VERMILION, Ohio — Vermilion is weighing the future of development in western Lorain County. And some are hoping voters also get the opportunity to weigh in on the scale of that growth.
In the quaint city known as a summer destination, fall will almost certainly bring fewer visitors to the lakefront beaches and to the rows of local downtown shops. But in an already sleepy section of town, the quiet season is seeing more commotion as November approaches.
“We are country. We are on the outskirts of Vermilion,” said Marilyn Brill, who’s lived in southeast Vermilion for 45 years.
Brill and her neighbors told News 5 they appreciate the relative quiet of their neighborhood, where many of the homes sit in sprawling fields or large lots. The group, known collectively as Concerned Vermilion Citizens (CVC), is concerned about how the pastoral landscape would change if a proposed new development moved forward.
“Part of this property was owned by my family in the past, and it has designated wetlands on it,” said Carrie Ott. “I'm really concerned about that and about the protection of the two eagles' nests that are there.
Jean Anderson added, “It's those quiet homes in that quiet neighborhood that draws them. So I think to put in 650 homes across the street from all of them is a betrayal to them of why they bought their property and invested in their homes.”
A developer from DBR Commercial Realty has already purchased nearly 300 acres near Sunnyside Road and Route 2. In the spring, he presented a proposal to build 600-700 new single-family homes and a strip of commercial businesses on the property.
“You can see that Vermilion is really the last undeveloped exit off of Route 2. So it’s logical that some of that new development is going to happen here,” said Vermilion Mayor Jim Forthofer.
He said Vermilion is currently facing a housing shortage. It’s a dilemma he believes the city would need to address to attract new businesses and economic growth to the area.
“Development’s not a bad thing. People sometimes refer to the ‘good old days’ of Vermilion, back when we had quite a few grocery stores, a lot of schools. But in those days, the population was more than it is now,” he said.
The city estimates the proposed Vermilion Landing development would add nearly 10% to Vermilion’s roughly 10,600 population. Forthofer said the growth would add $1-1.2 million in income tax to the city’s coffers, in addition to property tax revenue for Firelands Local Schools.
CVC has raised concerns about how the jump in population could burden city services. The mayor said he’s consulted each of the city’s department heads, and aside from more snow plow drivers required in the winter, all told him they’re equipped for the growth.
“I said, ‘Here’s the proposed layout. Are we ready for this? What would you need to be prepared for this?’” he explained. “Each one said, ‘I think we’re good right now. We’d at least be good for the beginning.’”
Neighbors said they worry about the condition of the roads and how increased traffic could affect them. They also said they’ve received concerns from parents in neighboring cities about the potential strain a sudden increase in students could have on Firelands Local Schools.
“They're at capacity. And to add that kind of an influx of students all at once is cruel,” said Anderson.
This summer, Vermilion City Council approved a Planned Unit Development (PUD) for the proposed Vermilion Landing project to permit higher density than the current zoning allowed. In response, CVC collected enough signatures to challenge the PUD in a November ballot referendum.
“Most people were very, very receptive and were thanking us,” Ott said of the petition drive.
After the Lorain County Board of Elections (BOE) initially certified “Issue 7,” the developer filed a protest, pointing out missing documentation required by law. The BOE then removed the referendum from the ballot.
Gerald Phillips, an attorney for CVC, is challenging the protest with the Ohio Supreme Court. His complaint alleges the Vermilion Clerk of Council failed to give the group full copies of the certified PUD language. It also accuses the developer of causing an “unreasonable delay” by waiting until close to the election to file a protest.
While the fate of Issue 7 is unresolved, Vermilion voters will see an adjacent measure on the ballot this November.
Issue 26 would amend the city’s charter, requiring any future PUDs to receive a public vote from residents. The mayor said he worries the measure could impede growth, adding an extra step and potentially months of waiting if each development proposal required voter approval.
CVC believes Issue 26 would give voters more say in the scale of growth in the city.
The group pledges to continue challenging the Vermilion Landing development and advocating for the public’s input.
“We’re not going to stop. We’re going to continue to fight if we have to,” said Brill.
Phillips told News 5 he expects the Ohio Supreme Court to rule on an expedited election case by the beginning of October.
If the referendum does not make it on the November ballot and the Vermilion Landing project moves forward, the mayor anticipates it could come to fruition within 3-5 years.
