Council approves funds for utility work at mall

FINDLAY — Findlay City Council has approved spending $200,000 for utility and street work in preparation for the new big-box store at the Findlay Village Mall, despite confusion over who will get the money and how it will be spent. The vote was 7-2, with council members Holly Frische, R-1, and Jim Niemeyer, R-6, opposed. Councilman Grant Russel, R-at-large, was absent from Tuesday's regular meeting of council. There was considerable back-and-forth between city administrators and council over the expense on Tuesday. Administrators said the money will be paid to the developer for changes the city wants to make to the site. Making the changes during the construction will save the city money, they said. Auditor Jim Staschiak said his office will want a detailed list and an accounting of the reimbursements to the developer "prior to expending a nickle" to insure the money is being spent for a public purpose. "What insurances do we have that the developer is not sliding over other costs to us? How would we know that?" Staschiak asked. Mayor Christina Muryn said the changes to the site have been requested by the Findlay Planning Commission over the past year for development that has already occured in that area. "We can't force their neighbor to make changes to their property because it's what we want to make this work," Muryn said. "There comes a time in city planning when you have to say 'Hey, this is what needs to occur and we're going to work as a team to make it happen.'" As to who actually receives the money, Muryn said that will depend on the property's ownership at the time. She said it is very convuluted, but invoices and documentation of the work will be required. She also suggested that the appropriation be limited to no more than $200,000. The ordinance was then amended by council to limit the spending. The work will also be inspected by the city. Frische has repeatedly questioned spending public dollars on improvements to private property. She said utility modifications are typically a developer's expense, and the city's involvement could set a precedent for future developments. However, city administrators say the waterline is a public line within the mall property, and the city wants to rework some of the service lines to the building, replace some of the hydrant leads and eliminate multiple fittings that could leak. The city will also work with the developer to relocate the west entrance to move it further from the intersection on Tiffin Avenue. Kalb said the move will create better lines of sight and improve safety. As part of the project, the mall developer will also be evaluating the existing sanitary sewer. The city has received multiple calls for grease backups on the line, which eventually could back up into the main sanitary sewer. In September, the Findlay City Planning Commission approved plans to demolish the 188,000-square-foot main part of the mall, and replace it with a 131,809-square-foot big box store. The retailer's name has not yet been made public. The new building would be separated from the Dunham's and Michael's stores to the west, leaving room for a 24-foot drive aisle and 44 additional parking spaces on the west side. The new building's front façade will be closer in line with the Runnings store to the east. Runnings, Best Buy, Tokyo Steakhouse, Michael's and Dunham's will remain. The new store will abut existing buildings to the east and to the north, but it will not be connected to them.