Bainbridge Township Trustees told Cucina Rustica owner Gino Oppedisano they have no objection to him requesting to tie in to a nearby water line after recent tests of the restaurant’s water wells showed elevated levels of contamination.
The tests necessitated Oppedisano to truck in bottled water for use in the popular eatery.
Local architect Steve Ciciretto told trustees at their Nov. 14 meeting the well has tested positive for E. coli and coliform bacteria, and chlorination has not taken care of the problem.
“We had a (water) well analysis done and there are still signs of contamination,” Ciciretto told trustees. “Chlorination doesn’t work anymore and we have water shipped in by Sunrise Springs. Why would the wells be contaminated?”
The busy Italian-themed restaurant at 8575 E. Washington St., west of Chillicothe Road, is in an area zoned residential at the east edge of the township’s commercial district. The building was constructed in 1978 and first functioned as a party center. It has a non-conforming conditional use zoning permit, Ciciretto told trustees.
Oppedisano bought the building in 1990 and operated the East Side Grill there. He changed the name and theme to Cucina Rustica several years ago.
The restaurant is a popular spot with locals and is rated number 18 out of 48 Chagrin Falls-area restaurants by the website Trip Advisor.
Ciciretto told trustees the building is near an existing water line on the west and he had asked the Geauga County Department of Water Resources officials for advice on how to solve the water problem.
He said he was told if the township trustees do not object, Oppedisano could tap in to the existing water line, just across his parking lot.
Trustee Jeff Markley acknowledged he had recently talked to an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency official who lives in the township and was told he would come to the trustees meeting, but was not in attendance.
Markley said he had also contacted the water resources department and had been told they recommended a service connection to the existing line instead of extending the line any further to the east.
The trustee said township zoning officials want to maintain a buffer between the commercial and nearby residential areas. He asked Ciciretto about an existing house just east of the restaurant.
Ciciretto said Oppedisano had unsuccessfully tried to purchase the house recently, with plans to demolish it and keep the land as green space.
He assured trustees the topography of the lot would make it impractical to plan any future expansion of the restaurant in that direction.
“We could provide a ‘no objection’ letter to (the county) if you send a letter assuring that you have no interest in expanding east,” Markley told Oppedisano.
Trustees agreed unanimously they would not object to the tie in.
“Good luck. May you have good water again,” Markley told the restaurant owner.
“It will make the pasta better,” Ciciretto joked.
“This hasn’t been fun,” Oppedisano added.
