Aquilla Village took the spotlight again Nov. 3 as Claridon Township Trustees discussed what to do with more than 30 small parcels the township now owns.
Aquilla Village took the spotlight again Nov. 3 as Claridon Township Trustees discussed what to do with more than 30 small parcels the township now owns.
Since Aquilla Village residents voted a year ago to rejoin the township after decades of independence, township trustees have been dealing with myriad issues including accommodating the village zoning, maintaining its streets and other infrastructure.
The small parcels of land previously owned by Aquilla Village have recently been transferred to Claridon Township.
Some village homeowners have expressed interest in purchasing adjacent, township-owned vacant parcels, said Trustee Jonathan Tiber.
He displayed a map from the Geauga County Auditor’s website during the discussion.
“We already have interest by a neighbor wanting to buy one (parcel) in the middle and I believe a neighbor wants to buy one on the far east side by (Lake Aquilla),” Tiber said. “I even got a call from a church interested in buying the whole ball park area (on the southwest corner of the village) to be open to the community and they will maintain it and build an all-purpose building.”
He made no commitments on behalf of the township and legal counsel would be consulted, Tiber said.
“It’s something we have to start nailing down,” he said, adding that some of the parcels are so small and of such limited value, the township is not required to auction them off and may sell them outright.
Homes in the former resort community were built on one or more very small lots — some as tiny as 0.01 acres. Most of the remaining vacant parcels are too small to build on, he said.
The township also now owns the former Aquilla Village Hall, Tiber said, adding a church has expressed interest in renting it for Bible study.
He also noted the hall could be sold, but recommended postponing any decisions about the parcels until 2026, when the township’s third trustee seat will be filled following the Nov. 4 election.
In other business, Tiber read a letter from the board to Geauga County Commissioners asking them to decline use of some provisions in House Bill 96.
The letter said, in part:
“We wish to express concerns regarding a portion of HB 96.
“Provisions in this house bill authorizes Geauga County Commissioners to create tax exemptions to supplement existing state homestead and owner-occupied property tax credits.
“Homestead and owner-occupied property tax credits already exist through the state. This is good because it’s the state’s credit.
“The language of this bill is such that there is a possibility, if you enact it, the tax burden may shift to our residents and may result in a revenue reduction via settlement amounts for all tax millage to cover the cost of the exemptions.
“We absolutely believe tax reform is needed, but not at the township level.
“The majority of our revenue is authorized by the residents of Claridon (outside millage). Claridonites taxes are high, but this is not because of township taxes.”
Tiber said any reduction in township revenue could jeopardize operations and asked commissioners to refrain from authorizing tax credits that might shift the burden to Claridon residents.
Currently, the state rollback tax credit and owner-occupied allowance mean the state pays about 12% of a homeowner’s property tax bill to the township.
If those provisions were changed, township revenue could drop by about $26,000 per year, Tiber said.
