Regular Meeting, March 11, 2002
Regular scheduled Richfield Township Board of Trustees meeting was called to
order at 7:05 p.m.
Roll Call: Trustees – Present - Shano Cica-Mraz, Laurie Peters-Gilmore
Clerk / Treasurer - Mark Uhrich
Absent – Robert Hooper
Others present: Laurie Pinney – Zoning Inspector, Linda Bowmer – Office
Administrator, Police Chief Canter and Mr. John Slagter legal counsel for
Richfield Township.
Ms. Mraz made a motion to approve the February 25, 2002 meeting minutes,
seconded by Ms. Gilmore, Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent,
motion carried by majority.
Ms. Cica-Mraz made a motion to approve warrant report 6738 to 6770, seconded
by Ms. Gilmore, Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent, motion
carried by majority.
Mr. Uhrich informed the Trustees that he would have the 2002 permanent
appropriations prepared for discussion at the next Trustees meeting.
The Deferred Compensation program discussion is tabled.
Chief Canter presented the Police report for the month of February to the
Trustees and as a matter of routine supplied a copy of all police incident
reports that occurred in Richfield Township. These reports will be kept on file
in the Township office. Richfield Police Department will be working in
conjunction with Bath PD on the DARE project.
Ms. Pinney indicated that the next BZA meeting is scheduled for March 18 and the
next Zoning Commission meeting is scheduled for April 8.
Ms. Bowmer presented the Administration report – A phone will be installed in
the Richfield Historical Society building and is looking in to the Historical
Society’s insurance requirements. A cable regulatory commission is being formed
with the following communities: Bath, Copley, and Village of Richfield, if
Richfield Township wants to join it will cost approximately $2,500. This cable
regulatory topic will be placed on next meetings agenda.
Ms. Gilmore presented the Service Department report – The summer road projects
are being reviewed with the Road Foreman, Mr. Schall.
Ms. Mraz – Summit County Engineer is conducting its annual student summer
program and is seeking students to interview for the positions. Information will
be posted and kept in the Township offices.
Mr. Evangelista from Allega presented the Allega Site plan. The plan is reviewed
with site map for the audience to review. Moving from the existing site to new
site location that is 13 acres with the entrance from Henry Road. Perimeter of
property will have a ten-foot natural barrier and if no natural barrier exists,
Allega will plant a natural barrier. The entranceway will be landscaped. The two
existing storage tanks will be beautified. Allega is a developer of some of the
surrounding property and they will make and keep this site nice looking.
Ms. Mraz – The history of this plan starts with a give and take from Allega as
they allowed Richfield Township to re-zone the existing site to a less intensive
use and in consideration for moving, the extensive capital investment, and not
using the existing or new site as an asphalt or concrete crushing plant a
25-year agreement is in consideration. Some of these items are going to be
incorporated into a deed restriction. Plus there is a stipulation of revenue
sharing if the Village of Richfield annexes the property. This site is as far
away as from residential area as possible.
Ms. Mraz and Mr. Evangelista agree on the use of evergreens along the entrance
way and FedEx property line, use of concrete at the entranceway and usage of
appropriate and nice looking signage and within one year Allega will beautify or
remove the existing storage tanks.
Ms. Mraz opens the site plan discussion up for public comment:
Mr. Rich Fleming, 2780 Columbia Road, Where is it in relation to FedEx? How many
feet to the Snowville residents? I do not see this a smart move. Is this
agreement better? If this is passed tonight when would this be effective?
Ms. Mraz – West of FedEx, and Snowville residents are far away from this plant.
Yes, this agreement is the best for the community given the situation we are in.
Agreement would be effective once passed by Trustees and approved by the courts.
We are trying to remedy this situation as best as possible. We have contacted
Brecksville mayor about this project.
Mr. John Slagter – All this property (hundreds of acres) that JJJ Properties
(Allega) purchased back in 1996 was zoned Industrial with no prohibited use of
the property and they could put anything on this property. Richfield
had to deal with it through lawsuits and otherwise. Deed restrictions were
incorporated on the existing property but the new property that they purchased
had no restrictions and with surrounding property that have tank farms, the
owner likely could develop this property with any kind of development with
little opportunity for Richfield Township to control that development.
Mr. Ken Bennett, 5150 Hecker, Will the existing Allega monitoring committee
still be active? Can anything be done about the back-up audio signals? Will the
new plant have any type of enclosures?
Ms. Mraz – The Township would welcome any continued feedback from the committee.
Mr. Evangelista – No enclosures, the plant essentially be same as on the
existing property. The audio signals likely will not be heard from the new site.
Ms. Arlene Pepara, 2617 Columbia, Is the committee in writing? Where is the
plant in relation to Dewey Road and will there be an entrance off of Dewey?
Ms. Mraz and Mr. Evangelista – the people that were affected by the current
location were involved and formed the committee. They show Ms. Pepara the map
and there will not be an entrance off of Dewey.
Ms. Diane Kranick, Richfield Times, What was the zoning? And does the zoning
allow this?
Ms. Mraz – Light Industrial / Office and the consent agreement allows this
development.
Mr. Rich Fleming, 2780 Columbia Road, The current plant, I heard the noises on
Black and Columbia roads. Will the consent agreement last forever?
Ms. Mraz and Mr. Evangelista, 25 years and the only two parties that can amend
this agreement are Richfield Township and JJJ Properties and they must both
agree. Properties are governed by the existing zoning codes, expect as defined
by the consent agreement operation of a concrete plant.
Mr. Noel Shriver, 2597 Columbia, What about the water run-off issue and will it
affect the area?
Ms. Mraz – No and we are not the regulatory agency on that matter, the EPA and
Army Corp of Engineers performed all the engineering work regarding the water
run-off. The Summit County Soil and Water Conversation District will monitor the
construction and water run off issue.
Ms. Mraz reads Resolution.
Ms. Mraz made a motion to pass the Resolution to modify the Consent agreement
with JJJ Properties incorporating the revisions as identified and exhibit B –
Site Plan; seconded by Ms. Gilmore, Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES, Mr.
Hooper – Absent, motion carried by majority.
Ms. Gilmore reads the speed study resolution.
Ms. Gilmore made a motion to pass a Resolution to authorize Summit County
Engineer to conduct a speed study on Townsend Road and Black Road, seconded by
Ms. Mraz; Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent, motion carried
by majority.
Ms. Mraz made a motion to declare inventoried police office furniture and
equipment as surplus property, seconded by Ms. Gilmore; Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms.
Mraz – YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent, motion carried by majority.
Ms. Mraz made a motion to renew depository agreement with First Merit bank,
seconded by Ms. Gilmore; Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent,
motion carried by majority.
Ms. Gilmore made a motion to purchase new Richfield Township community entrance
signs at a cost of $8,415.00, seconded by Ms. Mraz; Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz
– YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent, motion carried by majority.
Ms. Gilmore made a motion to hire Nason Landscaping to perform Richfield
Township landscaping from April through November 2002 at a cost of $6,000.00,
seconded by Ms. Mraz; Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent,
motion carried by majority.
Ms. Mraz made a motion to hire Finkbeiner, Pettis and Strout at cost of
$1,700.00 to update the Richfield Township zoning maps; seconded by Ms. Gilmore;
Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent, motion carried by
majority.
Ms. Gilmore made motion to amend section 5, part A of Richfield Township
Resolution 1-2002 and increase to the Rising Valley Park maintenance agreement
from $4,000 to $6,000, seconded by Ms. Mraz; Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES,
Mr. Hooper – Absent, motion carried by majority.
Ms. Mraz announces Richfield Township was awarded CDBG money, $13,000.00 for
Senior center renovation and $4,000 senior assistance program that provides snow
plowing and medical alert programs at a lower cost to the seniors. Also,
Richfield Township was awarded funds by the Department of Interior, National
Park for road improvements.
Public Forum:
Mr. Tony Sedlak, 2865 Stubbins Road, The Turnpike’s expansion, noise and lights
have been a burden at my residence is there anything we can do to alleviate
this?
Ms Gilmore – We will develop a resolution of complaint and present it to the
Turnpike Commission and request them to have turnpike meet with Richfield
Township on this matter.
Angie Veronicas, 2810 Stubbins, She agrees with Mr. Sedlak comments and asks the
Trustees for their help on this matter.
Ms. Mraz made a motion to enter in to executive session at 8:30 p.m. to
discuss pending legal matters and personnel issues, seconded by Ms. Gilmore; Ms.
Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent, motion carried by majority.
Ms. Mraz made a motion to conclude the executive session at 9:25 p.m., seconded
by Ms. Gilmore; Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent, motion
carried by majority.
Ms. Mraz made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:25 p.m., seconded by Ms.
Gilmore; Ms. Gilmore – YES, Ms. Mraz – YES, Mr. Hooper – Absent, motion carried
by majority.
_________________________ _________________________
Chairman Clerk