Lorain Council puts moratorium on compost facilities

LORAIN — Lorain Council pressed pause on compost facilities in the city, passing a 180-day moratorium on the issue while its Law Department reviews city zoning codes. The move comes after a proposed compost site was set to move into the 8th Ward at the former E&L Transport site. Lorain County Solid Waste Management District Director Dave Blevins and Harvest Quest owner Shane Donnelly gave a brief overview of the facility at a county commissioners meeting March 30. The 20-acre site off Terminal Drive would be Donnelly's first compost facility in Ohio, though he already operates one in Florida called Life Soils. Donnelly purchased the land from the County Land Bank earlier this year and is awaiting Ohio Environmental Protection Agency approval to move forward with the proposed $4 million projects, he told commissioners. Josh Thornsberry, D-8th Ward, previously expressed concerns and frustrations with the project. He said he plans to meet with Mayor Jack Bradley and Donnelly later this month, but in the meantime, the moratorium gives Council and the city Law Department time to research the issue and provide a legal opinion. The city updated its zoning code last year, but did not specifically outline composting as a conditional or permitted use in any zoning district, and the city already has a standalone composting ordinance on the books, Thornsberry said. Mary Springowski, D-at large, said she watched the presentation at March 30's commissioners meeting and had several questions, including whether the project could lead to leech-off into the water and eventual algae blooms in the lake. She noted the environmental impact could be steep if the city were to have to clean up after a failed project. The E&L Transport had underground storage tanks that were abandoned and contaminated the site, which the county previously sought grants to clean up. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.