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LORDSTOWN -- Residents both in person at Wednesday's council meeting or through letters mailed to village officials indicated they support a temporary moratorium on any new permits being issued for trucking terminals.
Council gave a second reading at their meeting on the ordinance for a temporary moratorium not to exceed 12 months for permits for trucking companies operating within the village.
The third reading is scheduled to be acted upon at the Jan. 16 meeting.
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.
Council members have said the moratoriums will allow time to see if zoning needs to be updated and revised related to trucks.
Resident Mark McGrail said he supports the moratorium and wishes it would have been implemented sooner, before the new electric plants began noting increased truck traffic.
He said he supports development that will benefit Lordstown, but also wants to see the moratorium in place to help the village.
Resident Christine Sofia said there are continuous issues on Tod Avenue and trucks are creating more problems. She said speed signs and "no jake brake" signs need to be posted.
"We have enough trucks here already," Sofia said, noting her home is rumbling with all the trucks going by.
Several residents at the meeting also complained of increased truck traffic on Hallock Young Road.
Solicitor Matt Ries read two letters from residents, James Gates and Phyllis Chaney, asking that they be read aloud at the meeting in support of the moratorium.
Gates in his letter says he and other residents are concerned with large semi trucks operating on village residential roads causing loud noise. He said the moratorium will allow the village time to investigate trucking violations and issues on the roads.
Chaney wants the moratorium in place so council can create zoning codes to deal with overweight trucks on village roads.
Officials with the Regional Chamber of Commerce have said at past meetings that a moratorium could stunt economic development in Lordstown, as companies are in a highly competitive market for land and space.
STATE OF VILLAGE
In other business, Mayor Jackie Woodward, attending her first meeting as mayor, gave a state of the village, noting many accomplishments in 2023.
She said in 2023 the village worked with Trumbull Land Bank to get structures demolished, the zoning department worked to keep the village website up to date, and passage last May of an income tax issue on the ballot allowed the fire department to hire nine full-time firefighters / emergency medical service personnel.
She also said the first police dog program was started by the police department, cruisers were fitted with cameras and police had tasers.
New roofs were done at the police department and at the administration building.
Woodward said there were also community events such as a picnic and Christmas tree lighting. "We often hear many negative things, so it is good to bring up the positive things that have been done and how the taxpayers' money has been used in a good way," she said.