Athens County could soon be home to a microbrewery by the city’s bike path that’s “similar to Jackie O’s” but just outside of the city limits, Athens officials said.
Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, said at the council’s committee meetings Monday night that the city would have to annex 2.2 acres on Armitage Road to make the area where the proposed microbrewery would be. Fahl cited that the establishment would need to utilize city water and sewage, hence requiring annexation.
Alex Couladis, part owner of the Armitage Road property where the microbrewery would go and Rusty Rittenhouse, Couladis’ attorney, spoke to council members Monday evening. They said the next step is speaking to Athens County Commissioners, who must sign off on it, too.
“It sounds great, another microbrewery in Athens,” Fahl said, adding that Couladis had a detailed business plan. “In vision it will be similar to Jackie O’s by the bike path.”
The property is close to the University Estates, 540 W. Union St, but sits just outside of city limits.
Fahl added that the annexation process includes the owners acquiring permission from county and city officials, as well as the city determining what services will have to be used. After that, if city leaders wish, council can approve the annexation.
Also at council, Councilman Steve Patterson, D-at large, discussed the June 2012 pollution of the Brine Lagoon, which could cost more than $14,000. The state alleges hydrofluoric cylic acid was dumped. The city was notified by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency that the agency had done an investigation of the water.
The agency charged the city $14,000, and city officials said they plan to divide the payments into two programs: waste collection and a review of hazardous waste handling at various city departments.
Both programs will cost $7,200, Patterson said.
“The second step was to have a thorough reviewing of how hazardous waste are inventoried and controlled and what hazardous waste there is,” Patterson said. “There would be two half-day training sessions on how to properly dispose of these hazardous items.”
As far as the hazardous waste collection, Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl said the city typically hosts a household waste collection every other year and that this step will be fairly routine. It is undetermined when the collection will be held.
Also noteworthy: Fahl brought up to council members House Bill 375, which cleared the House on Monday. It would lower taxes on conventional wells while increasing taxes on horizontal drilling, Fahl said, adding that she believes the revenue from these taxes would only benefit Ohio’s more affluent citizens and could encourage more fracking statewide.
Council members will hold a one-reading resolution at next week’s meeting to further discuss the bill’s possible effect on the area.
“It frustrates me to no end that we have to do resolutions over and over because the state refuses to listen to local input,” Fahl said.
Athens City Council President Jim Sands, who returned to council after a two week hiatus, closed the chamber doors after Monday night’s committee presentations to hold an executive session, which the mayor said was to discuss “personnel and labor issues.”
An abbreviated version of this article orginally appeared in print under the headline "New microbrewery under consideration."
