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LOUDONVILLE — Loudonville Village Council plans to demolish a house on South Spring Street in order to build a parking lot for Riverside Park.
Council voted on Oct. 21 during a regularly scheduled meeting to give the family living there until the end of January 2025 to move.
The family of five living at the residence — 135 South Spring St. — did not respond to requests for comment on this story.
Once the family moves, council plans to demolish the four-bedroom house through a partnership forged with the Ashland County Land Reutilization Corporation, also referred to as the Ashland land bank.
Plans have been in the works since July, when the property first appeared on village council meeting minutes.
Here’s what happened between then and now.
How this started
Village Administrator Garrett DeWitt said the property’s sale was bound to happen.
“We weren’t trying to take housing from a family,” he said. “Someone else would have bought the house. We were just offered the property before they put it up on the market.”
Councilman Bill Huffman said he was approached by the property’s estate trustee, who wondered if the village would be interested in purchasing it for $100,000.
Huffman took the prospect to elected officials and village administration during an executive session on July 15, according to minutes from the meeting. Three days later, council met for a special meeting and unanimously voted to enter into a purchase agreement.
It was also during that meeting council discussed the use of the rest of Loudonville’s American Rescue Plan Act money. At the time, the village’s ARPA fund (also called the “local fiscal recovery fund”) had around $32,000 left.
The thought was to use that money to offset the village’s financial obligation for the $100,000 purchase price.
By Aug. 5, at the next council meeting, the village had learned another project — the water plant security system — wouldn’t cost as much as estimated, leaving $47,454.77 to go toward the purchase of the house.
On Aug. 19, council discussed the house’s poor condition and the possibility of partnering with the land bank to raze it.
The plan came with a word of caution, however, from Mayor Jason Van Sickle.
“One thing we need to consider — the family that’s there,” he said during the Aug. 19 meeting, addressing council. He noted he spoke with the family.
“They’re pretty shook about it. They don’t want to lose that house. So that’s something we might want to check up and talk with them — before we make a decision on that. Just because, I mean, they have kids. They both work here in town.”
Council heeded Van Sickle’s advice by tabling a formal decision to vacate the house, at least for a couple weeks.
Legislation
On Oct. 21, council voted 5-1 to give the family notice to vacate the house by Jan. 31, 2025. Councilman Brandon Biddinger dissented.
In an interview with Ashland Source after the meeting, Biddinger said he dissented because he wanted to give the family more time to find a place.
“Our solicitor had no problem waiting a little longer and, to my knowledge, we’re not doing anything to the property immediately. So I was comfortable waiting a little longer,” he said, adding that “move-out” date could have been set at a later time.
“I also wanted an update from the current tenants to see if they’re actively searching and finding something,” Biddinger said.
He said he hadn’t heard from them.
Van Sickle said he has helped the family find a place to live, and Village Administrator Garrett DeWitt said the village is also helping.
There are two options in Loudonville, officials have said. One place rents for $975 but doesn’t allow pets. The family has pets. The other option costs $1,500 a month. Huffman said the family currently pays $650 per month.
How and when will it come down?
On Oct. 7, council voted on legislation that allows the village to enter into an agreement with the Ashland land bank. The agreement designates the land bank as an “agent for nuisance property remediation and removal.”
In other words, the agreement authorizes the land bank to finance the demolition so Loudonville can retain ownership of the property.
So far, the land bank has used this process in Hayesville, Ashland, Jeromesville and Perrysville. That board hopes a new law will allow a similar process to play out in townships.
Officials have said the house is in poor condition, might have asbestos throughout and the large tree on its property poses a safety risk.
It’s unclear when the property will be razed. Also, according to Village Administrator Garrett DeWitt, the land bank’s involvement isn’t set in stone.
“That was the first step in the (demolition) process,” DeWitt said. “If that’s doable, yes. It will certainly save the village in costs for removal of the property.”
Longterm plan
The plan is to put up a parking lot.
The property’s proximity to Riverside Park’s ball fields makes it an attractive option. Officials have said the area gets busy during summer softball tournament days.
The road itself, at the bend where South Spring Street becomes Bustle Street, has roughly 15 parking spots.
It’s unclear how many additional parking spots the empty property will provide.