The Oberlin City Council voted Wednesday to direct the city manager and the Public Works Department to proceed with installing full water, sanitary and storm infrastructure for the Green Acres residential site, preparing the project for bid.

Council’s motion, moved by Councilmember Michael McFarland and seconded by Councilmember Kristen Peterson, passed by unanimous voice vote. City staff said the work would extend existing sanitary sewer mains, add storm mains, and provide 17 service laterals so lots would be “ready to build.”

The recommendation came from the Green Acres Development Committee and was presented by Interim City Manager John Clark and Public Works Director Jeff Bauman. Bauman described the planned scope: extend about 50 feet of sanitary main on South Oberlin Road to serve sublots 9 and 10, connect sublots 1–8 to existing sanitary along East College Street, add water service lateral connections, and install storm mains to tie into nearby systems. He said sanitary flows will route through existing interceptors toward the wastewater plant, and that the stormwater approach would use small on-lot detention similar to recent subdivisions.

Clark said the committee considered whether the city should install all infrastructure up front rather than issuing individual permits as lots sell. Public Works favors doing the work all at once to achieve economies of scale, reduce repeated roadway disturbance, and limit multiple future permits and inspections. Bauman estimated the design could be ready to go out to bid in about six weeks, and Clark said the project is budgeted for the current year.

Council asked several operational questions. Councilmember Jose Lopez asked whether a potential apartment or other higher-demand use on the site would be served; Bauman said any such building would be served off East Lorraine Street and that water sizing could vary by use while a six-inch sewer lateral is a reasonable baseline. Councilmember McFarland confirmed the estimated cost exceeds the city manager’s $75,000 administrative threshold; Clark said the funding and ordinance language will come back to council and that staff will apply to the Ohio EPA for the sanitary sewer extension permit.

Council’s motion included direction for City Manager Clark and Public Works to work with the design firm to finalize bid-ready plans and to hire quality-control inspection during construction. Council members said the city would bear initial installation costs and recoup them through future lot sales.

Council voted verbally in favor: Walter — aye; New — aye; McFarland — aye; English — aye; Lopez — aye; Peterson — aye; Johnson (Mayor Ebony A. Johnson) — aye.

If the city proceeds, staff said the earliest timeline would be bidding in roughly six weeks once design and permitting are completed, and construction was described as a short-term project (Bauman estimated roughly six to eight weeks for construction, depending on final scope).