City Officials: Chardon in Development Boom
Despite concerns about Chardon’s growth in recent years, the city has the infrastructure to endure, Community Development Administrator Steve Yaney said at a government spotlight breakfast March 27.
Despite concerns about Chardon’s growth in recent years, the city has the infrastructure to endure, Community Development Administrator Steve Yaney said at a government spotlight breakfast March 27.
Held quarterly, the breakfasts, hosted by the Chardon Area Chamber of Commerce, give area businesses and institutions a chance to directly interact with and ask questions of various government officials.
The city is in a development boom, Yaney said, noting the recent addition of Redwood with 91 units, Maple Trace with 96, Thistle Creek, which has sold around 28 of their 32 lots, and the upcoming developments on Water Street and Park Ave with 120 homes and 21 homes, respectively.
In total, there have been between 300-350 new homes in about a five-year period, which has brought about commercial development, such as the city’s upcoming Meijer, he said.
By comparison, almost no new homes were built in the city between 2005-2015, Yaney later said, estimating the number as three to four per year.
The population has only gone up 200 people since the early 1990s and is aging, he said.
While Meijer’s construction is not likely to begin soon, once it starts, it will open the corridor along Water Street and Meadowlands Drive to further development, Yaney said, adding there is significant interest in the area.
Developers have also been eyeing the Rite Aid building and other closing businesses will likely not be vacant for long, he said.
The city made conscious efforts in the 1990s and early 2000s to invest in wastewater treatment plants that should have the capacity to handle further development, Yaney said.
While some areas may need additional work handling stormwater or extending mains, that — along with traffic studies — will fall on the developer, he said.
The city is in a position where they can absorb the development into their current infrastructure, he added.
The city has also been working with Retail Strategies, a company that markets vacant properties to developers the city wants, Yaney said.
A member of the audience asked if there is a point when a community decides to stop growing, or if growth is inevitable.
Zoning dictates where businesses can and cannot go, City Manager Randy Sharpe answered. Stopping development would mean the city buying up all available property, which is unrealistic, he said.
Halting growth is not possible, Yaney said, adding if you aren’t growing, you’re falling behind or dying.
Businesses looking at demographic data would know people were leaving the Chardon area to spend money in places like Mentor, Mayfield and Willoughby, he said.
The city has been planning for this growth for decades, he added.
It is not happening in a vacuum and will not be detrimental. And, while there will likely be more traffic on the roads, steps are being taken to mitigate problems during the planning process, Yaney said.
The city can’t stop people from selling commercially-zoned property to developers, Vice Mayor Heather Means said.
Sharpe recalled remarks he’s heard about the number of pizza shops and auto retailers. The city cannot dictate the last pizza shop, he said, adding if someone wants to try, they’re allowed to.
Upcoming chamber events include the April 8 coffee connections networking event and Aug. 8 golf outing. More information can be found at www.chardonchamber.com.
