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TJX gets green light

Lordstown Council approves zone changes

Councilman Don Reider and Hanna Lutz discuss the council vote supporting the zone changes from residential to industrial for the seven properties expected to be purchased by TJX Companies Inc. in Lordstown. Photo by Raymond L. Smith

LORDSTOWN — TJX Companies Inc. won a narrow victory Thursday when three of five eligible council members voted to support zone changes on seven properties being purchased to build a 1.2-million-square-foot HomeGoods distribution center.

As expected, council members Robert Bond and Karen Jones voted against the seven zone changes totaling approximately 290 ares. Councilmen Lamar Liming, Howard Sheely and Don Reider voted in favor, while Councilman Ronald Radtka abstained because his family owns one of the properties in question. With the zone change from commercial to industrial, the company now is able to begin the planning process to build its distribution center. However, the zone changes are not a done deal because opponents of the rezoning have vowed to gather enough signatures to put a referendum to repeal the changes on the August special election ballot.

Reider, after the vote, said he was supportive of the zone changes from the moment he learned about the $160 million project and the projected 1,000 jobs that would be coming to the area.

“I really don’t see any downside to this,” Reider said.

Although not a voting member of council, Mayor Arno Hill began the meeting saying he is supportive of the project and asked council to pass the ordinances. Hill said he was relieved when the final ordinance passed.

“If Lordstown residents get to vote on this, I’m confident there will be a 60 to 40 vote in favor of maintaining the zone changes,” Hill said.

Hill said that while a vocal minority of village residents attended the various meetings to discuss why they are against the project, there is a larger group of residents who will vote to bring new jobs to the area.

“I expect those people who are against this project will attend the site plan review and hopefully the company will be able to address issues, including storm water runoff from buildings and other topics,” Hill said.

Hannah Lutz, 25, a member of one of the families selling property to TJX, was all smiles after the vote was taken.

“This definitely was a nail bitter,” she said. “I think this will provide opportunities for young people looking to have stable jobs with benefits.”

Lutz, who recently graduated college, said the company will provide jobs for those in college and for those looking to begin careers.

Harvey Lutz, who is selling 121 acres, acknowledged the sometimes legitimate concerns of opponents, but is convinced the selling points of jobs, taxes and school benefits will eventually win more residents to their side.

Prior to the vote, a letter from Mark Walker, vice president of real estate of HomeGoods Inc., was read into the record, stating the company would seek a permanent easement or the transfer of fee title to the environmental buffer. Critics warned that the size or location of the environmental buffer was not included in the letter.

Walker also stated the company will, at its own cost, construct a four-foot earthen berm with interior swale along the western edge of the proposed improvements and the retention pond. The letter also stated the company, at its own cost, intends to relocate a portion of Hallock-Young Road that bisects the separate parcels for which petitions have been filed for the zone changes.

“We are pleased with the results of today’s Lordstown Village Council vote and are grateful to the Council for its support of our proposed distribution center project,” Doreen Thompson, a spokeswoman with TJX, stated after the meeting. “We wish to reiterate our deep commitment to being a good neighbor in Lordstown and having a positive impact on the community, and look forward to continuing through the process to make this project a reality.”

As with two meetings held on Saturday and Monday, more than a dozen critics spoke against the zone change, warning council members that those supporting the zone change could be held personally responsible if the company’s actions cause damage to foundations and basements of their properties.

However, Village Solicitor Paul Dutton said that is not the case.

Kathy Dickson, a leader in the effort to stop the zone change, said she planned to go to her basement Thursday evening to photograph it so she would have evidence the foundation is solid. She warned that if there is damage caused by the construction of the plant, her insurance company would sue to recover what money they will have to invest for repairs.

Brett Dickson said the resident group already has hired an attorney and will begin circulating petitions against the zone change.

“We collected signatures, but discovered we need referendum petitions for each of the seven properties,” he said. “We have the address of every voter living in the village. We don’t believe it will be difficult to get enough signatures. We only need the signatures of 125 registered voters to get this on the ballot.”

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