Apartment plans only partially approved

A demolition permit for the Whitwell School has been obtained by owner of the property and developer Jack Hager.

Hager is planning to split the building into separate buildings to create apartments with breezeways in-between.

At the council meeting Thursday, Ironton Mayor Katrina Keith told council that after speaking with Bill Toole, chief building official of the Lawrence County Building Department, a demolition permit has been given to Hager and the project to turn the building into apartments is out of the city’s hands and in the county’s control.

“I reassured him that we aren’t re-zoning the property,” Keith said. “As of right now, the city has nothing to do with the project.”

Plans for the apartments have been submitted to the Lawrence County Building Department, but have been partially disapproved for incompletions of including information necessary to determine compliance with the building and fire-protection codes; providing all data and information as required by the code building official; and indicating compliance for installation of mechanical and electrical equipment systems.

Due to the lack of information for full approval, construction on the property other than demolition is currently prohibited.

Although the plan has not yet been approved, the submitted plan contains two four-unit apartment buildings and a third building with two apartments for a total of 10 apartments.

“If it gets to that point, the city will then take over the two-unit apartment building and the county would be responsible for the two four-unit buildings,” Keith said. “Anything with more than three units, the county deals with.”

Also at council:

Ordinance 16-30, authorizing and directing the mayor to negotiate into an agreement for engineering and design services with E.L. Robinson Engineering Company, Inc. regarding the Memorial Hall park improvement project, and declaring an emergency, was given its third reading and passed.

The project will include new sidewalks, a bench and a flagpole, costing $23,955. An allocation grant of $24,000 from the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization (CAO) will be used for the project.

Ordinance 16-31, authorizing the mayor to submit an application to the Ohio Department of Development for the use of revolving loan funds (RLF) for façade improvements, and declaring an emergency, was given its third reading and passed.

Joe Unger, owner of Unger’s shoes, requested $2,200 for the improvements from the RLF.

Ordinance 16-34, authorizing the mayor to purchase new dumpsters for the city of Ironton, was given its first reading and referred to finance committee. Six dumpsters would be purchased, not exceeding $5,000.

Ordinance 16-35, authorizing the mayor to execute a contract with Champion Energy Services for electric service, and declaring an emergency was given its first readings and referred to finance committee.

Champion Energy has agreed to provide energy to the city of Ironton at a significant cost saving of 4.633 cents/kWh, down from 5.7 cents/kWh.

Resolution 16-33, to adopt the solid waste management plan for the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District, passed.