City Council gives thumbs up to 'Project Gumbo' plan with 5-2 vote

TWINSBURG – A site plan for two large industrial buildings east of Darrow Road and on the north side of Old Mill Road was approved by City Council at its June 14 meeting.

The project, which involves erecting 299,000-square-foot and 156,000-square foot buildings, with a potential future 60,000-square-foot expansion of the second building, was favored 5-2. City Council members Daisy Walker and Karen Labbe voted “no.”

Plans for the development were unveiled earlier this year by Scannell Properties. It has been dubbed Project Gumbo, and has been vociferously opposed by residents to the east of the site, across Old Mill Road and in other areas.

Council’s vote followed the planning commission’s recommendation. City planner Lynn Muter said Scannell’s proposal is in compliance with various aspects of city codes and regulations after review by many professionals and agencies.

Some categories of compliance Muter cited are traffic impact, building and parking setbacks, lot area/building coverage, zoning/comprehensive plan, trees and vegetation, off-street parking, wetlands resources, building height and vehicle circulation.

“I apologize to the residents of Old Mill that you have to go through this,” said Councilman Greg Bellan. “To those who turned out this evening, please know that your voices have been heard during this process.

“To those who suggest Council is favoring a developer over residents, nothing could be further from the truth. I assure you my main concern is and always will be that development is appropriate and legal per the guidelines set forth by our laws.

“I relied on the competency and expertise of several entities to guide my decision, including the Ohio EPA, Summit Soil & Water Conservation District, Army Corps of Engineers, city engineering, law and planning departments and the planning commission,” Bellan added.

Two revisions were made to the resolution introduced at Council’s May 24 meeting. One removed the emergency clause allowing the resolution to become effective immediately and requiring a vote of five members of Council.

The other is a condition that the height of the two buildings will not exceed 35 feet. The resolution reads: “After considering public testimony, the applicant requested to reduce the height of its project so the building height does not exceed 35 feet.”

Law director Matthew Vazzana explained an increase in building height could be sought by the developer, who would have to get approval from the planning panel and Council for a conditional use permit.

Several residents surrounding the proposed development site have voiced concerns at meetings in the last few months. They are critical that the industrial project would negatively effect their way of life in what has been a quiet residential neighborhood.

When the planning panel made its recommendation to Council, Matt Weber of Weber Engineering said, “We’ve worked within the guidelines that have been put before us. We’ve completed studies, received approval from several regulatory agencies and received or applied for wetlands permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.”

Some of the infrastructure improvements Scannell has proposed are adding an Old Mill turn lane at Darrow, changing signalization at the intersection, landscaping to conceal the buildings from the nearby homes and sidewalks along Old Mill.

But the neighboring residents have expressed concerns about truck and car traffic accessing the property from Old Mill, how the project will affect their water wells, streams and wetlands, fumes from the trucks, bright lighting and noise.

They have expressed fears that the values of their properties will be negatively impacted and that the industrial development “is not harmonious with the surrounding neighborhood,” even though the 33-acre parcel is zoned for industrial use.

Some residents have stated at meetings that city officials do not care about the well-being of residents, that they are not listening to citizens’ concerns, that the project has not been studied thoroughly and that the city favors developers over residents.

Councilman David Post said Council does not take issues such as this lightly, while Councilman and soon-to-be acting Mayor Sam Scaffide added, “We all want the best for the community and to protect all parties. We have to abide by laws and rely on professional opinions.”

But resident Michael Turle asked, “When is Council going to act in the people’s best interest and not the developers? Council needs to respond to citizens, answer their questions, address their concerns and just work with the residents.”

Resident Brian Steele said water and safety issues related to the project deserve further study. Resident Matt Eppele accused city officials of “trying to push this through.” He said he fears for the safety of children when semi trucks travel Old Mill.

Other residents reiterated concerns about safety along the road and groundwater pollution, and some accused city officials of not abiding by the city’s charter and zoning code in regards to past industrial developments.

Contact the newspaper at twinsburgbulletin@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Twinsburg approves plan for 'Project Gumbo' plan by a 5-2 vote