LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio — The debate over development in rural Lorain County is heating up, as more neighboring communities take an official stand near where a so-called mega site is planned.
Henrietta Twp. trustees recently passed a resolution stating their opposition to a high-pressure sewer line planned for a corner of the township. Leaders of the 1,800-person community said the measure reflects the residents’ concerns over how the project could affect the rural community and its ties to proposed development in neighboring New Russia Twp.
"We don’t want to give up the rural community. We don’t want to sacrifice our farmland,” explained township fiscal officer Joe Siekeres. “You can’t stop progress. I understand that. But sometimes, one person’s idea of progress is not the best idea. That’s what people out here are saying.”
Henrietta borders New Russia Twp. A nearly 1,000-acre section of farmland in that community has been at the center of controversy in recent months.
The county hopes to prime the large swath of land near the Lorain County Airport to attract high-tech development.
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New Russia neighbors have pushed back against the idea, hoping to preserve their rural lifestyle and raising concerns about being left out of discussions about their community’s future.
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On March 17, New Russia Twp. trustees rejected a request to change the zoning of 622 acres from residential and agricultural designation to industrial use.
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After the meeting, County Commissioner Dave Moore told News 5 the decision would not affect the sewer project planned for western Lorain County.
He said a $67 million state grant, along with a $22 million local match, would largely pay for the construction of a sewer line from Baumhart Rd. in Henrietta Twp. to Vermilion, where the county plans to build a new wastewater treatment plant. The commissioner said sewer improvements in that area had been a topic of discussion for more than a decade.
"Until we got the $67 million, maybe people didn’t think it was going to happen,” Moore said during Tuesday’s commission meeting.
During public comment, several Lorain County residents spoke in opposition to the sewer project.
“I don’t think it’s been thought out well enough,” said a Carlisle Twp. resident.
A New Russia Twp. resident added, “I ask you to reconsider.”
“I’m asking you to listen to your constituents and what we really want,” said a Brownhelm Twp. resident.
When News 5 previously asked Moore why the county would push through a seemingly unpopular project, he challenged that notion.
“It’s not unpopular. It really isn’t. We did a strategic plan and the majority of people want us to be prepared for the future economy,” he said.
He described the sewer project as controlled economic development, preparing the county’s northwest section for future investment and addressing a need for sewer improvement. He said construction could start on the sewer lines by summer 2027.
Leaders in Henrietta Twp. said they don’t expect their resolution to have any legal standing and minimal influence over the sewer project, but they thought it was important to make their community’s stance known.
“It may be inevitable, but if enough people are really opposed to it…” said Siekeres. “And if you read what’s going on in the state, we’re not the only ones. Rural communities are standing up all over the place.”
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
