Northfield Center Trustees Weigh Road Levy Increase, Data Center Rules After Busy Meeting Stretch

Northfield Center Township officials covered a wide range of business across three recent meetings, from a possible road levy increase to a proposed pause on data center development. The Zoning Commission met June 8, trustees held a work session June 29, and the board convened its regular meeting July 7. Zoning Commission recommends updated property maintenance code The Zoning Commission opened its June 8 meeting by dropping a proposed section on utility installation after members learned the Ohio Department of Commerce, not local government, has sole authority to regulate utility equipment placement. Commission members had raised concerns about telecom equipment boxes cluttering rights of way near Rolling Brook. Members then reviewed an updated Exterior Property Maintenance Code and voted to recommend the trustees adopt it. Lisa Schade made the motion, seconded by Samantha Salamon, and it passed unanimously. Data center moratorium recommendation splits commission Salamon raised concerns about data center development, proposing that any company seeking to build one in the township first post a bond tied to its projected profits. She said the requirement would ensure companies follow through on promised tax revenue and jobs before receiving concessions. John Campbell then moved to recommend the trustees adopt a 24 month moratorium on any data center proposals in the township. Lisa Schade seconded the motion. It passed 3 to 1, with Salamon casting the lone no vote. Salamon said she supported regulating data centers but did not believe a moratorium was the right approach. Zoning inspector reports on enforcement cases Zoning Inspector Tim Black told the commission a longstanding property maintenance case involving a barn on Brandywine Road has been settled. The property owner agreed to combine two lots and pay a fine after a nine hour Court of Appeals negotiation. A separate case on West Highland required the property owner to clear debris piles from his lot after signing a court docket in March. He has until July 31 to finish the work and recover a bond. Black also outlined the township’s updated violation procedure, which now routes unresolved cases through the prosecutor’s office. He noted a new owner is repairing storm damage at a longtime township building, and another commercial building recently received a fresh coat of paint after code enforcement action. A resident asked whether township owned land off Old Eight Road could become a dog park. Officials said the parcel is being reserved for a stormwater detention area tied to the Dorwick ditch project. Officials also updated the group on plans for a walking trail system behind the Route 8 retail corridor, a project that would rely on Summit County Metro Parks grants for construction and maintenance. Work session lays out road funding shortfall Trustees devoted their June 29 work session almost entirely to road funding. Current dedicated road revenue totals roughly 750,000 dollars a year, while annual road expenses are projected near 1 million dollars, leaving a shortfall of about 215,000 dollars. Officials pointed to a looming 2 million dollar reconstruction of Cherry Lane and Beachwood, tied to a stormwater project at Norwood Lake, as a major driver of future costs. Trustees discussed three options for an existing road levy set to expire in 2028: a one mill, two mill or three mill increase. A one mill increase would raise the levy to roughly 14 dollars a month for the average 300,000 dollar home, a two mill increase to about 23 dollars a month, and a three mill increase to nearly 32 dollars a month. Officials said the one mill option would not close the funding gap, while the two and three mill options would build a reserve over several years. Trustees agreed to hold public meetings to explain the numbers before deciding on a final millage figure and directed the township’s legal counsel to prepare ballot language for one, two and three mill options. Levy timeline corrected at July meeting At the July 7 regular meeting, the township’s legal counsel clarified that the levy cannot appear on the ballot before November 2027, since state law requires a five year wait tied to the levy’s original tax year. The correction pushed back the timeline trustees had discussed at the work session. Trustees approve Bayberry Drive change orders Trustees approved three change orders tied to the Bayberry Drive drainage and road project, covering tree removal, additional excavating and concrete work, and ditch cleanout with erosion control. Combined, the change orders total 23,732.29 dollars. Because the project is 50 percent funded through an Ohio Public Works Commission grant, trustees passed a separate resolution authorizing the township to pay up to 11,866.14 dollars, or half the total, with the grant covering the remaining balance. Camera license renewed, fire equipment payment amended Trustees also renewed a three year camera licensing ag