County still moving forward with development at Lorain County Regional Airport despite mega site defeat

Following two defeats by New Russia Township officials, it's not entirely clear what's next for plans to develop a proposed industrial mega site in on 622 acres of land in the township. Township trustees voted unanimously Tuesday to accept their Zoning Commission's Feb. 10 vote to deny a request to rezone 622 acres of land from residential and general business to industrial park. An overwhelming majority of public comments were against the rezoning request, with opponents saying development would harm the township's rural character, destroy farmland and bring noise, pollution, crime, traffic and higher costs of living. Despite the vote, "nothing's really changed," county Commissioner David Moore said. He said this week that the county is moving forward on a multimillion-dollar development plan involving 1,000 acres of land the county owns around the Lorain County Regional Airport. Moore and his fellow commissioners, with help from state and regional development agencies, are hoping to attract multiple businesses and thousands of jobs there, by some estimates. It's township trustees who control what goes in their backyard. "I can't control what they're putting in," Moore said. He also said he can't control when people sell their property to developers or sell options to buy it. Liberty Development of Westlake represents four property owners with nine parcels, including Ceres Farms, Huron County Holdings, Richard Pleasnick and the Simms family, that were seeking rezoning. Messages seeking comment on the next step were left Friday for Dru Siley, vice president for development at Liberty, who served as the company's spokesperson at multiple township meetings. Local residents who fear an AI data center will be built on the mega site say it will pollute their air and water and increase electricity and water rates. Siley said at a March 11 township meeting that Liberty was open to rules that restricted building a data center at the mega site. He also said the company was willing to work with the township on ways to preserve farmland. The county last year received a $67.4 million All Ohio Future Fund grant to help build utility infrastructure and develop the area around the airport for future businesses. "We're going from Vermilion to the airport" with a proposed sewer project using that money, Moore said. "It's going to bring lots of jobs. ... We're moving forward. It's gonna be very positive. Good things are coming." Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.