Middlefield Village Council is considering an ordinance to annex from Middlefield Township a vacant 64.71-acre parcel next to the Walmart Superstore property on Harrington Way.
Middlefield Village Council is considering an ordinance to annex from Middlefield Township a vacant 64.71-acre parcel next to the Walmart Superstore property on Harrington Way.
According to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office map, the parcel, owned by Lake Avenue Land Partners LTD, appears landlocked.
However, the Partners also own a 14.49-acre parcel on the east side of the 64.71-acre parcel. The smaller parcel, which is in the village, has access to Lake Avenue through a residence at 15136 Lake Ave. Both parcels were acquired in 2005.
To the west of the larger parcel is the extensive Woodsong housing development, which is in the process of building out.
To the south is the Geauga County Housing Authority subdivision of 15 houses on 1.25-acre lots.
The agent listed for Lake Avenue Land Partners LTD is Raymond Miller, of West Farmington.
Village Administrator Leslie McCoy verified via text LALP is planning a housing development for the acreage.
The ordinance was on its second reading at the Nov. 14 village council meeting and is slated for a vote by council at the next regular meeting Dec. 12.
In other business, council is also considering an increase in water and sewer rates for the next five years.
The proposed ordinance — which was on its first reading Nov. 14 — will increase sewer rates 5% in 2025 and 4% a year for the following three years. Water rates will increase 3% a year for four years starting in 2025.
The ordinance reading followed a presentation by Matt Kline, a rural development specialist for Great Lakes Community Action Partnership out of Lisbon.
He congratulated the village on their water rate program and urged council to boost next year’s sewer rates to 10%, followed by 4% increases through 2029 to maintain the system and provide some accumulation to cover future needs.
“If you only charge 5% (increase), you won’t break even until 2027 and your accumulation of escrow is going to drop a little sharper,” Kline said. “Whichever scenario you choose, you still have very affordable rates — just keep that escrow strong.”
Mayor Ben Garlich said the increases in the ordinance will get the village to its goal by 2029.
“We realize not everyone is rolling in money,” he said. “We have an obligation to maintain our facilities. (These increases are) palatable. I think it’s a good way to do it.”
Council also took action to decrease the 2-mill police renewal levy, collecting only 1.43 mills to counteract the effect of the state-required real estate tax increases averaging 29.5% that will be taking effect in 2025. The renewal levy passed in the Nov. 5 election.
Council also applauded long-term councilman Rick Seyer on his contributions to the village over more than 30 years of service as councilman and mayor and approved:
- A contract to lease the senior center building at 15820 Ridgewood Drive to the Geauga County Department on Aging for $14,280 in 2025, increasing annually to $17,120 in 2029;
- The lost split of Berkshire Schools’ Jordak Elementary School to facilitate the auctioning of the property.
