Introduction:

PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

The Comprehensive Plan is a dynamic planning tool that provides a structure for land use while concurrently allowing for continuous revision based upon changes in the market and growth trends.  The purpose of the planning process is threefold: to provide spatial design specifications for the village, to provide a technical database for legal support in the use of the land, and to provide the framework for implementation of the Comprehensive Plan.  A Comprehensive Plan provides a community with the opportunity to guide physical development and redevelopment through the identification of key policies, and goals of the residents with respect to public health, safety and general welfare.

It is intended that this plan be used not only as a guide for land use decisions, but also as an extensive reference on the village, and a blueprint for community programs, public and private sector initiatives and investment in facilities and infrastructure.

COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS

The Village of Seville adopted its first comprehensive plan in 1996.  Since that time the Village has relied on the plan to provide direction for change.  The focus of the 1996 Plan was the preservation of small-town atmosphere while providing for commercial and industrial development to diversify the tax base.  The 1996 Plan suggested commercial development along the west side of Route 3 north of Greenwich Road, along the north side of Greenwich Road west of Route 3, and along the north and south sides of Greenwich Road east of Route 3.  Industrial development was encouraged west of Route 3 and south of I-76.

 In 2002 the Village realized that their Zoning Ordinance needed to be updated and contacted the Medina County Department of Planning Services for assistance.  After initial review of the changes that were anticipated, it was decided that a revised Comprehensive Plan would be a useful tool for support for the zoning ordinance changes.  Also, the Village had annexed almost 400 acres since the earlier Comprehensive Plan and much of the development pressure was occurring in these newly annexed areas.

That spring, the Village of Seville established a Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee to work with the Medina County Department of Planning Services (DPS).    The Committee, consisting of 22 interested residents including the current and prior Mayors, one Councilperson, the Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and a member of the Board of Adjustments, met on a monthly basis with the Planning Services Department.  During these meetings DPS presented data and progress updates and provided an opportunity for discussion of key issues.  Guest speakers on issues such as conservation development, riparian corridors and economic development were often a part of the meeting discussions. The meetings were open to the public and were often attended by other residents of the Village.

A survey was conducted in the fall of 2003 by a subcommittee of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee.  The project was done in collaboration with the Medina County Department of Planning Services and the Village of Seville Planning and Zoning Commission.  A total of 237 people returned the survey, which had been mailed to all the households in the Village (a total of  2000, 2 to each 1000 households ).

A Town Meeting was held in July of 2004. Over 120 people turned out to review preliminary findings and provide input on the preliminary goals and objectives produced by the Steering Committee.  A second Town Meeting was held in October of 2005 to present the Comprehensive Development Plan in draft form.  The Plan was also available online and at various locations in the Village to allow as many residents as possible an opportunity to comment.

After integrating input from the second Town Meeting, which took place on October 27, 2005, the final draft of the Comprehensive Development Plan was heard at a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission on __________.    The Commission then made a recommendation to the Village Council for approval and adoption with amendments.  A public hearing was convened before Village Council on ________ for final discussion and action on the Plan.  The Final Comprehensive Development Plan was adopted with amendments by Village Council at the conclusion of the hearing on ________________.

Chapter I.     Background For The Plan

The Village of Seville is advantageously located along the Route 3 corridor, approximately 8 miles south of the City of Medina in Medina County.  The intersection of I-76 and Route 3 is within the Village boundary and the I-76/I-71 interchange is only 1 mile south of the Village.  The Route 3 corridor has experienced significant growth in recent years. The accessibility of the Village to two major interstate systems has made it a desirable distribution center and logistics hub.  It is expected that the Village, as well as the surrounding communities of Medina, Westfield Center, and Montville Township, will continue to be desirable locations for development. An aerial view of the Village can be seen on Map 1: Seville and Vicinity Aerial.

This chapter analyzes a number of existing conditions, including comparisons of Seville to the above adjacent communities and to Medina County as a whole.  This analysis is necessary in order to understand the development potential of areas within the Village.  It also provides the foundation on which goals and objectives are formulated and policies and strategies established.  The significant statistics are highlighted below while the complete set of tables is included in Appendix A.

A.                           REGIONAL CONTEXT

The Village of Seville is located in Northeastern Ohio, in the south-central quadrant of Medina County.  The community is approximately 40 miles from Cleveland and 20 miles from Akron, as shown on Map 1A: Communities within 30 Miles of the Village of Seville.  Interstate 71 and Interstate 76 provide convenient access.  State Route 3 is a major north-south arterial that links Seville north to the City of Medina and Cleveland, and south to Wooster and beyond.

Much of the development attraction within the Village of Seville can be attributed to the area’s accessibility to many of the region’s employment centers, cultural facilities and major retail businesses.  In addition, the Village has water and sewer capability for development, and a scenic landscape that combines scenic farmland with a quaint small town.

Figure 1: Seville Location Map

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B.      HISTORICAL BACKGROUND[1]

The story of Seville begins with the formation of the Connecticut Western Reserve at the close of the American Revolution.  Land in the Reserve was sold to investors who in turn sold off parts of their holdings.  In 1816 Henry Hosmer walked from Connecticut to the present site of the town of Seville in eighteen days.  Finding it to his liking, he returned home to bring back his brother Chester and sister Mary along with four other companions.  They returned to the Reserve in February of 1817.  The first real estate negotiated in the town occurred when the men bought a lodge from some Delaware Indians encamped on the future town site.

The community of Guilford Township grew slowly.  In 1820 a road was planned from Wooster to Cleveland.  This Wooster Pike Road followed the present course of S.R. 3.  The following year saw the opening of the first store in the community, which failed due to lack of business.  That year saw the beginning of a far more successful and ongoing enterprise for the fledgling town with the opening of the first schoolhouse.

With the Wooster Pike Plan proceeding, more and more people began to move in, and more businesses started up.  Like all ventures, some were successful and some were not.  No matter what the situation, people were settling into the sedentary life of a prosperous town.  More conveniences would be forthcoming.

In 1824, “Mound Hill Cemetery” was surveyed, with the first burial in June of that year.  The name comes from the ancient Indian mound located in its center.  In 1825 regular mail service began to pass through “Hosmer’s Opening” with William Hosmer, Henry and Chester’s father becoming the first postmaster.  He died in 1839, at the age of 99, and was buried in Mound Hill Cemetery, one of six Revolutionary War veterans resting there.

The “Burgh” had grown and in 1828 Henry Hosmer hired county surveyor Nathaniel Bell to lay out the first village west of Chippewa Creek.  This town would have a traditional village square in the center, now called Stanhope Park. The original town square or park has become a triangle with Route 3 abutting it to the south.  “Apparently, early traffic on Route 3 refused to follow the square corners around Seville’s first park and cut diagonally through it until today’s right-of-way was established by both law and usage.”[2]

Until it was surveyed, the current Village of Seville was called “Hosmer’s Opening” and then the “Burgh”.  The name Seville was adopted at the  time it was surveyed.   Legend has it that Washington Irving suggested the name after spending an evening here, claiming it reminded him of the Spanish town of that name.  Daniel Webster is also reported to have spent a night in the Village of Seville.

As demand grew for more goods and markets, the stage line proved to be an inadequate form of transportation.  Canals were all the rage and a company was formed to build a canal to connect with a canal through Summit County.  The Chippewa Canal Company came into existence in 1837, but disbanded in 1838.  Less than twenty years later Seville’s first attempt to promote a railroad through town also failed.  Efforts were renewed until 1871 when a line finally did come through.  The Baltimore and Ohio eventually took over complete operation.

While Seville’s railroad endeavor was finally proving successful, an event took place in London, England that would bring the town of Seville international prominence.  The event was the marriage of the “World’s Tallest Couple”.  Captain Martin Van Buren Bates, standing 7’9”, and his bride Anna Swan, 7’11” were joined in matrimony.

P.T. Barnum at his American Museum in New York had formerly employed Anna, but both were working for Judge H.P. Ingalls on a grand tour of Europe when they were married.  They were presented to Queen Victoria by Royal Command.  Their first child, a girl weighing eighteen pounds, was born stillborn in England.  Upon their return to America, doctors advised Anna to settle near an inland lake for health purposes.  The couple bought property to the east of town and proceeded to build a house to fit their proportions.  Their second child, a boy, was born here in 1879 and is the largest birth on record weighing almost 24 pounds.  The child would survive only eleven hours and is buried at Mound Hill.  Anna would die in 1889 and is buried next to her child.  The Captain continued to live in town until his death in 1919 and he was buried in the family plot with his wife and child.

As Seville approaches its 185^th year its citizens can look back with pride on their accomplishments.  Not all of their endeavors proved successful but they endured and grew.  Although “big city” status was never obtained, the people achieved a feeling of  “community” with their neighbors that only a town of Seville’s stature can obtain.

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Seville Village is comprised of approximately 1600 acres.  Moderately rolling hills characterize the community with average slopes ranging up to 12 percent throughout the area.  The majority of the land has deciduous vegetation with scattered areas of woodlands adjacent to the streams.  Most of the newly annexed land and the undeveloped land within the Village had previously been farmed, leaving it open and relatively flat.  Maps 2: Forests and Wetlands, 4: Hydric and Flood Prone Soils and 5: FEMA Flood Zones illustrate many of the significant natural features existing in the Village.

There are two major streams and their tributaries that traverse the Village, as well as numerous small ponds.  Chippewa Creek and its unnamed tributary are located west of S.R.-3., and Hubbard Creek is east of S.R.-3 and winds northeast to southwest along the south-central portion of the Village.

Much of the low-lying area along Chippewa Creek and its unnamed tributary is in the flood plain according to the Federal Emergency Management Associations Flood Insurance Maps, effective September 18, 1987.  There are also a number of areas with hydric soils within the Village and to the immediate south.  Hydric soils can be an indicator of wetlands since they usually are impervious soils, which do not drain well, therefore causing water to stand for long periods of time.  One of the major areas of hydric soils is located in the southeast corner of the Village.  Other concentrations of wetlands are found along Hubbard Creek and in the northwest section of the Village, west of the railroad tracks.  In total there are approximately 176 acres (11% of the land area of the Village) within the Village that are considered wetlands or floodplains.  Many of these acres are located within undeveloped areas and are also prime locations with significant development potential.

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D.      RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TRENDS

Since 1980 the number of dwelling units has steadily increased within the Village: by 11.7% between 1980 and 1990 and 30% between 1990 and 2000 (See Table 1) However, Seville’s growth rate for dwelling units during these three decades was considerably less than other communities.

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                          Table 2:       Housing Unit Comparisons 1990-2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau DP-1 General Population and Housing Characteristics

Table 3: Number of Housing Units Change 1990-2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau DP-1 General Population and Housing Characteristics

                  Table 4: Number of Housing Units Change 1990-2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau DP-1 General Population and Housing Characteristics

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1.         Rental units:

Seville’s rental housing stock increased slightly in the ten years from 1990 to 2000, from 142 in 1990 to 155 in 2000 and the percentage of rental units went from 6.8% in 1990 to 12.8% in 2000.  There has been no new apartment building or rental housing in the Village of Seville.  There has been natural attrition in older housing stock replaced with the conversion of older homes to apartments or to a rental unit. 

Rental housing, both in the form of single-family homes and apartment buildings adds to the diversity of housing for the community.  The community wants to add commercial, office and industrial development to the Village.  The availability of housing for potential employees at all levels is a selling point.  Also, rental housing provides an opportunity for both young adults right out of school and older adults who no longer wish to care for a home and yard to be able to stay within the Village.

2.                  Cluster Housing/Single-family attached:

Cluster housing, single-family attached units, and other alternatives to the traditional single-family home on an individual lot, fill a housing need and also can be used to preserve natural amenities, protect sensitive environmental conditions and protect historic buildings and sites.

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Chapter 2: Evaluation of Existing Conditions and Trends

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A.               Existing Land Use

Figure 2: Seville Land Use

          Residential

            Approximately 20.98 % (333.37 acres) of the total land in Seville Village is used for one and two-family residential use with slightly more than an additional 15 acres (approximately 1%) used for multi-family residential use.  In total, residential development accounts for almost 22% of the land development in the Village of Seville.

Commercial

            Land used for commercial development comprises 2.24 % (35.62 acres) of the total land area of the Village.  The commercial land use is concentrated north of I-76 and west of S.R. 3, at the intersection of Greenwich Road and S.R.3 and in the downtown area.

            Industrial

            Industrial land development accounts for approximately for 13% (207.77 acres) of the total land area of the Village.  Industrially developed land is concentrated in the northwest quadrant of the Village, along the railroad track and immediately south of the downtown (Seville Brass Co.).

Open Space

Open Space or parkland within the Village consists of four parks: Cy Hewit Park, Leohr Park; Memorial Park and Stanhope Park.  These four parks represent 3.20% of the Village’s land area (50.70 acres).  (See Map 8)

Public and Quasi-public

Public uses such as the Village Hall, the fire station, the elementary school and the library; and quasi-public uses such as the cemetery and churches make up 1.53% of the Village’s total land area (.62% public uses and .91% quasi-public uses).  This represents 9.78 acres of land for public uses and 14.4 acres of land for quasi-public uses.

Right-of-Way

Over 144 acres of land within the Village are used for right-of way for roads, the railroad and utilities.  This represents 9.07% of the total land area of the Village.

Agriculture

Approximately 430 acres of land within the Village are devoted to agricultural use.  This represents the largest land use category, 27.01 % of the total land area of the Village.  Recent annexations of adjacent farms

have contributed to this number.  Most of the land recently annexed into the Village did so in anticipation of development and can be considered undeveloped land for the purpose of future development. 

Undeveloped

Approximately 350 acres of land within the Village boundaries, in addition to the agricultural land mentioned above, remains undeveloped. This comprises approximately 22% of the land area of the Village. 

This undeveloped land in combination with the land used for agriculture account for almost half of the land area of the Village (49.01%), and provides considerable opportunity for development within the present Village boundary.

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Table 5:

Map 6: Existing Land Use illustrates the locations within the Village of Seville for the above referenced land uses.

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B.                Population Characteristics.

Table 1 shows the changes in population that have taken place over time in the Village of Seville and surrounding communities.  Comparisons are also made to the county.  During the 10 year period from 1980 to 1990, the Village of Seville saw a strong growth rate of 15.4%, while the neighboring village of Westfield Center experienced a negative rate of 0.9%.  During the same decade Medina County grew about half as fast as the Village of Seville, at an 8.2% growth rate.

The 1990s brought a shift in population dynamics for the Village of Seville.  The Village growth rate increased slightly to 19.3% for the ten-year period.  At this same time Westfield Center Village experienced a substantial increase in its growth rate, now at 34.4%, surpassing Seville’s rate.  However, in actual numbers Seville grew by 350 persons, while Westfield Center grew by only 270.  The county as a whole grew by 23.5% between 1990 and 2000.  The county grew about three times faster than it did from 1980 to 1990.

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Table 6. Population Trends

Source: U.S. Census Bureau DP-1 General Population and Housing Characteristics

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a)                                 Population by Age

Table 7 shows the Village of Seville’s population breakdown by age and sex for the years 1990 and 2000.  The largest segment of population is those aged 30-34, with cohorts 35-39 and 40-44, trailing by only one-half a percent.  Between 1990 and 2000 the Village saw its largest population gain in the 50-54 year-old range, which gained 69 persons for a 95.8% increase.  In terms of percent growth, the 45-49 and 55-59 year-old groups saw the next highest increases with 87.8% and 84.6% growth, respectively. 

The 20 - 29 year-old age group is typically the group that is starting out on its own and putting stakes into the community.  Members of this age group, particularly in the upper end, are beginning to enter the family formation years, thus continued drops in this age group may indicate declining school enrollments in the near future.  In addition, this is typically the age when many are seeking higher education and broader employment opportunities.  In the Village of Seville, the 20 -24 year-old age group increased by 1.1% (1 person) and the 25 -29 year-old age group decreased by 4.8% (7 persons).

The 30 to 49 year-old age groups are often looked at as the new generation of community leaders and business owners, and their children are found throughout the school system.  These age groups tend to be active in the community and demand high quality services for their children and families.  However, these age groups also tend to be highly mobile and may move away from a community to find better opportunities.  Within the village, those 30-34 and 35-39 increased by 20.4% and 10.4% respectively, while each comprising approximately 8% of the total population.  However, there were larger increases in those in the 40-44 and 45-49 year-old age groups, experiencing 43.2% and 87.8% growth.  Each of these age groups comprises approximately 8% of the total population.

Persons in the 50 to 64 year age group tend to be empty nesters and may move to smaller homes while older seniors aged 65-74 may seek a variety of housing options.  Empty nesters in these age groups begin to move to homes with less maintenance, smaller number of bedrooms, and are often one story.  Those aged 50 to 59 in the village saw growth rates of 95.8% and 84.6% from 1990 to 2000.  However, together these cohorts account for approximately 11% of the total population.  Slight decreases in actual numbers of those aged 60-69 occurred, while there was a 53.6% increase in those aged 70-74.

The village has experienced decreases in all those people aged 75 and over.  The total percentage decrease for this population was 25.5% from 1990 to 2000.  This may seem like a high percent but in actual numbers the village lost a total of 15 persons for all these age groups.

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Table 7: Population by Age: 1990 and 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau DP-1 General Population and Housing Characteristics

.

Figure 3 and 4 are population pyramids for the Village of Seville for 1990 and 2000.

Figure 3: Seville 1990

Figure 4: Seville 2000

b)   POPULATION GROWTH

Table 8:

           VILLAGE OF SEVILLE                                 MEDINA COUNTY 

                   ANNUAL %                                    ANNUAL%                  % OF

YEAR    POPULATION     INCREASE     POPULATION     INCREASE              COUNTY                                                      

                                                                                                                                    POPULATION

            1950                965                   ---                    16,814                ---                             5.74%

            1960             1,190                  2.33%               36,047             11.43%                       3.30%

            1970             1,402                  1.78%               46,445               2.88%                       3.09%

            1980             1,568                  1.18%              65,976               4.21%                       2.40%

            1990             1,810                  1.54%             122,354              8.55%                        1.50%

            2000             2,160                  1.93%             151,095                2.35%                      1.40%

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As the chart indicates, Seville Village’s population has steadily increased over the last 50 years.  However, its growth has been slower than that of the County as a whole, as evidenced by its gradually declining percentage of the County population.

Under the current zoning, and without any additional annexation, the Village of Seville has the potential to grow to a population of over 6,300, current population of 2,345 plus the potential population as indicated by Table 9 below.   Approximately half the land area of Seville is undeveloped or Agricultural.  Map 12:  Undeveloped and Agricultural Land points out the undeveloped and agricultural land areas by zoning district.

Table 9:  Potential Population Build Out for Currently Undeveloped Areas

* Based on an average household size for the Village of Seville of 2.58 [Source 2000: US Census Bureau}

** Zoning District under revised code

c)    EMPLOYMENT & LABOR FORCE ANALYSIS

As shown in Table 10 above, the Village of Seville enjoys a very low unemployment rate of less than 3%.  The Village also benefits from a diverse workforce as shown in Table 11; both are indications of a healthy local economy.

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C.              Natural Resources Analysis

Introduction:

Protection of natural resources has been a reoccurring theme both in the Survey of Village Residents that was distributed in the fall of 2003 and at the July 2004 Village Open House.   The scenic beauty of the natural amenities of the area are valued by the residents as adding to the small town atmosphere and the quality of life in Seville.

Topography and slopes:

Topography data was collected from the Geographic Information Systems of Medina County.  Approximately 2 percent of the land within the Village consists of land with slopes of twelve percent (12%) or greater (between 12 and 18%).  These steep slopes, located generally along streambeds, are shown on Map 3: Topography.

Construction on or near slopes has caused increased runoff and erosion.  To prevent such erosion and runoff, it is recommended that steep slopes along streambeds be maintained with vegetative cover to prevent soil loss.  Existing patterns of vegetation should be retained on all slopes over 12 percent.

Preservation of steep slopes should be a consideration for site plan review.

Woodlands:

Significant wooded areas within the Village of Seville are concentrated along Hubbard Creek and Chippewa Creek, as shown on Map 3: Forests and Wetlands.  These wooded areas represent only 12% of the land area of the Village, but they add to the small town character and natural amenities of the community.

The benefits of wooded areas, or canopy cover as it is often termed, include the ability to:

1.      Reduce air pollution by ingesting carbon monoxide and producing oxygen

2.      Reduce noise pollution by providing natural buffers

3.      Provide wildlife habitat

4.      Reduce water run-off and soil erosion

5.      Enhance aesthetic and visual qualities of the community

6.      Reduce energy consumption by providing shade.

Forested corridors between developments can provide connected open space areas and buffers in addition to providing ecological benefits to the area. Preservation of significant wooded areas can be effectively implemented at the site plan review.

Watersheds: 

Watersheds were digitized and mapped from the United States Geological Survey topographic maps.  There are two main watersheds within the Village boundary, the Chippewa Creek watershed and the Hubbard Creek watershed.

Seville Village enjoys flood protection on both the Chippewa Creek and Hubbard Creek as a result of work done by the Chippewa Sub-district of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District.  The village is located on the flood plain of both streams.  In the early 1960s, the Chippewa Sub-district was formed at the request of local officials concerned with reducing the annual flood damages occurring in both Medina and Wayne counties.  Once formed, the sub-district set about its task of creating a flood-control system that would significantly reduce flooding on the streams in the Chippewa Watershed.

The sub-district began work on a two-prong approach to the watershed issues.  A series of eight dams were created at critical points in the watershed.  One of these dams (Hubbard Valley) is located just north of the village.  In addition, thirty-three miles of channel improvements were made within the watershed, which improve the ability of the streams to disperse heavy flows.  The system has proven very effective in reducing damages from seasonal flooding.  The improvements are maintained by the Chippewa Sub-district through the collection of an assessment from all property owners in the watershed

Floodplains:      8.87%

Floodplains were mapped from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 100 and 500- year data and are shown on Map 5: FEMA Flood Zones.

Riparian Corridors:

The preservation of riparian buffer zones provides significant protection of surface water quality and increases the ability of the stream bank to resist erosive forces of the stream. 

Riparian buffer zones provide a number of benefits including:

1.      Reduction of flood impacts by absorbing peak flows, slowing the velocity of floodwaters and regulating base flow.

2.      Assisting in stabilizing the banks of watercourses to reduce bank erosion and the downstream transport of sediments eroded from watercourse banks.

3.      Providing watercourse habitats with shade and food.

4.      Providing habitat to a wide array of aquatic organisms and wildlife, many of which are on Ohio’s Endangered and/or Threatened Species listings, by maintaining diverse and connected riparian and wetland vegetation. 

5.      Protection of associated wetlands.

6.      Preventing disturbance to steep slopes.

7.      Protection of water quality by filtering pollutants that enter the streams from overland runoff.

8.      Benefiting the Village economically by minimizing  the need for costly engineering solutions to protect structures, and reduce property damage and threats to the safety of the residents; and by contributing to the scenic beauty and environment of the Village, and thereby preserving the character of the Village, the quality of life of the residents of the Village and corresponding property values.

In keeping with the goal of the residents to protect and maintain the natural amenities of the area, it is suggested that a minimum riparian setback of 25’ be established throughout the Village.  This setback area may be increased in accordance with the standards detailed in Appendix A.

Wetlands:

Wetlands hold significant environment value and deserve protection. Wetlands are those areas inundated or saturated by surface water or groundwater, at a frequency and duration sufficient to support (and that under normal circumstances do support) a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.  Swamps, marshes, bogs, fens, potholes and vernal pools often characterize wetland areas. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers identifies wetlands based on three conditions: the presence of water, the presence of soils that form under flooded or saturated conditions (hydric soils), and the presence of plants adapted to hydric soils.  Wetlands are beneficial, serving as natural water filtration systems that reduce pollutants from surface water; controlling flooding and recharging aquifers, providing crucial habitat for many plant and animal species and providing recreational opportunities such as bird watching, hunting and fishing.. 

Map 4: Hydric and Flood Prone Soils shows the locations of the most prominent wetland type soils in the Village identified through the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) prepared by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  A total of 177.5 acres of hydric soils cover the Village of Seville.  This accounts for 10.8 percent of the Village area.  Wetlands account for approximately .8 percent of Seville’s land cover.  Map 3: Forests and Wetlands identifies the water bodies and designated wetlands within the Village boundaries.

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D.              Public Facilities, Services and Utilities:

The following services are provided within the Village of Seville and are discussed in this section:

• Village Utilities
  • Water
  • Sewer
  • Electric

• Schools

• Village Facilities and Services
  • Fire Protection
  • Emergency Medical Services
  • Police Protection
  • Library
  • Governmental Facilities

• Parks and Recreation

• Hospitals and/or Health Facilities

Utilities:    The Village of Seville is in the desirable position of controlling its own utilities under the direction of its Board of Public Affairs (BOPA).

BOPA provides electric, water and sewer services to the residents of the Village of Seville and a portion of Guilford Township.   

Water              Currently, Seville supplies water to 1073 customers.  Seville’s water supply is provided by two wells located on Eby Road, south of the Village near the Wayne/Medina County line.  The well field is capable of pumping 750,000 gallon per day and the current average usage is less than 400,000 gallons a day.

Sewer             The Board of Public Affairs Wastewater Treatment Plant is a sequencing batch reactor plant.  Built in 1989, the treatment plant has a capacity of 500,000 gallons per day.  The current usage averages 300,000 gallons per day.  Current and future service areas are shown on Map 7: Sewer Service.

Customers are charged a flat rate of $5.00 per month for storm sewers.  This fee is used to maintain and rebuild the Village storm sewer system, as it is needed.

Electric           Seville is one of Ohio’s eighty-five Public Power Systems.  Currently serving electricity to 1684 customers, Seville also provides electricity to all Village street lights, Village buildings, the Water Plant, the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and ball-field lighting at no cost to local tax- payers.

Schools:

Students from the Village of Seville attend schools within the Cloverleaf School District.  The school district is rated excellent on the State Local Report Card. The District has one high school, one middle school and three elementary schools.  The only facility within the Village boundary is Seville Intermediate (grades 3 & 4 with approximately 480 students) located on Main Street.

Cloverleaf School District encompasses most of Lafayette, Westfield, Chatham, and Harrisville Township and almost ¾ of Guilford Township and has approximately 3500 students.

Village Facilities and Services:

Fire Protection          The Seville /Guilford Fire EMS Department provides fire and emergency service to the Village and surrounding Guilford Township.  The fire station is located at the southwest corner of the intersection of S.R.3 and Greenwich Road within the Village.  There are approximately 25 volunteer (part-time) fire personnel.

Emergency Medical Service           The headquarters for EMS is located with the Fire Department at the above location.  The stationed is manned 6:00 am to 6:00 pm and service workers are on call the other hours. There are five (5) full and part-time employees and eleven (11) volunteers who man two Advanced Life Support capable ambulances.

From 6:00 a.m. to midnight, the station is manned for immediate response a full time crew consisting of paramedics and EMTs, and from midnight to 6:00 a.m. volunteers take calls.  A full ambulance crew is available at att times.

Police             The Police Department is located at 120 Royalcrest Drive.  Royalcrest Drive is located on the north side of Greenwich Road just east of SR 3.  The Police Department provides service 24/7 with 8 full-time officers and one secretary.  With the current population of approximately 2350, this represents 1 officer / 294 residents.

Library            The Seville Community Library, at the northwest corner S.R. 3  (Center Road) and Main Street is part of the Medina County District Library system. It is a full-service library and one of four community libraries within Medina County.

Government Facilities           The new Village Hall, located on Royal Crest Drive, was completed in January of 2006.  In addition to housing the Mayor’s office and the Council Chambers, this facility accommodates the Board of Public Affairs office and the Police Station. 

Parks and Recreation:

The Village of Seville Department of Parks and Recreation maintains five parks totaling approximately 50.7 acres within the Village: Cy Hewitt, Freeman, Loehr, Memorial and Stanhope, and Hubbard Valley Park, a county park located just north and west of the Village.   Map 8: Recreation Trails & Parks identifies these parks and also indicates the existing and proposed trail and bikeway system that will eventually link the village and county parks.

Emergency and Security Management

The Medina County Emergency Management Agency has completed a planning document entitled All Hazard and Mitigation Plan, adopted by the Village of Seville Council on November 18, 2003.  The term " hazard mitigation ", as it relates to Medina County, describes actions that can help reduce or eliminate long-term risks caused by natural or manmade disasters, such as floods, droughts, tornadoes, earthquakes, and dam failures. After disasters, repairs and reconstruction are often completed in such a way as to simply restore damaged property to pre-disaster conditions. These efforts may expedite a return to normalcy, but the replication of pre-disaster conditions often results in a repetitive cycle of damage and reconstruction. Hazard mitigation is needed to break this repetitive cycle by producing less vulnerable conditions through post-disaster repairs and reconstruction. The implementation of such hazard mitigation actions now by state and local governments means building stronger, safer and smarter communities that will be able to reduce future damage and injuries.  The specific goals adopted by the Village of Seville can be found in Appendix B.

Hospitals and/or Health Facilities:         Although there are no hospitals within the Village, there are three hospitals within 11 miles of Seville:

·        Medina General Hospital – approximately 9 miles; Medina, Ohio.

·        Wadsworth/Rittman Hospital – approximately 10 miles; Wadsworth, Ohio.

·        Lodi Community Hospital – approximately 11miles; Lodi, Ohio. 

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Chapter 3:   Development Issues

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The following is a review of the development issues in the Village.  These are the result of detailed evaluation and discussion by the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee of the existing conditions and trends summarized in Chapter 2, and the results of the survey (See Appendix C), and Town Meeting.  Map 11: Land Use Proposals illustrates the location and scope of these issues.

A.                 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

There appears to be an adequate amount of land zoned for commercial and industrial development within the Village.  Accessibility and availability of water and sewer has peeked interest in developing land in the Village, especially at the intersection of I-76 and S.R.-3. 

1.   Industrial: However, much of the land that is zoned for industry has significant constraints to development including wetlands and floodplains.  Should this land retain its industrial zoning?  What design standards can be provided to allow industrial development and at the same time lessen the impact to the community if this land is developed?

2.   Commercial:  Several commercial nodes, or centers, have developed in the Village of Seville; one in the downtown area, a highway oriented commercial area at the I-76, S.R.3 interchange and a more neighborhood commercial area at the intersection of S.R.3 and Greenwich Road.

3.                                                      Economic Development Incentives: Seville is actively attempting to keep economic activity balanced and viable through the following tools that are available on a discretionary basis for the Village to use to encourage new business and to expand and/or upgrade existing operations:

§         Community Reinvestment Areas are currently available to the Village for commercial and industrial uses.  This tool reduces taxes on new investment in property for a negotiated period of time.

§         Enterprise Zones are only applicable to industrial properties.  This tool allows for negotiated tax relief on new investment in machinery and/or equipment by new and or existing industrial operations; however, this tool has been made obsolete by the recent tax reform bill.

§         Revenues versus Expenses            In order for the Village to evaluate the desirability of different kinds of land uses, it is necessary to understand the various fiscal impacts for each type of use.  Summarized below are a few key points concerning the four major categories of land use:

§                     Office development generates more real estate tax revenue per acre than retail or industrial development because offices have more floor area per acre than either industrial or retail uses. 

§                     Retail development typically generates the second highest amount of real estate tax revenue per acre. 

§                     As a category, residential development generates the lowest real estate tax revenue.  Village income tax revenue generated from higher paying office and industrial jobs would make these uses the two highest tax revenue generators.  In addition to real estate taxes and income tax, commercial and industrial uses pay personal property tax on machinery and equipment, tools, supplies and inventory.

§                     Another aspect of land use is the level of services required compared to the amount of taxes paid.  The American Farmland Trust (AFT) conducted a study of the tax consequences of various land uses in a growing community.[3]  The AFT concluded that for every $1 of taxes paid by homeowners, $1.54 of community services such as education, police and fire protection and street maintenance were required.  For industry and commercial, only about $.23 of every tax dollar paid was required for its support.  Therefore, not only do commercial and industrial uses pay more in taxes; they also require fewer services.  

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B.                RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

Proposed residential development has the potential to change the character of the Village. In recent years several subdivisions have been proposed and/or built that, by their scale and location, will change the complexion of the Village.  The 2000 Census figures indicated that there were 847 housing units in Seville, an increase of almost 200 since the 1990 census.  All of the additional units are owner occupied.  Recent residential development proposals would provide the Village with close to 200 units within one subdivision with an anticipated build out over four (4) years, with accompanying demands on the sewer and water systems, and additional traffic on local streets and highways.

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C.        EXISTING DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS

The area north of I-76 presents a challenge in that the highway presents a significant barrier. Residential development is isolated amidst highway commercial development along Park Avenue West and industrial development along Ryan Road.  There is no pedestrian access along Route 3., and the Ryan Road connection is under the highway and industrial in nature.

There have been five significant annexations since the 1995 Comprehensive Plan [Silchuk, Easton, Silchuk/Hickey and McDaniel in 2002 and Marshall in 2003] adding a total of approximately 372 acres to the Village land area:    (See Map 9: Annexation History)

       1.              Silchuk Property (North) – Approximately 73 acres

This property is located at the north end of the Village.  It has approximately 490 feet of frontage on SR 3.  It is currently zoned I – (Industrial).

       2.              Easton Farm – Approximately 116 acres

This property is located in the northeast portion of the Village, east of SR 3 and south of Interstate Highway 76.  It is currently zones R-4 (Low Density Residential).  There are approximately 2285 feet of frontage on SR 3 and Royal Crest Drive stubs into this property from the south.

       3.              Silchuk /Hickey Property (West) – Approximately 79 acres

This property is located at the west end of the south-central portion of the Village, north of Seville Road and southwest of High Street.  It is currently zoned R-4 (Low Density Residential).  Access to the site will be from approximately 400 feet of frontage on High Street and 780 feet of frontage on Seville Road.

       4.              Mc Daniel Property – Approximately 63 acres

This property is located east of the south-central portion of the Village, north of Seville Road and west of Hubbard Valley Road.  It is currently zoned R-4 (Low Density Residential).  This site has approximately 1440 feet of frontage on Hubbard Valley Road.  It also has possible access to Seville Road and SR 3 via Red Oak Drive and/or Pleasant View Drive.

       5.              Marshall Property – Approximately 41 acres

This property is the triangle bordered by Interstate Highways 71 and   76, and Ryan Road.  It is currently zoned I (Industrial).  This property may be affected by the new I-76/I-71 interchange proposed by ODOT.  This site will access Ryan Road where it has approximately 550 feet of frontage.

Presently, all of these annexation properties are undeveloped other than the farm and homestead, or they are being used for agricultural purposes.  All of these properties have significant development potential, meaning they are likely to be developed within the next five (5) years.  The only constraint to development is that the eastern portion [that portion east of Hubbard Creek] of the Mc Daniels property cannot have sewer service at this time.        

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D.        EXISTING ZONING

Currently, there are eight (8) zoning districts within the Village of Seville.  There are four residential districts: R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4; two commercial districts: LC and HC; one industrial district- I; and, one flood plain overlay district.  It is anticipated that there will also be an “industrial park district” and a “mixed –use overlay district” created with the rewrite of the Village zoning ordinance.

            Flood Plain OVERLAY District

            R-1 [Currently R-4] - Low Density Residential District*

R-2 [Currently R-2] - Medium Density Residential* - This district is established to provide for one family residential use at a density of about three (3) dwelling units per acre.  This is the density intended to prevent:

A.     Excessive demands on sewerage and water systems;

B.     Congestion of traffic on street and highways;

R-3 [Currently R-1] - Low SUBURBAN Density Residential* - This district is established for one family dwellings, and two family dwellings, for the purpose of providing suburban type residential development in those areas of Seville which have central sewer and central water systems available.  The overall density permitted in a R-1 district shall not exceed 4.0 dwelling units per (net) acre.  The R-1 district regulations are designed to avoid excessive demands on community facilities and services and to provide residential development with a degree of flexibility in order to effectively utilize the natural topography and landscape, and should be centrally located for the purpose of continuity.

            * To be changed with the rewrite of the Village Zoning Ordinance.

R-4 [Currently R-3] - Multi-Family Urban Residential District* - The purpose of this district is to promote apartment development at densities up to [ten (10)] eight (8) dwelling units per acre.

LC -    Local Commercial The purpose of this district is to provide for a variety of retail, service and administrative establishments in unified groupings to service the needs of the residents of the Village of Seville.   The “LC” District Regulations are designed to provide for limited commercial development that can be located in relatively close proximity to residential uses.

HC – Highway Commercial - The purpose of the Highway Service Commercial District is to provide locations for establishments offering accommodations and services primarily to through automobile and truck traffic on US 224/I-76, and I-71.  The uses permitted in this district by nature tend to result in traffic congestions, parking problems and storage problems and are therefore distinguishable from uses in the “LC” district on this basis as well.  The location of these uses shall be limited to sites offering convenient access to and from these major highways such that adjacent zoning districts will not be disturbed with the external effects of these uses.  Central water and sewer service are required

            I – Industrial - The purpose of this district is to provide for industrial uses on a site, which are both suitable for such uses and protected from encroachment by other uses.  It is the intent of this district that industrial uses be developed on a unified site, which is planned and developed specifically as an industrial park to accommodate several uses or as a large site to accommodate a single use.  Permitted uses are those that have no detectable effects outside the “I” District.  Central water and sewer facilities are required.

* To be changed with the rewrite of the Village Zoning Ordinance.

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Chapter 4: Statement of Goals, Objectives and Policies

A.      INTRODUCTION

The Seville Village Comprehensive Plan is intended to serve as a guide for decisions affecting the Village over the next two decades and particularly, the development proposals for the Village.  In order to be effective, the plan needs to reflect the vision of those whom it is intended to benefit – the residents of Seville, those who live and work in Seville today and those who will make Seville their home in the future.  Accordingly, the process used to prepare this plan included a wide variety of community involvement opportunities.

A Steering Committee was formed in the spring of 2003 made up of 22 interested citizens from the Village.  The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, their official title, worked diligently for over a year evaluating the natural and man-made environment that is Seville and the resident vision for a future Seville.  Their evaluation included conducting a community survey that was distributed to all residents and property owners of Seville.  Through their efforts, a draft set of goals and objectives were presented to the community at an Open House on July 28, 2004.  The Open House was well attended with over 120 participants.  The participants were given the opportunity to provide input into the draft goals and objectives and to analyze the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for the Village.

Throughout the planning process, the following prevailing themes emerged and became the basis for the more general goals and specific policies that followed:

§         Preservation of the “small-town atmosphere” of Seville Village, including the historic downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods.

§         New development, as much as possible, should be compatible both in physical design and density with the existing Village and respect the natural capabilities and limitations of the land.

§         Recognizing that commercial and industrial development is needed to reduce the tax burden on residential property owners, such development should be well designed, landscaped and accessed.

§         Protection and preservation of natural amenities within the Village.

The following set of Goals, Objectives and Policies were drafted using the information from the survey, committee evaluations and the public meeting:

1.      Maintain the Village’s Small Town Atmosphere:

Downtown:

§         Encourage architectural designs and development styles that are in harmony with the existing character of the Village.

§         Promote protection of architecturally and historically significant sites and buildings in the Village.

§         Continue streetscape and roadway improvements to further enhance the aesthetics and pedestrian-oriented character of the downtown area.

§         Promote and enhance existing cultural resources, including the library, Historic Society, etc.

§         Provide visual and/or pedestrian connections with surrounding natural amenities such as Hubbard Creek.

§         Provide adequate, safe parking in and around the downtown area.

Landscaping/open space:

§         Maintain and promote the use of landscaping throughout the Village to improve and protect the small town atmosphere.

§         Maintain, protect and enhance existing street trees and roadside foliage.

§         Encourage the preservation of significant areas of open space along roadsides and promote scenic corridors to enhance property values and maintain the small town character of the Village.

Design/development:

§         Ensure that new development and/or redevelopment is compatible with existing development within the Village in terms of style and scale, and is integrated into the surrounding area to promote community interaction.

§         Manage growth to ensure development occurs at an appropriate scale, and in locations suitable for the type of development.

§         Develop annexation criteria to assure orderly, self-sufficient and paced development.

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2.        Properly Manage Future Growth and Development:

Development:

§         Encourage increased collaboration between the Village and the surrounding townships to better plan for and coordinate future growth and development.

§         Effectively buffer residential uses from the impacts of commercial and industrial development.

§         Promote alternative development techniques to manage the impacts of higher density residential development.

§         Properly plan development to preserve areas identified as important open space, stream corridors, wildlife habitat and corridors.

§         Adopt within the Comprehensive Development Plan the goals and objectives of the Medina  County All Hazard Mitigation Plan as they pertain to the Village of Seville (Appendix B). 

                  Infrastructure:

§         Limit burden on existing Village development by requiring new development to provide any additional infrastructure required.

§         Plan for and foster a balance and diversity of uses in the Village to control the cost of and need for public services and upgrades.

§         Maintain efficient and responsive fire and emergency services.

§         Allow for the provision of adequate infrastructure that addresses public needs.

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3.      Promote Economic Development:

§         Designate sufficient areas to allow for an appropriate amount of commercial and industrial growth, to promote a balanced tax base for the community.

§         Ensure that new commercial or retail development is compatible with existing adjacent uses.

§         Focus new commercial and industrial growth on lands already set aside for these uses before designating new areas.

§         Promote a diverse economy that offers opportunities to workers of all skills levels.

§         Promote and market the Village downtown area to enhance its vitality.

§         Promote the re-use of existing, vacant facilities for new and expanding, commercial and industrial establishments.

§         Foster a balance and diversity of land uses in the Village to control the cost of and need for public services and upgrades.

4.      Protect and Preserve Water Resources:

·         Promote the use of comprehensive storm water management best management practices on a watershed scale to address the quantity and quality of storm water runoff, thereby reducing the degradation of stream resources and the impacts of non-point source pollutants on surface water resources.

·         Promote the use of best management practices and conservation measures to protect the quality and quantity of groundwater resources.          

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5.   Provide and Improve Recreational Opportunities and Parks:

§         Preserve and enhance existing parks and recreation facilities that serve the Village.

§         Preserve natural habitats and open space corridors for wildlife preservation.

§         Investigate opportunities for expanding existing facilities, and where appropriate, acquire additional parkland or facilities.

§         Promote connections between recreational facilities and/or trails in the region and the Village to enhance and increase opportunities for recreation.

§         Improve public access to regional creek corridors.

§         Encourage cooperation and coordination of recreational facilities and programming among the townships, villages, park districts and school districts in the region.

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   6.   Maintain and Enhance the Existing Transportation System:

§         Continue to promote a pedestrian friendly Village.

§         Promote safe roads for automobile travel with pathways to effectively accommodate bicycles, pedestrians and other modes of transportation.

§         Ensure proper roadway maintenance.

§         Properly plan development to reduce automobile dependency.

§         Properly manage development to reduce and control roadway congestion.

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        7.  Ensure an Appropriate and Quality Housing Stock:

§         Promote and maintain the high quality of the existing and future housing stock.

§         Encourage the provision of a greater variety of housing styles and types to accommodate a wider range of housing preferences, income levels and household types (singles, seniors, empty-nesters).

§         Encourage housing development to occur in a manner that enables residents to use existing infrastructure and services efficiently.

§         Consider the provision of recreational space in new residential development.

§         Protect architecturally and historically significant sites and buildings in the Village.

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Chapter 5: Implementation Strategies

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This portion of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan identifies specific recommendations to implement the Goals and Objectives contained in Chapter 4.  These implementation measures fall into the following categories:

·        Zoning Text Amendments,

·        Zoning Map Amendments,

·        Future studies, and

·        Administrative Measures.

A.                 ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS

Zoning is the Village’s fundamental tool to be used to bring about many of the land use policies stated in this Plan. The following text amendments should be included in the update of the Village’s Zoning Ordinance.

1.                  Modify the existing LC district regulations:

a.                  Explicitly add offices to the list of permitted uses.

b.                  Establish a building setback of 100 feet from S.R. 3.

c.                  Increase the landscaped areas adjacent to existing streets from 15 feet to 25 feet.

d.                  Establish a 20-foot landscaped area adjacent to any proposed internal public streets.

e.                  Within the above landscaped areas adjacent to public streets require a minimum of 5 major shade trees and 20 shrubs for every 100 feet of lot frontage.

f.                    Require a minimum of 5% of the interior of parking lots to be planted within landscaped islands. Each island must have:

(1)               A minimum of 10 feet for each dimension.

(2)               At least one major shade tree.

g.                  Require specific landscaping within the existing 25’ side and 50’ rear yard setback (buffer strip) required when development is adjacent to residential property.

(1)               A wall, fence or mound with a minimum height of 6 feet, and/or

(2)               Major shade trees or evergreen trees planted sufficiently to screen the view of buildings from adjacent residential lots.

2.                  Revise the HC Commercial District Regulations.

a.                  Increase the parking setback from the street right-of-way from 20 feet to 30 feet.

b.                  Establish specific landscaping requirements to screen parking lots from the street. Screening must effectively screen a minimum of 50% of the parking lot area. This should be accomplished using vegetation, trees, or walls with a minimum height of 3 feet. This shall apply to any lot with 5 or more parking spaces when the lot is located in a front yard or side yard.

c.                  Add regulations that require minimum stacking space for drive-through facilities.

3.                  Create a Mixed-Use overlay district for the Village Downtown area (These regulations would be in addition to the LC District regulations.)  Map 11: Land Use Proposals illustrates the area where the Mixed–Use Overlay District regulations are intended to apply.

a.                  Restrict first floor space to retail and offices and second floor space to offices and residential units.

b.                  Establish setback requirements to encourage new buildings to be located in line with existing buildings. 

c.                  Require buildings to have a minimum of 50% percent of the façade devoted to windows and other architectural features to prevent "blank" retail walls.

d.                  Require parking to be located behind the minimum building setback.

e.                 

Allow required parking to be provided off-site, or waive or reduce parking requirements.

f.                 Require parking lots with more than 50 contiguous feet of parking exposed to the street to have screening between the street and the parking lot.

4.                  Create an Historic Overlay District that includes the downtown area and the surrounding residential Areas.  (These regulations would be in addition to the underlying LC and R1 Districts.) Map 11: Land Use Proposals illustrates the area where the Historic Overlay District regulations are intended to apply

a.                  Provide architectural review standards for new construction and alterations to existing buildings that preserve the historic structures in the downtown area and the “village” character of the surrounding residential areas.

b.                  Provide standards for infill development

c.                  Require parking for any non-residential use to be located behind the building.

d.                  Reduce residential front setback requirements.

5.                  CREATE AN INDUSTRIAL/OFFICE PARK ZONING DISTRICT:

a.                  Light industrial and office use;

b.                  Park-like development with design guidelines;

c.                  Landscaping and screened parking.

6.                  Revise standards for cluster development permitted as a conditional in the R1, R2 and R3 districts.    Retain  current densities and allow flexibility in the placement of buildings to preserve natural amentities of the site and open space.

a.                  Require a minimum project size of 25 acres.

b.                  The gross density permitted would remain as currently permitted within the zoning district with a required minimum of 30% open space (based on the total area of the development).

c.                  Allow for the flexible arrangement of units within the project site while ensuring that a minimum setback of 85 feet is maintained along existing streets and the perimeter of the project in order to create an adequate buffer.

d.                  Require the establishment of a homeowner’s association or similar entity to be responsible for the maintenance of the open space.

7.                  Expand the scope of the existing site plan review procedures.

a.                  Add design review guidelines that would include a broad range of criteria to regulate the overall appearance of buildings in specific areas.

(1)               Within the proposed overlay districts

(2)               All uses along the S.R.3 Corridor to ensure cohesive and compatible development and provide an attractive gateway into the Village.

b.                  Provide detailed procedural steps for site plan review;

(1)               Application form

(2)               Comments from Engineer and other agencies

(3)               Use of outside consultants, if necessary, (paid by the applicant).

(4)               Require additional studies, if necessary, (paid by the applicant).

c.                  Detailed Landscape Plan to be part of the submittal.

d.                  Signage – detail and location on Site Plan or Landscape Plan.

e.                  Elevations including building façade materials to be part of the submittal.

8.                  STRENGTHEN LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS.

a.                  Reinstate requirement for street trees in residential developments.

b.                  Screening of parking lots and as buffers between conflicting land uses.

9.                  PROVIDE FOR RIPARIAN CORRIDORS ALONG HUBBARD CREEK AND CHIPPEWA CREEK.

10.       TRAILS TO BE INCORPORATED INTO ANY PROJECT DEVELOPED ALONG PROPOSED TRAIL SYSTEM.

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B.      ZONING MAP AMENDMENTS

The following zoning map amendments are recommended as changes that could be made in the short term to implement the goals and objectives established in Chapter 4.   Map 11: Land Use Proposals, identifies the areas that are affected by the proceeding policies. 

1.                  Residential structures along S.R. 3 (Center Street) between Spring Street and Washington currently zoned LC Local Commercial.

a.                  Retain residential look

b.                  Guidelines for commercial uses in the residential structures

c.                  Consider rezoning/applying to the mixed use overlay district.

d.                  Signage – pedestrian scale

(1)               Maximum of 4’ in height.

(2)               Maximum area 9 square feet.

(3)               Lighting – no backlighting, only by spotlights.

2.                  Property at the southeast corner of I-76 and Center Road currently zoned R-4. (See STUDY AREA 1 and 1A Maps)

a.                  High development potential

b.                  Limit direct access to S.R. 3

(1)               Align with Panther Parkway

(2)               Internal roadway system, public and/or private

c.                  Encourage development plan for the entire area.

(1)               Industrial Park along Interstate 76 and center of the site

i.        Good visibility and accessibility

ii.      Create new industrial park district

(2)               Residential development as an extension of the cluster development to the south.

(3)               Retain as much of the woodlands as possible:

i.        In exchange for increased density

ii.      Provide link to trail proposed along Hubbard Creek.

(4)               Commercial/office along SR 3 designed as an integral part of the industrial park.

(5)               Additional landscaping along SR 3 with screening of parking areas.

d.                  “Village scale commercial development at the northeast corner of Greenwich Road and SR 3.

e.                  Higher density residential between commercial node at the northeast corner of Greenwich Road and SR 3, and residential development on Royal Crest Drive.

3.                  Silchuk North Property, area west of SR 3 and north of I-76 (See STUDY AREA 2 and 2A Maps))

a.                  Currently zoned Industrial – Industrial zoning was in response to the possible location of the University of Akron branch and accompanying technological park.

b.                  This property can serve as a transitional area:

(i)     Between the rural residential development to the north within Gilford Township and the highway commercial development that exists to the south along Park Avenue West.

(ii)   From condominium development on the west to more intense development along SR 3 to the east.

c.                  Wooded area and ravine exist as a natural buffer between residential to the west and mixed uses to the east; ravine is to be kept in its natural state.

(i)     Land west of the ravine to be developed as residential

(ii)   Access to this residential development shall be from Park Avenue West.

d.                  Area east of the ravine to be developed as a mixed–use development that includes light industrial and residential uses with commercial/office development along SR 3.

(i)     No direct access to SR 3.

(ii)   Landscaping, and screening of parking areas.

e.                  Ravine area possible parkland with trail link.

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C.      FUTURE STUDIES

Review of the goals, objectives, constraints, opportunities and development pressures affecting the Village of Seville brings to light several areas that will require further study.  These areas, along with the constraints and opportunities, are illustrated on Map 11: Land Use Proposals.

1.                  SR 3 Corridor

a.                  The SR 3 corridor is the gateway to the community.

b.                  No delineation of entering Seville

c.                  Barrier created by I-76

d.                  No pedestrian access across I-76

e.                  Major tie across barrier

f.                    Trail link?

g.                  Access management

h.                  Landscaping

i.                    Design Guidelines

j.                     Farms

k.                  Future widening        

2.                  Integration of Chippewa and Hubbard Creeks into downtown design plan:

a.                  Valuable asset

b.                  Provide access - physical and/or visual:

i.        Potential of the BOPA building property

ii.      Old village hall site

c.                                         Public access through parkland/trail along the creek bed

d.                                         Attract restaurants with decks overlooking the creeks and other retail activity that takes advantage of this asset.       

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D.      ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURES

Some of the policies summarized in Chapter 5 cannot be addressed solely through zoning.  Therefore, in addition to the various zoning text and map amendments recommended in Sections A and B, the following administrative measures should be pursued to further implement the policies included in this Plan.

1.                  Consider developing design guidelines for private business owners and residential development along the S.R.3 corridor.  The guidelines should identify the preferred types of landscaping (i.e. indigenous trees and shrubs that are known to flourish in that type of microclimate), street furniture, lighting, building design criteria, signage, etc.

2.                  Work with Guilford and Westfield Townships to create a general development plan for the Greenwich Road area.

3.                  Contact various commercial and industrial developers who have experience in the Medina County area to review with them the likelihood of and obstacles to development within the Village.

4.                  Consider becoming a Charter Village to attain greater “home-rule” control of development, etc.

5.                  Although there is ample area for development expansion within the current village boundary, requests for annexation may be submitted and/or there may be instances where annexation would be beneficial to the Village. Criteria for evaluating potential annexations should be developed.  Such criteria may include the following:

·        Property contiguous to Village Boundary

·        Within Village Growth Boundaries as established by the Comp. Plan

a.   Logical growth pattern

e.      Encourages orderly growth

·        Adequate level of services and infrastructure is available

a.      Utilities

b.      Roadway system

·        Sufficient planning and engineering data has been supplied, and all necessary studies and reviews completed such that there are no unresolved issues.

·        Discourage islands and enclaves of unincorporated territory

·        Other issues that may affect the timeliness and/or wisdom of any particular annexation petition:

a.      Compatible with village characteristics

b.      Protects natural resources

c.      Fiscal impacts

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Chapter 6: Economic Development

The strategic location of Seville one mile from the intersection of I-76 and I-71, local control of utilities and an infrastructure that is conducive to growth set Seville apart from many communities in northeast Ohio.  Over the last thirty years the Village of Seville has seen steady growth in all areas of its economy.

Location:   The Village of Seville is located approximately eight (8) miles south of the City of Medina, 28 miles from Akron, Ohio and 30 miles from the center of Cleveland, Ohio.  The intersection of I-76 and SR 3 is located within the Village boundaries and the intersection of I-71 and I-76 is one mile outside the Village.  This ease of access has introduced the Village of Seville to a regional economy that includes the cities of Akron, Canton, Medina, Wadsworth, Brunswick, Wooster and Ashland and a population of more than 1,700,000 within a 30-mile radius. (See Map 1A: Communities within 30 miles of the Village of Seville.)

Local Control of Utilities:  The Village of Seville is in the desirable position of controlling it own utilities under the control of its Board of Public Affairs (BOPA).

BOPA provides electric, water and sewer services to the residents of the Village of Seville and a portion of Guilford Township.   

Electric           Seville is one of Ohio’s eighty-five Public Power Systems.  Currently serving electric to 1684 customers, Seville also provides electricity to all Village street lights, Village buildings, the Water Plant, the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and ball-field lighting at no cost to local tax- payers.  Seville’s electric rates are approximately 30% less than surrounding investor owned utilities.

Water              Currently, Seville supplies water to 1073 customers.  Seville’s water supply is provided by two wells located on Eby Road south of the Village near the Wayne/Medina County line.  The well field is capable of pumping 750,000 gallon per day and the current average usage is less than 400,000 gallons a day

Sewer             The Board of Public Affairs Wastewater Treatment Plant is a sequencing batch reactor plant.  Built in 1989, the treatment plant has a capacity of 500,000 gallons per day.  The current usage averages 300,000 gallons per day. 

Customers are charged a flat rate of $5.00 per month for storm sewers.  This fee is used to maintain and rebuild the Village storm sewer system, as it is needed.

Infrastructure:  In addition to an adequate capacity for growth in the area of utilities, the Village of Seville has its own street department responsible for street maintenance including repair, snow plowing and salting.   Garbage collection is privately contracted.

Taxes:

            Village Income Tax               The Village income tax is 1.00%.  There is a ¼% credit if a resident pays a city tax at his/her place of employment.

Land Availability:       Within the Village boundaries, there are approximately 780 acres of land that are undeveloped or being used for agricultural purposes. This undeveloped land in combination with the land used for agriculture accounts for almost half of the land area of the Village (49.01%), and provides considerable opportunity for development within the present Village boundary.

Land Costs:               Land costs within the Village compare favorably with surrounding areas.

Favorable Governmental Environment:

The Village of Seville is an active member of the Medina County Economic Development Corporation whose mission is to, “enhance the quality of life in Medina County through economic development.”  Seville welcomes quality development of all types and is willing to work with prospective developers.

Community Reinvestment Areas (CRA) are currently available to the Village for commercial and industrial uses.  This tool reduces taxes on new investment in property for a negotiated period of time. 

Foreign Trade Zones  (FTZ) A Seville based company has applied for FTZ status and is currently waiting for approval.  Established by Congress as an incentive to keep jobs and investment in the United States, this program removes certain costs and barriers that do not exist in foreign locations.

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