NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio — In North Olmsted, residents along a historic street have come together to oppose a proposed development right in their neighborhood.
Talking to Robert Sharp is like reading a history book — but his story is all about Butternut Ridge Road, where he’s lived for more than 40 years.
“When we bought this house, it was basically country. There were pheasants in the backyard,” said Sharp.
Now, along that same road, you’ll find signs that read “No New 45 Homes” and “Save This Historic District” — because Sharp believes a new proposed development could change the area he loves.
"It’s a unique, irreplaceable part of the city. It's the personality of the city. It has character. If you were to walk down this street from one end to the other, it's not like being in a regular development,” said Sharp.
The City of North Olmsted tells us the proposed project would include 45 new townhomes on 5.5 acres of land, part of which sits within the historic district.
But the city adds that the proposal is just that — a proposal — and must still go through the same review and approval process as any other development.
Max Upton released a statement saying:
"The administration welcomes all feedback from our residents throughout the development process; however, a small portion of the project is located within jurisdiction of the city’s landmarks commission, and any proposal located within the district must be approved by the landmarks commission.”
"I don't want to see them build 45 townhomes in this area. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't align with the city's master plan,’ said Tammy Swaney, another resident on Butternut Ridge Road.
Swaney, who has lived in her home for 10 years, says she wants the city to understand that — approved or not — this project would affect the fabric of their community, and they don’t want it.
"When you talk about putting 45 townhomes into a mature residential area, it just, it would stick out like a sore thumb,” said Swaney.
She and Sharp aren’t just worried about the history — they’re also concerned about property values, safety, and traffic.
"The city should be protecting this street. The city should be the one that is protecting Butternut Ridge. We don't want to have an adversarial relationship with city,” said Sharp.
On a street of nearly 120 residents, their petition already has more than 150 signatures. They say they’ll keep fighting until their street is protected — because if the development moves forward, Robert says he may stay, but residents like Swaney might not.
"I really don't know, this is not where I intended to spend savings. You know? I mean, when you buy a home and you end up paying it off, this is not an inexpensive purchase. This is an investment, and this is not how I would envision my future,” said Swaney.
