CORTLAND Council extends report deadline

A developer has two weeks to reveal how he plans to fix drainage problems.
& lt;a href=mailto:siff@vindy.com & gt;By STEPHEN SIFF & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CORTLAND -- First city council set a 30-day deadline for developer Anthony Petrocco to submit detailed plans for fixing drainage problems at a new neighborhood in Shepherds Hill.
Then they gave him a seven-day extension, backed up by a $100-a-day fine.
The developer turned in a report Friday, three days late, and, council says, much too short.
On Monday, council gave Petrocco two more weeks to turn in a more comprehensive report or risk losing his license to build homes in the city and a $300-a-day fine. He is building on lots on Cedar Street, and there are still unbuilt lots in Shepherds Hill.
"I think they should revoke his license," said Ray Salyard, whose home on Laura Lane was one of those most affected by flooding. "I'm not pleased they keep giving him more time. The flooding came without warning to us. We didn't have time."
Council rejected the plan Petrocco submitted last week because it did not address the wholesale changes they believe are necessary to bring the neighborhood up to snuff.
Consultants' report
This summer, consultants working for the city concluded that Petrocco did not follow the storm sewer plans that were approved for the neighborhood, and wound up with an area that does not meet local subdivision regulations.
"Basically, our inspection determined the infrastructure had not been installed to plan, and if it had been installed to plan it would have been inadequate," said Donald Wittman of MS Consultants, who conducted the study.
The plan submitted by Petrocco last week addressed only the Salyard property, suggesting a new sump pump and some new drainage lines.
"Telling people to put a sump pump in the basement is not going to restore the lines in the street that were put in incorrectly," said Councilman Michael Hillman.
Because of the complexity of what they are asking, council voted to allow Petrocco to submit a performance bond in place of the plans, to show he is serious. The amount of the bond has yet to be determined but will be based on the estimated cost of replacing the storm sewers, officials said.
Petrocco could not be reached by telephone after the meeting.
Fowler Street
Work has resumed at another project city officials say was done wrong the first time: the installation of sewers on Fowler Street.
The firm that designed the project, Environmental Design Group, is paying for the do-over. Mayor Melissa Long said contractors returned to work last week, after she sent a letter allowing them to use smaller pipes in some areas so they can work around gas and other lines.
She said the language of the letter was approved by Law Director Patrick Wilson.
But Hillman was incensed the mayor did not wait until engineers working for the city had a chance to review the changes -- something he said council agreed to do at a meeting last week.
"I don't understand how we did the reverse of what we said at Monday night's meeting," he said. "It is very frustrating."
Bicentennial signs
Mention was also made at the meeting of two signs that were purchased in 2002 to commemorate Ohio's Bicentennial this year but were never put up.
The service department is still waiting for stands for the $2,600 signs to be designed, Long said.
"I think it is an embarrassment that we are going to get them up after the bicentennial," said Councilman James Chubb.