WATERVILLE TOWNSHIP – Billboards and data centers will be the focus of two upcoming Waterville Township Zoning Commission public hearings.
During the commission’s Aug. 17 meeting, a date was set to hear public comment on a proposed change to the zoning amendment to allow up to two electronic billboards along U.S. 24. The Lucas County Planning Commission reviewed and recommended approval on July 22.
Dutch Road Storage is seeking to erect an off-site double-sided billboard with a face area of 20 feet by 33.5 feet and 35 feet in height. Lucas County Plan Commission Senior Planner Molly Maguire recommended not approving the change, calling billboards “blight.” Jerry Parker, the attorney representing the storage facility owners Dan Bollin and Jim Moline, said the billboard – in addition to providing advertising opportunities – would provide space for public messages like traffic notifications and Amber Alerts. If approved, it would be the first billboard in the township.
The public hearing on billboards will be held on Monday, Aug 31 at 7 p.m. at Waterville First Presbyterian Church, 611 Farnsworth Rd. Information about the proposal will be posted on township website and Facebook page.
The commission also set a public hearing to review the most recent recommendations for a zoning text amendment that would regulate data centers and other large campus-style developments. Trustee Toby Miller explained that Columbus-based attorneys and Lucas County Assistant Prosecutor John Borell made changes to the 67-page original proposal, and the public hearing will allow residents to weigh in on those changes before they are reviewed by the Board of Trustees.
“The most significant change was from a straight M-3 zoning to being a Planned District M-3,” Miller said. “Our attorneys said Planned District gives us stronger arguments and is more defensible.”
The changes include a requirement for a development plan, remediation plan and escrow, he added.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept.14 in Waterville First Presbyterian Church, 611 Farnsworth Rd.
A fee schedule for both billboards and the data center language has not yet been decided, and Zoning Chair Keith Moosman said both would be considered during the next regular meeting, Monday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. at the township hall, 621 Farnsworth Rd.
During the meeting, the zoning commission also:
-Heard Miller say that he’s contacted Spectrum about complaints regarding the installation of fiber optic cable along Noward Road. Several properties were not remediated, work was done outside of acceptable work hours, and in some cases the road was cut and not repaired properly, setting up the road for erosion.
“We paid a lot to redo Noward Road – more than we should have,” Miller said, referring to repaving that was necessary after the Nexus pipeline and U.S. 24 crews used the road during construction. “I don’t think our residents should be on the hook for fixing Noward if they leave a void under the road and it starts sinking.”
Miller said he’s asked the Lucas County engineer to issue violations for each instance and to demand remediation.
-Discussed how to handle trees that impede the line of vision on the northwest corner of Finzel and Neapolis-Waterville. Moosman said he would talk to the property owner.
-Heard that ODOT plans to start construction of a roundabout at Noward and S.R. 64 next year.
-Listened to resident Karen Schneider ask several questions about the proposed data center zoning resolution, including remediation, penalties for noncompliance, the right for referendum and extending the radius considered when looking at impacts on wells.
-Listened to Miller say that crews have caught up on mowing along roadways. In the process, they uncovered a lot of dumping along Kay Drive – near Greenlock Self Storage and the Waterville Senior Lofts. No dumping signs and trail cameras will be installed.
