Thursday, December 16, 1999
Deerfield, Mason at odds over water tower
BY KEVIN ALDRIDGE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
DEERFIELD TWP. — Officials here have threatened to grab a 6-acre chunk of township land before Mason officials can construct a water tower on the site. But city leaders are unfazed, saying construction will go on as planned.
Trustees on Tuesday passed a resolution announcing their intent to appropriate 6 acres along Mason Road on the township's northwest side for a park and future fire station. The resolution is the first step toward taking the land by eminent domain.
Under eminent domain a government body has the right to take private property for public use, but it must pay fair market value.
However, Mason officials say they already have a deal.
The site, formerly owned by township resident Roger Hoskins, was sold Saturday to Mason for $385,000. Trustees would likely have to match that amount — which is more than twice its market value.
Residential area
The trustees' decision Tuesday came after a series of meetings with neighborhood residents who were upset by Mason's plans to plant a water tower next to their homes.
“It's hard to understand how Mason thought it could locate an ugly water tower in a developing residential area of another community and that the citizens of that other community wouldn't be concerned,” said Trustee Larry Backus.
City officials began negotiating for the land last month to build the tower as part of a $5 million water supply expansion project. The tower, the height of which has yet to be determined, is designed to improve water pressure for the city's service area south of Tylersville and Stitt roads.
Later this month, Mason will nearly double its supply of drinking water through a deal with Cincinnati Water Works to buy an additional 5 million gallons of water daily. The move came as a result of rapid growth and increasing water demands in Ohio's second-fastest-growing city.
“Our intentions are to build a water tower on that site, so we will be moving forward with construction of the tower,” Mason City Manager Scot Lahrmer said Wednesday.
He said city leaders chose the Hoskins property primarily because of its topography. The land on which the tower would be built needs to be in a certain location and of a certain elevation for residents to receive increased water pressure, Mr. Lahrmer said.
“Our water master plan calls for a water tower in that area and it has been in our long-term plans for quite sometime,” he said. “I'm surprised the township has indicated they need this property considering there are a number of properties out there for them to purchase.
“What the city would be interested in seeing is the long-term plans the township would have for this site,” Mr. Lahrmer added.
Fire station needed
Dan Theno, Deerfield's administrator of development and community relations, said, “The trustees strongly felt that a fire station and park were needed in that location to meet the needs of citizens in the northwest quadrant. The Hoskins property is the best location for these facilities.”
Mr. Hoskins apparently had been in negotiations with both the township and the city for the past several weeks. Trust
ees thought they had closed a deal with Mr. Hoskins last Friday.
“I was shocked to find out a day later he'd turned around and sold the property to Mason, particularly after the meetings I'd had with him and his neighbors,” Mr. Backus said.
Mr. Backus met with Mr. Hoskins and several neighboring residents for nearly two hours last week to discuss concerns about the water tower and negotiate a settlement on the property. At this meeting, Mr. Hoskins was offered a sum equal to what Mason had proposed for the land.
“He seemed quite satisfied with our offer and even stated he wanted to stay in the township,” Mr. Backus said.
Mr. Hoskins couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday.
Other residents were relieved to hear about the township's efforts to intervene.
“I think (eminent domain) is a great move,” said Ron Willard, 52, who owns 5 acres on Mason Road. “The township says they may put a fire station out there. I don't care. Anything is better than that big old tower.”
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