Mayor wants ban on borrow pits

The Village of Walbridge will seek a review of its zoning ordinances to determine if they prohibit borrow pits from being dug in the village limits.
Mayor Ed Kolanko at a recent meeting of village council raised the issue, saying he would like to know if the ordinances are strict enough to prohibit borrow pits.
The mayor said last week he will request the Wood County Planning Commission review the village regulations.
“The village has had a lot of water issues over the years. I personally don’t want to see the topography change which could potentially cause more water issues and things of that nature. I think it’s definitely worth investigating and having a discussion about it.”
The pits are often dug with the intent of using the dirt elsewhere such as a ramp for a road overpass. The pits then typically become ponds.
“There are some properties in the village with enough land the owner could use it as a borrow pit. Construction companies will pay a lot of money for dirt to develop the ramps and other uses,” the mayor said. “We want to see if our ordinance language is vague and in need of clarification.”
In 2019, village officials rejected the request of a business that purchased property on East Broadway Road. According to the mayor, the company initially proposed to construct a building on the site but later sought to install a borrow pit. The village declined to issue a requested conditional use permit,
In other business, the mayor said he will be looking for ways for the municipal pool to open this summer in accordance with state pandemic regulations.
He decided in April of last year to not open the pool for the summer season due to concerns about the pandemic after consulting with village council, the administration and other mayors in area towns.
Traditionally, the pool opens on Memorial Day and remains open until the Labor Day.
“I’m optimistic that we can do so. It’s going to take some planning and how to address some of the COVID issues,” the mayor said.