Tuesday, April twelfth, 2022
Crowd seems to oppose subdivision
By Leslie Gartrell
Photo by Leslie Gartrell/The Daily Standard
Bill Metzger addresses St. Marys City Council members throughout their assembly Monday evening. About 20 folks confirmed as much as the assembly, lots of whom are against a proposed subdivision adjoining to the Sleep Hollow nature protect.
ST. MARYS – Council members at Monday’s assembly heard from upset residents who mentioned they felt blindsided by town’s resolution to permit a portion of land close to the Sleepy Hollow Nature Preserve to be developed right into a residential subdivision.
About 20 folks attended the assembly which turned contentious at instances. Many residents mentioned the realm ought to stay undeveloped for wildlife and for future generations of individuals to get pleasure from.
Councilors in March authorized an emergency ordinance to promote the Dabbelt farm property positioned at 15241 St. Marys River Rd. at an public sale and to make use of the proceeds to develop the subdivision.

Photo by Leslie Gartrell/The Daily Standard
This map give the placement of the proposed Sleepy Hollow subdivision.
The sale of the 16 residential heaps on the property would assist town to recoup its growth prices, he had mentioned. The metropolis acquired the 15-acre Sleepy Hollow property in December 2020 utilizing a mixture of state grants and metropolis funds. The Heinrich household donated the steadiness of the property, which runs alongside the Miami-Erie Canal, Foxhoven mentioned.
The 7.8-acre Sleepy Hollow nature protect is not going to be developed, Foxhoven mentioned. Of the 16 heaps, solely 4 heaps at most could be positioned on the west facet of the street closest to the character protect, he mentioned.
The remaining acreage that might be used for the subdivision is basically an open area with some bushes, Foxhoven mentioned. He famous town goals to maintain as many bushes as potential as a result of it is what the Heinrich household would need and what town desires as effectively.
Resident Bill Metzger of Noble Township mentioned the city is shedding its wildlife and pure magnificence to growth.
“I’ve seen this metropolis from having nice locations for wildlife to mowing (down) each darn factor they will get a mower on,” he mentioned. “Just like large agriculture, they cannot stand to have weeds. They do not realize that the birds and stuff want a spot to nest.”
Shirley Bernard, who lives on Coventry Green, mentioned she constructed her dwelling close to the Sleepy Hollow space as a result of it is lovely.

Photo by Leslie Gartrell/The Daily Standard
A puddle of water kinds within the woods of a nature protect positioned southwest of Kohl’s division retailer in St. Marys.
Nate Carmean, who additionally lives on Coventry Green, mentioned he had posted in regards to the plan to develop the Sleepy Hollow subdivision on social media to attract consideration to the difficulty. He mentioned the Sleepy Hollow space is a part of the city’s historical past and different cities would kill to have such a greenspace in an city space.
“It’s unhappy. We do want bushes, we do want conservation, we do want wildlife,” he mentioned. “I take into consideration everyone in right here made their manner again in Sleepy Hollow sooner or later.”
Carmean questioned council members if they’d requested constituents their ideas on the difficulty and if council members had thought-about what the event would do to the encircling wildlife.
Councilman John Bubp mentioned it isn’t typical observe to take action and mentioned town may be very quick on reasonably priced housing. Several residents had commented homes are nonetheless obtainable in Canalview Estates, however Bubp mentioned these homes are upscale and value $400,000 to $500,000.
Carmean was finally lower off by council president James Harris after peppering councilwoman Ashley Randolph with questions on her election platform of growing the Sleepy Hollow space, her relationship with metropolis supervisor of business and neighborhood growth Mike Burkholder and her work as an actual property agent with Cisco Realty, which she acknowledged is dealing with the sale of properties within the close by Canalview Estates.
Randolph mentioned as an actual property agent she acknowledged the necessity for added housing on the town and her platform mirrored that. She mentioned her relationship with Burkholder was no secret and he or she is an elected official whereas Burkholder is in a paid place with town.
While she works for Cisco Realty, Randolph mentioned the person who’s promoting the Canalview Estates properties selected a particular realtor at Cisco Realty to assist promote the properties earlier than she was a licensed actual property agent.
Randolph mentioned she has not offered any of the heaps however has proven a few of them. She mentioned she has not talked about the Sleepy Hollow growth as a result of it’s new data.
The subsequent metropolis council assembly is 6:30 p.m. April 25 in council chambers on the metropolis constructing, 101 East Spring St.