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Lack of specifics for renewal effort worries residents
By Rick Armon Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Saturday, Aug 04, 2007
LAKEMORE: With Summit County poised to approve a multiyear, multimillion-dollar redevelopment plan for Lakemore, many residents appear more apprehensive than excited about the future investment in their village a one-time resort town at the southern tip of Springfield Lake.
''Everybody is confused,'' Cheryl Smith, 42, said while floating in a rubber pool in her driveway to escape the recent heat. ''Residents are afraid they are getting their homes torn down, especially the elderly.''
County and village officials announced a sweeping renewal plan in May that includes razing blighted homes, fixing flooding problems, installing sidewalks and a lakeshore trail, encouraging new businesses and homes to be built, adding a 30-foot fishing pier, and developing a new traffic pattern for wider streets.
County Council is expected to act on the 40-page document Monday. (A copy of the plan is available at the Summit County site, Department of Development, Lakemore Community Investment Area Plan.)
The county is committing $1 million a year for five years to fund the proposal. Every county dollar is expected to leverage three others from federal, state or private sources. The total project cost won't be known until engineering and blight studies are completed.
Residents say something needs to be done to improve the village, especially after a major flood last year left some homes unlivable. But they are worried because of a lack of specifics in the renewal plan and from officials. They want to know how many houses will be knocked down, whose homes will be gone, what will happen to those homeowners, and where the sidewalks will be installed.
Those answers will come later, officials say, after in-depth studies are completed.
''We really don't know a whole lot about it yet,'' said 49-year-old Eric Iverson, who has lived in the village for 30 years. ''I don't think they know a whole lot.''
Old summer cottages
Lakemore started as a resort community in the early 1900s. Summer cottages popped up close together along narrow, winding streets with no sidewalks. A popular amusement park attracted thrill seekers, and a streetcar carried people to the area from Akron.
Many of the small cottages were transformed into full-time homes and remain in the village today. That's part of the problem, officials say.
More than 55 percent of the homes in the targeted area were built before 1940, and some have not aged well. The average home value in the project area is $57,000, compared with $106,000 in Summit County.
The targeted area is considered ''downtown'' Lakemore: about 750 parcels, 400 of which are homes, bounded by Springfield Lake on the north, Lake Street on the east, Sanitarium Road on the south and Hilda Street on the west.
The median household income is $33,654, compared with $42,304 in the county.
Residents' fears
Some residents fear the renewal plan is a way to wipe out a poor section of the village, driving up property values and driving out some longtime property owners living on fixed incomes.
''The renewal is a good thing if they do what they should do,'' Village Tavern owner Charles Carte said, citing longtime drainage problems and vacant, blighted properties. ''I'll go along with that.''
But Carte is critical of the village administration and police, saying there need to be changes there before any real change will happen in the community. He also questions the need for a fishing pier and walking trail.
Other residents all who say they love living in the community don't have high hopes for the project.
''I think they are going to screw the whole thing up, and Akron is going to come in and annex us,'' said 53-year-old John Darago, who has lived in the village for three years.
Official responds
Officials say they understand the concerns and have tried their best to alleviate any fears. Six public meetings have been held to explain the project.
''I tend not to brush off the individual fears that easily,'' said Warren Walfish, senior administrator with the county's community development department. ''I understand how acute that anxiety can be. We're going to go to whatever lengths necessary to help folks through this. I don't want to put anybody out of their home unless it's absolutely necessary for their safety and the safety of the village as a whole.''
Mayor David Carter also said he understands the apprehension, but the village can't pass up this opportunity.
''If this plan goes through completely, people will want to come to Lakemore,'' Carter said. ''There's a lot of people who want to come but see a blighted house next to a beautiful house, and you don't want to live in an area like that. It's going to be a real nice fix for the village of Lakemore and the community.''
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com.
LAKEMORE: With Summit County poised to approve a multiyear, multimillion-dollar redevelopment plan for Lakemore, many residents appear more apprehensive than excited about the future investment in their village a one-time resort town at the southern tip of Springfield Lake.
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