<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4ZaSC2_1H1om6WM00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4ZaSC2_1H1om6WM00" width="1000" height="750" ><figcaption>Big Lucas Drive – named for the now-retired crane at the Port of Toledo – was constructed on Toledo Lucas County Port Authority land that was rezoned to M-1 Light Industrial. The land off Neapolis Waterville Road is being marketed for manufacturing, engineering, light industrial and warehousing. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)</figcaption></figure>WATERVILLE – Waterville City Council approved the rezoning of 48 acres of land on Neapolis Waterville Road, accepted petitions for a proposed charter amendment to limit the size of data centers, heard about the Dec. 5 Christmas Light Up event and reviewed the five-year capital planning program during its Nov. 9 meeting.<h2>Rezoning</h2>Waterville City Council approved rezoning 48 acres of land at 8451 and 8551 Neapolis Waterville Rd. from Agricultural to M-1 Light Industrial. The land was recently annexed into the city from Waterville Township. The Toledo Lucas County Port Authority owns the property, along with another 48 acres just west of Farnsworth Industrial Park. The Port constructed the 1,800-foot Big Lucas Drive and installed a retention pond and all utilities.The M-1 Light Industrial will open up opportunities for small manufacturing, engineering, light industrial and warehousing, said Joe Cappel, vice president of business development for the Port.The Port has been working with the Lucas County Economic Development Department to get the site certified with Jobs Ohio, which will help in marketing the land. The process has included mapping, geotechnical and cultural work, as well as providing information on available utilities and highway connectivity, Cappel said. “We will be in a better position to market the site, compared to others that have not gone through the site certification process,” he said.The land is ideal for new businesses as well as for the expansion of current industrial park occupants, but is not appropriate for a data center, as it is too close to housing, he said.“We want development that will create good paying jobs and help the tax base of Waterville,” he said. “We acquired the land with the intention of building more manufacturing, engineering, light industrial and warehousing – good jobs in the community.”Big Lucas Drive is named for a now-retired gantry crane with a 110-ton lifting capacity, which began service at the Port of Toledo in 1962, unloading VWs from Germany and loading Jeeps for export. In a contest to name the crane in the early 1960s, the winner was Big Lucas, which pays homage to 6′ 8″ Ohio State Buckeye basketball player Jerry Lucas, who led the team to a national basketball championship in 1960 and earned NBA honors several times. <h2>Data center amendment</h2>On Nov. 6, citizens submitted petitions for a proposed amendment to the charter, by adding Section 10.09 – Prohibition of Construction of a Data Center to Article X. Resident Lisa Haberstock read a statement about the submission, explaining that the Ohio Supreme Court states that “if a petition proposing a charter amendment contains enough valid signatures, the municipal legislature must forthwith provide by ordinance, for the submission of the proposed amendment to the electors. Forthwith means immediately,” she read.Per the Ohio Constitution, the ordinance must require that the matter be submitted at the next regular municipal election if it occurs between 60 and 120 days after the passage of the ordinance. If no election occurs during that time, the question must be submitted to electors with a special election occurring within that same time frame. Law Director Austin Klapp said the charter amendment is being reviewed by the Lucas County Board of Elections.<h2>Christmas Light Up</h2>Wendy Gray shared details for the Saturday, Dec. 5 Light Up Christmas event in downtown Waterville. Based out of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 22 N. Second St., the evening begins with Zion Christian Preschool students singing holiday carols, followed by a tree lighting at Parker Square around 6 p.m. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be stationed at Deluxe Frame Shop, 19 N. River Rd., until 8 p.m. The Zion parking lot will feature Sugared and Spun Bakery and a beverage vendor, as well as a vocal performance by Matt Richardson. Inside the church, a photo green screen will be set up, as well as a variety of craft stations – including a rocket and paper plane building activity. Horse and wagon rides will be available around town as well. Gray and a group of volunteers have been roping lights around trees in the downtown area over the past several weeks. She encouraged local businesses to decorate their windows for the holidays.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1zQd45_1H1om6WM00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1zQd45_1H1om6WM00" width="995" height="692" ><figcaption>The sun sets on the Maumee River at Farnsworth Metropark on Nov. 7. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)</figcaption></figure><h2>Five year capital planning program</h2>Every year, Council approves a capital planning program, investing a portion of funds into planned expenses for the next five years. Administrator Jon Gochenour outlined some of the capital improvements planned for 2027, including: a traffic signal at the US 24/SR 64 intersection, which will be reimbursed by Meijer; brownfield remediation at the old Sunoco station; paving the parking lot at Wakeman Hall; $300,000 in paving residential streets; engineering for the Roche de Boeuf scenic overlook; a new dump truck for the Public Works Department; a new truck to clean out clogs in the sanitary sewer lines; replacement of a water line near Waterville Primary School; and $150,000 toward the inclusive park project at Farnsworth Metropark. Grants totaling $513,000 will greatly reduce the cost of several of the 2027 projects, Gochenour said. Council is expected to review the planning program and pass it within the next two meetings.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=47mMGj_1H1om6WM00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=47mMGj_1H1om6WM00" width="1000" height="736" ><figcaption>Mayor Tim Pedro calls Marine veteran Greg Zielinski up to take a “Thank You” sign in recognition of Veterans Day. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)</figcaption></figure>During the meeting, council also:-Thanked veterans for their service.-Heard that the city is currently collecting new toys through Dec. 10, as part of a competition with Whitehouse to see which community donates the most. -Heard that the bridge may be closed for a portion of Saturday, Nov. 14 as the Churchill’s Half Marathon route include the bridge and portions of River Road. Police officers will be on site to direct traffic.-Invited the community to join police and fire personnel and veterans for a Badges and Breakfast at the fire department on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 8 to 11 a.m.– Encouraged the community to check out Rush de Brush, an exhibit of Roche de Boeuf Interurban Bridge artwork at Deluxe Frame and Art Gallery, 19 N. River Rd. Exhibit hours are: Monday, Nov. 16, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Tuesday, Nov. 17 through Thursday, Nov. 19, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. -Approved Stonefield Village Plat 1 in the Villages at Waterville Landing.-Approved changes in the wording to the codified ordinances to reflect how ARS collects trash and recycling in the city.</div></body>

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WATERVILLE – Waterville City Council approved the rezoning of 48 acres of land on Neapolis Waterville Road, accepted petitions for a proposed charter amendment to limit the size of data centers, heard about the Dec. 5 Christmas Light Up event and reviewed the five-year capital planning program during its Nov. 9 meeting.

Rezoning, data centers covered in Waterville council meeting

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WATERVILLE – Waterville City Council approved the rezoning of 48 acres of land on Neapolis Waterville Road, accepted petitions for a proposed charter amend

Rezoning, data centers covered in Waterville council meeting

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