Lorain County approves Law Road ditch-cleaning project in Grafton Township; property owners will not be assessed

The Lorain County Board of Commissioners on June 3, 2025, approved the Law Road Community Grant Project in Grafton Township, authorizing Lorain County Stormwater Management to proceed with cleaning and improving the ditch along Law Road and declaring that no special assessments will be levied on property owners to pay project costs.

The project was presented at a public hearing held under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 6117 and follows Resolution 24-2-92 (adopted April 25, 2025). County and stormwater staff said the work is intended to restore the ditch flow line, remove restrictions, and maintain access for property owners. County staff told the board that seven of seven affected property owners have granted easements for the work and that funding to fully cover construction has already been set aside.

County and stormwater officials described the scope as removing about 1,000 cubic yards of sediment, clearing and grubbing more than 2 acres, and working along roughly 1,815 feet of ditch to restore the outlet. The county engineer’s written report, dated May 26, found no problems with the county culverts that would be affected by the proposed work.

Don, representing the Lorain County Stormwater Management District, told commissioners that the project was reviewed and recommended for funding by the Stormwater Advisory Committee and that the county has the money reserved to pay construction costs and to avoid special assessments. He said, “we have the funding set aside already to fully fund it so that there will be no assessments for either the construction,” and recommended the district proceed without levying assessments for ongoing maintenance.

Dan Karpoziak, a property owner who lives on Chamberlain Road adjacent to the ditch, testified that his property floods because the culvert on the downstream side narrows where it discharges. He said, “the culvert that the water goes into is big compared to the where it goes out the other side,” and described a buildup of dirt behind the smaller downstream pipe that prevents drainage and causes flooding of his property.

Peter Zwick, of the county engineer’s office, explained that the county project will stop at the large box culvert under Law Road (about 5-by-3 feet) and will not include work on a downstream, privately owned culvert located roughly 100 feet further downstream on private property owned by the Everhard family. Zwick recommended that the county or property owners pursue a separate effort with the downstream private owner to clear that pipe if necessary.

Commissioners moved to adopt the Lorain County Stormwater Management Drainage District designation for the Law Road Community Grant Project and to declare the work necessary for the public health and welfare. The motion notes that no special assessments will be levied to pay any part of the project cost. The motion passed with recorded ayes from Commissioner Shoredahl, Commissioner Moore, Commissioner Gallagher and Commissioner Redell; the hearing was then adjourned.

Next steps discussed were allowing the stormwater district to proceed through the county process to complete design and construction and pursuing any separate contact with the downstream private landowners for additional clearing if the Everhard family agrees.