Village advances moratorium on trucking terminals
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LORDSTOWN -- Despite a request from a member of village council and some residents at Monday's meeting to remove from the agenda an ordinance implementing a moratorium on trucking terminals, council advanced the motion to a second reading.
Council gave first reading to an updated ordinance to place a temporary moratorium, not to exceed 12 months, on granting any new permits for companies operating truck terminals in the village.The update includes detailed definitions and more information on trucks and terminals, and the percentage of drivers coming to and from the business.
If passed, the moratorium would allow council, the Planning Commission and the Planning and Zoning Department to review Ohio law and village ordinances for businesses operating trucking terminals in the village.
Councilman Ron Radtka, who was attending his final council meeting, made a motion to remove the legislation from the agenda so council can further discuss how the moratorium would be set up, to further review the zoning involved and other related matters. He suggested a special committee be formed for further review and discussion. Radtka's motion did not receive a second.
Dan Crouse, a commercial real estate agent with Platz Realty Group, also requested that council remove the ordinance from the agenda for further review.
"I question the way that this is written since this moratorium would make the truck nights at the DQ illegal. You could carry it into that kind of extreme," Crouse said.
He said such a moratorium will make it harder to get grants for this area.
"I am asking you to withdraw this legislation. Pull this legislation," Crouse said.
David Wilaj, director of the Mahoning Valley Logistics Council with the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber, said a moratorium could stunt economic development in Lordstown.
He said companies are in a highly competitive market for land and space.
"If a company is looking for land and space and they see a community is doing this, causing trucking companies to not want to come in, they will not consider this area. This is creating a hindrance for companies," Wilaj said.
He said officials in the Lordstown area should be doing what they can to make it more attractive, not less, for trucking companies. Wilaj said if the ordinance is passed, applications from companies will discontinue.
"We need to have the community behind the industry for this area," he said.
Wilaj said the ordinance states that a business using outside trucking companies 11 times per week with 11 different drivers, which makes up 80 percent of a business' workforce, would not be allowed. A company contracting one truck driver coming in all the time, would be permissible.
Councilman Howard Sheely said the ordinance will be given three readings in order to have further discussion and comments.
Councilman Robert Bond said he supports a temporary moratorium. He said he has read that moratoriums have been placed on car washes, hotels and other businesses in other communities.
"I think a moratorium is a good idea," he said.
Sheely said the wording was updated so it wouldn't conflict with existing businesses.
He said the final reading will be given in January, as he is not aware of any special meeting next week.