Hocking County holds second public hearing on CDBG applications for Logan, Laurelville

Hocking County held a second public hearing on June 5 as part of its application to the Ohio Department of Development for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding under the Small Cities Program. County staff said the application package would include a Neighborhood Revitalization Grant (NRG) for the City of Logan and a Critical Infrastructure (CI) grant for the Village of Laurelville, and commissioners approved signing three standard application documents required by the state.

County staff reading the public notice said the county is eligible to apply for program-year CDBG funds and is pursuing multiple funding streams. The county intends to apply for a Neighborhood Revitalization Grant up to $750,000; the proposed City of Logan NRG project has an estimated total cost of $787,600 (including a $37,600 local allocation match), with $700,000 of that amount budgeted for construction and $50,000 for administration. The Village of Laurelville CI project was presented with an estimated total cost of $582,405, including $470,000 for construction, $30,000 for administration and an $82,400 local allocation match.

Project activities described in the hearing include sidewalk, paving and flood-and-drainage improvements in downtown Logan, including repair or replacement of about 16 catch basins and roughly 1,000 feet of piping in a downtown corridor; staff said exact limits on Third Street will depend on final contractor estimates. The county noted Church Street was considered but may be funded through other grants.

Staff said planning, administration and fair-housing activities are exempt from environmental review under the state rules for this program and that the application packet includes an anti-displacement and relocation plan stating the county would cover relocation costs if displacement were to occur. The presenter said because the proposed work is primarily street, sidewalk and drainage work, displacement is not expected.

After the hearing, the commissioners voted to approve and sign the three required application documents: the residential anti-displacement and relocation assistance plan, the authorizing resolution on county letterhead, and the environmental review certificate. The motion to approve and sign the three documents passed with all commissioners voting in favor.

County staff acknowledged final contractor estimates were still outstanding and said project scope and exact street limits will be determined once estimates return. Staff also said the county will submit required paperwork to the state and will move forward based on the state’s application timeline.

The hearing record included references to the county’s coordination with City of Logan officials and the city’s service director, and to DLZ, the engineering/consulting firm assisting project design and cost estimation.

The county did not set a final funding commitment at the meeting; commissioners authorized the application and signing of required documents so the county may seek the state-administered CDBG funds.