Eaton Township trustees OK plan to rezone Ross property for proposed ash monofill by 2-1 vote

EATON TWP. — The Eaton Township Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to allow 65 acres of land on Giles Road owned by Ross Environmental Services to be rezoned to heavy industrial so the company can bury waste ash from its incinerator in a monofill it plans to build there. The vote was 2-1. Trustees Matt Hignett and Jason Monschein voted to approve the modified rezoning request previously approved by the township zoning commission by a 3-2 vote on July 12. Hignett said Ross' application "met the criteria as far as I was concerned." In casting the lone "no" vote, Trustee Steve Franks staunchly defended Ross, its importance to the township and local schools, and the company's owners, the Cromling family, but said he voted against the rezoning request because of the monofill's possible effect on township property values. "The Ross Group of companies applauds the trustees of Eaton Township for following the recommendations of the township's zoning commission for rezoning 65 acres of land from light industrial/residential to heavy industrial," the company said in a prepared statement to The Chronicle-Telegram Wednesday night. "We appreciate that the trustees based their decision on the laws and regulations governing thetownship," Ross Vice President for Corporate Compliance and Risk Management Pat Lawson said in the company's statement. "We know this has been an arduous process for them." Franks said Ross' presence in the township has "withheld or maintained our property values if not made them better." The beauty of the township and its great school system has people "biting at the bit to move here, that's why we're constantly working with developers," he said. "If it wasn't for Ross buying up this property, we (would) have thousands of more homes here," Franks said. He went on to say that he was "proud" to call the Cromlings his friends, that he had coached one of their sons in sports and that he hunts on land owned by Ross, eats the game he catches and has never once found it diseased or gotten sick. The Cromlings "are a great family and I won't tolerate somebody talking poorly of them," Franks said, adding later: "The wildlife is safe, I do not believe the ground has been polluted, I do not believe the water has been polluted. I'm not concerned about a health or a safety issue. I truly believe Ross has done a fine job." Still, after consulting mortgage brokers and real estate agents, Franks said his one concern was about the property values near the monofill. "I asked how that would affect surrounding property values within a radius around the monofill, and they all informed me it would have a negative impact because of the monofill," he said. "It would cause a certain demographic of people who would not even look to purchase the home if it was for sale because it's within a certain distance of the monofill." A citizen-led referendum to reverse the trustees' decision is expected. Attorney Gerald Phillips represents some residents opposed to the monofill, and he presented trustees with a letter requesting that they table their action, and promising legal action if they did not. Elizabeth Rattray, a vocal opponent of the monofill plan and the rezoning request, said she wasn't surprised at Wednesday's vote but that she and opponents already were preparing to take the referendum to the voters. "We're not trying to shut (Ross) down," she said. "We're staying 'No more.'" Ross said the proposed 23-acre monofill will be used only to bury waste ash from its incinerator on Giles Road. The ash will be mixed with limestone or concrete, then buried 10 to 17 feet deep atop a clay base with layers of plastic sheeting above and below. The monofill will be covered to prevent erosion from wind and rain, local water sources will be monitored for pollution and the maximum 50-foot tall mound hidden from sight behind a double row of evergreen trees. The project "was developed with guidance from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to ensure the design is protective of human health and the environment," Ross said in Wednesday's prepared statement. The company originally asked to rezone more than 200 acres of its property from light industrial to heavy industrial so it could build the monofill. When that was denied, it came back with a proposal to rezone just over 122 acres. The township zoning commission cut that almost in half again. "The monofill will hold inert — nonreactive — residual materials that have already been burned and treated through the company's multistep incineration process," the company's statement read. "Designed to the highest engineering and environmental standards, its state-of-the-art protective liners boast a half-life of approximately 400 years." Eaton Township residents protested, expressing concerns about possible groundwater and air pollution from what they said was toxic ash. They are worried about the potential for carcinogens in the air and water, they said, and what Ross might do in the future if able to rezone more of its property to the heavy industrial designation. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.