Council Approves Kendal Rezoning
City Council voted unanimously to rezone Kendal at Oberlin to allow for expansion of the retirement community. Kendal’s current concept plan details 24 units, as well as a potential community space on the North plot and 126 units in a three-story apartment complex on the South plot. This plan will require future Council consideration before building can begin.
A few community members expressed concerns including potential traffic and noise, a negative impact on the city’s carbon footprint, and the possibility the land could be put to an undesired use if Kendal decides not to develop there. Council Vice President Michael McFarlin mentioned that he, too, finds it difficult to envision a three-story building there and that Council should make careful considerations before approving any specific development plans. Kendal CEO Seth Vilensky stressed the fact that these are conceptual plans and are thus subject to change until as late as 2027, stating that community feedback will be helpful as a more significant planning stage begins.
Oberlin Creates Opioid Settlement Fund
Council voted unanimously to establish a special revenue fund for opioid settlements. In recent years, states and municipalities have received billions in massive settlements to lawsuits brought against pharmaceutical manufacturers for their role in the opioid crisis. This summer, Oberlin joined settlements against Purdue Pharma and eight other pharmaceutical companies.
Oberlin’s share could be put toward efforts such as increasing availability of treatment for substance abuse disorders, providing substance use awareness and avoidance education, and decreasing the overall supply of opioids in the county. The ordinance that was approved at Monday’s meeting clearly outlines that money put into the fund can only be spent for these specific purposes.
Hamilton Park Pond to Undergo Updates
Council voted unanimously to accept a $138,342 bid from Smith Paving and Excavating Inc. to update the stormwater pond at the Hamilton St. Recreation Complex. The renovation is a special project from Public Works needed to fulfill its requirements for the MS4 stormwater permit from the state of Ohio. The pond will be excavated to increase water retention, and the outlet structure — which controls the rate at which water flows out — will be altered to increase the amount of time water spends inside. The latter will provide more time for sediment to settle out of the water, thus preventing sediment from going downstream or getting into Plum Creek.
Though the project is currently over budget, the department will be able to temporarily allocate funds from the income tax capital improvement fund. Once approval goes through, Public Works Director Jeff Baumann believes it should be manageable to allocate the $60,000 still needed toward the project from the $1.2 million stormwater reserve fund.
EDL Facility Continues to Raise Concerns
East-side residents representing several of their neighbors maintained that the sound barrier put up around the local natural power plant last year has had almost no effect on blocking out noise. During the public comments section, they criticized the city for allowing EDL to regulate itself, also referencing pollution and potential loss of property value. Councilmember Ray English expressed sympathy, stating that he believes the issue merits more consideration from the City and better communication with citizens.
AVI Liquor Permit Goes Undisputed
AVI Foodsystems, which provides food services for the College, is applying for a D-5 liquor permit from the Ohio Division of Liquor Control; this would allow it to serve alcohol at special events as late as 2:30 a.m. The application had to go through the City as AVI operates within Oberlin’s corporate limits. An investigation from the police raised no concerns, and Law Director John Clark’s opinion was that follow-up would be both unnecessary and difficult to execute within time constraints. Consequently, Council did not schedule a hearing on the matter.
Fire Department Plans Community Outreach
Fire Department Chief Robert Hanmer delivered a representative report at Monday’s meeting. In the coming weeks, the department will be working with Oberlin College and elementary school students on fire safety standards. At some point in the future, they hope to familiarize residents with the CodeRED community notification system, which will allow citizens to receive emergency alerts in real time. Additionally, they are working to replace Oberlin’s aging weather sirens.
