City OKs subdivision for west side

Crews will build a new subdivision with 151 lots on almost 53 acres at the northeast corner of Jaeger and Kolbe roads on Lorain’s west side.

Lorain City Council on Sept. 18 approved the final development plan for Cornerstone Farms, a new neighborhood planned by developer Tom Oster of Lorain Cornerstone Farms LLC.

For the area near there, Council also approved a resolution of intent to resurface Kolbe Road from Jaeger Road to 2,555 feet north.

The plan for the new subdivision was approved with at least eight conditions recommended by the Lorain City Planning Commission.

The conditions deal with the developer obtaining

the needed approvals from the city and other regulatory agencies.

Lorain Cornerstone Farms LLC also will contribute up to $450,000 to improvements such as storm sewers, downstream storm water management, road repairs, sidewalks and other amenities, according to the city legislation.

Lorain Ward 8 Councilman Joshua Thornsberry presented a project information sheet with data about city infrastructure and the financial contributions that Lorain has received from construction of new homes on the city’s west side.

Thornsberry referred to Council’s Sept. 5 meeting, which prompted discussion about some uneasy feelings that more homes will put a strain on city roads and sewers and possibly contribute to flooding during heavy rains.

“In closing, two weeks ago, someone said we can’t afford to let this project go forward,” said Thornsberry, who cited five areas of concern about the project. “In light of the above information, I would argue we cannot afford to not move forward on this project.”

Lorain must bolster its west side roads and sanitary sewers whether or not the new homes are built, he said.

The city’s west side Philip Q. Maiorana Waste Water Treatment Plant, known as PQM, can treat up to 5.4 million gallons of water per day, but averages about 3.04 million gallons per day.

It has adequate capacity to handle an estimated .02 million gallons per day, which equals 20,000 gallons per day, of sanitary sewage coming from the new subdivision, Thornsberry said.

Based on 150 new houses, the neighborhood would generate up to $690,000 in water and sewer connection fees and storm water fees, he said.

Lorain could collect an additional $220,000 in income tax from residents for the city general fund, Thornsberry said.

He cited estimates from the Lorain City Treasurer’s Office, based on construction of new homes in Ward 8.

The plan was approved by an 8-2 vote, with Ward 2 Councilman Dennis Flores and Ward 4 Councilman Greg Argenti dissenting.

Council members received Thornsberry’s supplemental information Sept. 18, so there was no time to review or doublecheck the figures, Argenti said.

He questioned the capacity of the city sanitary sewers and the capacity of the PQM plant.

The new homes have 15-year tax abatements because they sit in a Community Reinvestment Area of Lorain.

The homes also are in the area of Lorain that is in the Amherst school district, Argenti said.

That could generate a long-term effect when young families move in, he said.

After 12 or 15 years, if the homes need major maintenance and the children are graduating, the owners may not have reason to stay, Argenti said.

“I think there’s going to be a mass exodus out there,” he said after the meeting.

Then, the current Council members likely will be gone, but future members may be sitting at City Hall wondering what the current members were thinking when they approved the plan, Argenti said.

As for the Kolbe Road improvements, the city resolution directs the city Engineering Department to work up blueprints for the needed road reconstruction.

It appeared that project would cost at least $420,000, based on preliminary estimates from the city Engineering Department and published with Thornsberry’s project details.