authorization policies. Her request was prompted by the receipt of a $65,000 settlement check from a defamation case between prior fiscal officer Peggy Michael and former Whitehouse council member Rebecca Conklin Kleiboemer in 2020. The township incurred $356,055.28 in legal fees for the case.
*Disclosure: Rebecca Conklin Kleiboemer is a board member for the Toledo Free Press, under which the Anthony Wayne Free Press operates.
-Learned from the Lucas County Engineer’s Office that the Ohio Public Works Commission has $500,000 set aside for projects in communities with populations less than 5,000. The engineer asked if Swanton Township has any projects that could be covered with such funding, and if the township could come up with the 10 percent match of $50,000. Trustees discussed possible projects, including a connecting bike trail on Fulton-Lucas Road between the Wabash Cannonball Trail’s north and south forks, where the 55 mph road is very narrow. Trustees also mentioned a need for repaving on Sager and Reed roads.
-Reminded residents that the township has a new website: swantontownshipoh.gov and emails. Residents can also sign up for text alerts on the site. A postcard with this information is going to every household.
-Heard that the township will host a free bulk trash drop-off on Saturday, Aug. 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the maintenance garage, 6576 Manore Rd.
-Learned the results of a speed study on the south side of the airport. The study was done at the request of airport police, who noticed an uptick in speeding by Amazon Air and Tronair employees. Based on the study, the section between Sager and the north terminus should be reduced to 50 mph; South Airfield Road from Whitehouse Spencer to Air Cargo Parkway should remain at 55 mph; and Whitehouse Spencer Road between Sager and the Airfield should be lowered to 45 mph.
-Agreed to accept the village of Swanton’s invitation to participate in the Saturday, Aug. 8 Swanton Corn Festival parade, which starts at 10:30 a.m., launching from Swanton Sports Center at 610 N. Main and traveling south past Swanton Memorial Park. Trustees approved up to $500 to purchase candy, giveaways and a banner.




















