ASHLAND — Ashland City Council approved legislation Tuesday evening authorizing the city of Ashland to take ownership of three blighted properties and to sell city property within the Pump House Corridor.
The legislation allows the city of Ashland to take ownership of the Pump House property, the former Hess and Clark factory at 10 E. 7th Street and the abandoned Eagle gas station at the corner of Claremont Avenue and West Liberty Avenue.
This follows Mayor Matt Miller’s November announcement that he had secured a letter from the out-of-town owner of the former Hess and Clark factory, saying he would donate the building. Through a public-private partnership, the unpaid property taxes of approximately $10,000 at the East 7th Street property will be covered.Â
The former Eagle gas station was first acquired by the Ashland County Land Bank and will be transferred to the city of Ashland, as the city must own the property before applying for a grant through the Abandoned Gas Station Clean Up Program.Â
The acquisition of the Pump House property follows its demolition and ongoing cleanup. The city anticipates maintaining this property for an urban meadow.
Directly across the road from where the remanence of the former Pump House is being cleaned up, the city will transfer property to an apartment developer through the Community Improvement Corporation.Â
The property located at the corner of Union and Fourth Streets is expected to be transferred to Denis Fox for $158,000 and could help recuperate a portion of the Pump House demolition costs.
Mayor Matt Miller shared that the new owner plans to build 32 two-story apartment units at the property.
“This is very exciting because we’ve often talked about (how) there will be new life in the Pump House Corridor, and this would be the first domino to fall,” Miller said. “And I think it’ll be good for all of us — city council, the mayor, the citizens — to see new construction on Fourth Street. Old coming down and being swept away. New being built in its place.”Â
Following the property’s transfer, the new owner will enter a 180-day due diligence phase, which will allow the property to return to city hands if it isn’t deemed fit for his intentions. This was extended from the initially proposed 90-day phase at Fox’s request.
“He wanted me to assure everyone. He doesn’t want you to think he’s doubting it’ll work. This will just cover him so he’s not sweating getting everything in line for 90 days,” Mayor Miller said.Â
In other news Tuesday night, Ashland City Council:Â
– Discussed plans to maintain a utility easement in the vicinity of Greenbriar Drive and Garfield Avenue, where a lone sidewalk serves as a shortcut to the Ashland County Fairgrounds in September and might more often be used by local residents as a walking path.Â
The land surrounding the sidewalk would return to adjacent owners, but the sidewalk and a waterline that runs along it, would be maintained by the city of Ashland.Â
No legislation was passed regarding this at Tuesday’s meeting.Â
– Council approved spending $32,000 for four used Jacobson mowers.
The mowers are less than one year old, and typically cost $32,000 apiece, according to the description provided about them.Â
Mayor Miller said this was looked into now in an effort to save money at this time of the year.Â
– Council approved legislation that will place the renewal of a 0.25 percent income tax for street repair and resurfacing on the March primary ballot.Â
Since 2016, the tax has generated about $4.8 million and allowed the city to leverage even more in state funding. The city has been able to acquire and use $6.3 on street repair since then.
– Council approved a property transfer to Ashland County. The city of Ashland will transfer a small grassy lot adjacent to the county’s parking lot to the county as part of an agreement where the county has allowed Center Run Trail to begin in a current portion of its parking lot. The County will fund this portion of the trail.Â
The exchange allows the county to recuperate some of its parking spaces.Â
