by Jeff Saunders
Reporter
Nordonia Hills -- Macedonia and Northfield Center officials took another step backward from a proposed Route 8 soccer stadium and retail center by canceling a tentative agreement that called for the city to annex the township's portion of the project site.
The Joint Economic Development District Board, comprising officials from both communities, voted unanimously Jan. 23 to nullify the "framework for annexation agreement" which the board approved last July.
"I guess basically it means we're out of the stadium business," said Township Trustee Paul Buescher. "The JEDD board has washed its hands of it."
Paul Garofolo, president of Wolstein Sports and Entertainment Group, the stadium's developer, did not return calls seeking comment.
The board, which includes Macedonia Mayor Don Kuchta, City Councilors Jan Tulley and Ken Martin, Buescher and fellow Trustees Brent Sommer and Richard Reville, also agreed to discuss the possibility of placing the property, which is on the east side of Route 8 between Highland Road and Twinsburg Road, within the JEDD.
Tulley said that even though Council and Trustees never formally approved the annexation agreement, their Jan. 23 action may prevent problems with future developers who could push to have the agreement honored.
City Finance Director Steve Brunot previously said that Wolstein had requested the annexation because under state law, property taxes can only be used to finance such projects in incorporated areas, not in townships. The developer and school district had previously signed an agreement whereby the development's property taxes would be used for construction costs, with developers giving the school several million dollars up front. That agreement expired and was not renewed by the district last year.
Kuchta said Jan. 24 the city is not currently in talks with Wolstein about the land.
"There are no negotiations going on. So why keep the agreement around?" he asked. "If the stadium is built there, I'm not involved."
JEDD size may increase
At Sommer's suggested, the Board also agreed to look at incorporating the entire 607 acres that lies within the township into the JEDD, which would allow collection of income tax from any future development. Reville said that currently, 66 acres within the township is in the JEDD.
"It seems like we would have better control if it was all in a JEDD," said Sommer.
Tulley said this could be done while an environmental and economic impact study of the property is being performed.
"I think we should go forward with the study, but in parallel, we could begin looking at how we would bring this into the JEDD," she said, adding that Boston Heights could also be invited to join its portion into the JEDD.
Kuchta said that an advantage to the JEDD is that the city has resources that it can make available, including its planning commission, building department and city engineer.
Buescher said he believes forming a JEDD throughout the area will have several advantages.
"I'm 100 percent for it. I think it will be an excellent revenue-sharing instrument and it would be one JEDD board protecting that area, not just individual communities," said Buescher.
E-mail: jsaunders@recordpub.com
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