STEUBENVILLE -- Legislation authorizing the city manager to advertise for professional engineering services for the Lovers Lane improvement projects was introduced Tuesday night by Third Ward Councilman Greg Metcalf.
The future projects include the widening of Lovers Lane from Fort Steuben Drive to Sunset Boulevard and improvements to the Lovers Lane and Fort Steuben Drive intersection as well as the Lovers Lane and Sunset Boulevard intersection.
Legislation was introduced by Fourth Ward Councilwoman Angela Suggs for the rezoning of The Rose property on Lovers Lane.
The owners of The Rose and Clara's Catering asked the city's Planning and Zoning Commission last week to approve rezoning their Lovers Lane property to allow a screening and graphics company to set up shop in the building.
Attorneys for the property owners and the California based screening company said they have a tentative purchase deal in place.
A public hearing on the request for Aug. 6 by the Planning Commission.
Attorneys for property owners Clara and Leonard Morris said the property, "is perfect for light industrial designation because it is behind and remote from Lovers Lane."
"Clara and Leonard Morris are simply asking for the rezoning of the property. The attorney for the proposed buyer and I have been working extensively for the past few weeks on this. We hope this is a smooth transition and it does happen," said attorney David Scarpone.
Chris Haught, an attorney also representing the Morris family said The Rose will continue to honor all appointments until the sale is completed.
Attorney Bill Blake said Edward Hofrichter, owner of H & H Screening of Vista, California has been looking for a site in Jefferson County since August 2010.
"He has found the building to be sufficient to meet his needs. To the extent his business is successful he will hire more people and possibly build an additional facility. This will be known as H & H Screening and Graphics East" said Blake.
Suggs also introduced an ordinance authorizing the reprogramming of Community Development Block Grant unexpended funds to be used for the paving of South Sixth Street.
And Suggs proposed an ordinance authorizing cooperation with the Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission for the Moving Ohio Forward Grant program.
Jefferson County will receive $277,274 as part of a national home mortgage settlement.
Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Domenick Mucci said he anticipates 29 house demolitions in the county including 10 buildings in Steubenville and Toronto.
An ordinance authorizing an agreement with Toronto for commercial building inspection services to be supplied by the Steubenville building department was introduced by Suggs.
And Sixth Ward Councilman David Lalich proposed an ordinance to formalize a contractual agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge Number One that will restore the holiday pay and furlough days lost last year.
Read the Wednesday edition of The Herald-Star for all the details from the city council sunshine meeting.
