[ back ]
Franklin Twp. recommends to vacate alley, road department update
(by Kathleen Radcliff, staff writer - June 12, 2012)
A Franklin Township resident could soon cope with less dust and her grandchildren will breathe easier after trustees recommended to vacate an alley during their June 7 meeting.
The alley runs parallel to Brown Road near the home of Martha Renda and her family.
Renda cited dust, potholes and traffic cut-through as issues, said Jim Stevens, Franklin Township road supervisor.
“We’ve done everything we can do, short of paving it, and I’m not going to do that when I’ve got other roads to maintain,” Stevens said.
The vote was 2-1, with trustees Tim Guyton and Paul Johnson voting ‘yes’ to vacate.
Guyton said the dust is causing breathing problems for Renda’s grandchildren, who have lung problems. According to Renda, her grandchildren, ages 9 and 5, suffer from allergies.
Trustee Don Cook voted ‘no’ to the alley vacation.
“I’ve seen cars driving down the alley…” Cook said. “I cannot see closing an active alley.”
Guyton said the township is not the final decision maker.
A letter will be drafted with the recommendation to vacate the alley and sent to the Franklin County Commissioners, who will consult county engineers, before approval is finalized.
Road department update
Stevens said restoration started in the Mon-E-Bak area and Brown Road sites on the sanitary sewer project.
“The majority of the pipe has been installed at both locations,” Stevens said. “Once the restoration has been finished they will start repaving the roadways.”
Stevens said the plans for the Eureka Road project are nearly complete.
“At this time there has not been any kind of start date given,” Stevens said.
Township officials are also monitoring properties not being maintained by the owners of record.
“We monitor properties within the township and when the grass gets to be 12 inches high, we take a time and date stamped picture and send the property owner a certified letter giving them 14 days to address the issue,” Stevens said.
When the 14 days expire the road department posts a seven day notice at the residence. If it is not mowed by the seventh day, the township mows the lawn in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code.
“This is very important to the township residents, because nobody wants their neighbors’ grass to get out of hand, because when the grass gets high it brings with it rodents and also mosquitoes,” Stevens said.
As of June 11, the township has mowed 26 properties and mailed approximately 80 certified letters.
“A lot of the properties that we end up mowing are rental properties that have had tenants move out, or properties that have been foreclosed on, and the bank is not maintaining them,” Stevens said.
[ back ]
