Plans to develop more than 1,000 acres of farmland in Lorain County drew hundreds of residents, mostly detractors, to a public hearing in New Russia Township Wednesday night.
The proposal requires a zoning change on about 600 acres of land from agricultural and residential to industrial.
鈥淟eave our land alone and go fix up the brown spots left behind in 2005, 2012 and most recently 2025,鈥� said Stephanie Jacovetti, who bought two acres next to the proposed site and planned to build a house there.
Lorain County is proposing building a new sewer line from the site, which is just north of Oberlin, to a wastewater treatment plant at the northern end of the county and upgrading the water infrastructure to get up to 40 million gallons a day to the site. The total estimated costs are more than $350 million.
In 2025, the state of Ohio awarded $67 million for planning and engineering work.
The county already owns more than 900 acres around the county airport that鈥檚 zoned for an industrial park. Developers have agreements with the owners of more than 600 acres of farmland next to it but need the zoning change to bring manufacturing there.
Dru Siley from Liberty Development Company in Westlake argued the land offered a rare opportunity to attract high-tech manufacturers.
鈥淭his site is special,鈥� said Siley. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not one of hundred like it in the state, it鈥檚 not one in ten. It鈥檚 one of one. Because any similar site like this in the state of Ohio right now is going exclusively to data centers.鈥�
The proposal has been met with widespread criticism by residents, who point to the area鈥檚 identity as a rural farming community.
Avon resident Kristy Savage said she drove to New Russia to warn them about how a project like this will transform their community.
鈥淎von has tons of amenities,鈥� Savage said. 鈥淏ut it is so crowded. You can鈥檛 get anywhere. The traffic is awful and they continue to develop the open land that is left and fill it with redundant businesses that we don鈥檛 want or need.鈥�
Developers have not lined up any businesses for the site yet, pointing to the need for zoning changes and infrastructure development.
The county鈥檚 application to the state touted the area鈥檚 suitability for semiconductor manufacturing, which could bring thousands of well-paying jobs. Residents are concerned it鈥檒l end up as a data center, which provides far fewer jobs.
Trustees have scheduled a vote on the zoning change for March 17.
