Homeowners seek clarity on 20-foot utility easement at North Ridgeville hearing on Aspen Street vacation

North Ridgeville — At a public hearing Monday evening, adjacent homeowners Ellis and Jody Stevens asked the City Council for clarification about a 20-foot utility easement shown in an ordinance that would vacate part of Aspen Street.

"I am Ellis Stevens, 5674 Ridgeview Boulevard," Ellis Stevens said when he addressed the council. His wife, Jody Stevens, added, "I'm Jody Stevens, same address, wife." The Stevenses described that they have maintained the swale behind their property since building their home in 2002 and said surveys prepared by Hoffman and Metzger have been submitted to the city.

The couple told the council they were surprised to see a 20-foot utility easement included in the ordinance and said they "were not aware that there were any utilities running through that portion." They also said the swale appears on the county auditor's records as owned by the developer Drees and that fences along property lines prevent city equipment from accessing the area.

The Mayor thanked the speakers and noted Kim Lieber, the city's director of planning and development, was present and "may be able to shed some light" on the utility-easement question. No city staff response is recorded in the transcript.

The council did not take a vote on the ordinance. After hearing from the Stevenses and asking if anyone else wished to speak, the presiding official adjourned the hearing with no further business on the agenda.

What happened next: The hearing ended without a formal decision; the Stevenses asked for clarification about ownership and the scope of a 20-foot utility easement, and the council noted staff in attendance who might follow up. The transcript does not show any formal action, motion, or vote related to the ordinance during this meeting.