Monday, June 10, 2002
By BOB JACKSON
VINDICATOR COURTHOUSE REPORTER
ELLSWORTH -- A new sanitary sewer system will bring both relief and growth to Diehl Lake.
It will be relief from long-standing problems with faulty private septic tanks that have leaked into the lake, just west of state Route 45 in Ellsworth Township.
And growth will come in the form of new homes that will be developed on the north side of the lake, on land that was once a Camp Fire Girls campground.
It will be the first expansion of the lakeside community since 1923, said township Trustee Gerald Grace.
"It's a great project," said Grace, who is also a lifelong Diehl Lake resident. "This is going to help a lot of people."
The lake and surrounding homes were developed in 1905, and expanded 18 years later, Grace said. There are 42 homes built along its south shore.
Seven years ago, homeowners in the private community pooled their money and bought 142 acres on the north side of the lake, land that was once Camp Kiwatani.
They planned to develop the land with new housing, but were stopped by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, which insisted that a sanitary sewer system first be installed to serve the established homes.
Here was a problem
Several of those homes have experienced problems over the years with septic tanks' leaking into the lake, which feeds Meander Reservoir.
That's when residents started working with the Mahoning County sanitary engineer's office. Residents wanted to build a small, privately owned system that would accommodate only those homes around the lake, but again they were stopped.
County officials insisted that the system be large enough to take in the projected development area, which is to include some 57 new homes.
They also insisted that the county own and operate the system so it can serve other homes and businesses in the area, said Bill Coleman of the sanitary engineer's office.
Construction started late last year and is on target for completion this fall, Coleman said.
"The intent of the initial phase of this project is to get homes along the south side of the lake to abandon their septic tanks," Coleman said.
Who will pay
The bulk of the $821,000 cost will be paid with a loan from the Ohio EPA, which will be repaid with revenue from the sale of lots for new homes on the north side of the lake, Grace said. A $200,000 state grant will cover the rest.
Each resident also must pay the cost of running a line from his home to the main sewer line. They will also pay a $1,300, one-time tap-in fee and a monthly sewer bill.
Grace stressed that the grant was issued to the county, not to the lake residents.
Landowners also had to seek a zone change before any new construction could begin, Grace said.
The established homes were on land zoned for residential use, but the newly acquired property is zoned agricultural. The county planning commission suggested that it all be rezoned as a planned unit development.
"We thought that was the best fit for that development," said Executive Director Michael O'Shaughnessy. "They're not crowding in a lot of homes. They're retaining the woods and preserving a lot of the natural characteristics of the land."
A planned unit development allows more flexibility in designing layout of lots, he said. They are not held to the same standards as in traditional zoning categories.
For all intents and purposes, Diehl Lake is already a PUD, but was never officially zoned as one, he said.
"Diehl Lake was ahead of its time," said Diane Dudek, Ellsworth Township zoning inspector, noting that lake residents have long established and enforced their own strict rules for development.
Chief among them is making sure there is plenty of woods and other common space surrounding the homes to protect their privacy, Grace said.
"It's not a situation where they're doing something new," Dudek said. "All they're doing is improving what's already there."
The homes will be built on an individual basis as lots are sold, Grace said. There is no timetable established for when construction will begin or end.
bjackson@vindy.com