A new logistics park near North Baltimore will continue the logistical traffic nightmare in the area, according to the Jackson Township trustees.
In a presentation to the Wood County Commissioners on Tuesday, the trustees asked for a “seat at the table” regarding economic expansion in the area — and for help.
“It’s difficult to explain — but when you live there and you see it,” Trustee Greg Panning said. “Something’s got to happen. And I’m looking for the county’s support.”
Because of haphazard planning, trucks driving the wrong way and CSX trains blocking crossings, the Jackson Township roads are being torn up, he said.
He said the township has 69 miles of roads to maintain, with the third lowest budget in the county.
“The only money that we get in Jackson Township is real estate, and that’s agricultural,” Panning said. “Our taxpayers are paying for the damage and everyone else is reaping the benefits.”
The township just paid $100,000 to improve Weston Road and now it is torn up again because of truck traffic, he said.
Jackson Township has a $300,000 annual budget, Panning said.
“So $100,000 to do Weston Road and it’s destroyed? Six months and it’s destroyed. How do we explain this to our citizens?” he said. “$100,000 in our township is a lot of money.”
The issue came to a head last week when Logistics Park Ohio announced a $100-$150 million project with thousands of jobs in Henry Township, across from CSX.
The commissioners approved a Community Reinvestment Area Program for NorthPoint Development. The CRA is a direct incentive tax exemption program benefiting property owners who renovate existing or construct new buildings.
“We’ve been left in the dark this whole time,” Panning said of the project.
He spoke of the failure of Willmar International, another logistics company, in the area.
“But yet we’re going to build another warehouse, for a hope and a prayer that it comes,” Panning said.
He also talked about the differences between the Rossford and Lake Township areas, which have the infrastructure to support an Amazon fulfillment center and First Solar.
“We’ve got nothing,” he said. “There’s not even sewage out here.”
The main issue in the area is that crossings are blocked by parked CSX trains. Trucks travel several roads, trying to find an unblocked intersection to cross, Panning said.
He estimated that there are 175 trucks per day in the area.
Some of the possible solutions discussed by Panning and the commissioners were an overpass and the use of Tax Increment Financing dollars being released to the township.
Andrew Kalmar, county administrator, said they would contact the Ohio Department of Transportation, Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments and state legislators.
“We’ll invite everyone to the table, including you,” Kalmar told Panning.
The CRA deal approved by the commissioners last week gives NorthPoint 100% tax exemption for 15 years for each building. There could be five phases, with the first phase encompassing 278 acres.
The school districts impacted will receive 25 cents per square foot for each facility as the buildings progress, Miles said. The districts include North Baltimore Local Schools and Penta Career Center.
The job numbers predicted are 1,557 in the first phase, with an additional 489 in the second phase, according to information presented to the commissioners.
The company takes intermodal hubs and develops them into business parks.
The proposed master plan presented to the commissioners shows five buildings, ranging from 978,000 square feet to 504,000 square feet, located between Liberty Hi and Deshler roads.
Some of NorthPoint’s customers include General Motors, Amazon, Ford, Caterpillar, Flexsteel, Kubota and United Parcel Service. They build large warehouses to store, then ship products.
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