Perrysburg · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Perrysburg public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
City-Township Growth Areas and the 99-Year Agreement
Residents questioned why township land appears in Perrysburg's plan. Officials cited the decades-old 99-year agreement making the west side of I-75 the city's primary growth area, with the east side left to township or voluntary owner-initiated annexation.
E. River Road Rezone to Institutional
The city bought the former Mercy Health building to move municipal services there, but the property's zoning (office/service and single-family residential) doesn't allow that use. Rezoning to 'institutional' fixes that and lets the city comply with its own rules. The Planning Commission unanimously backed it in August.
Park bench donations and Municipal Park sunshades
Sunshades over the baseball field bleachers at Municipal Park are being priced for installation, possibly by the end of 2026 — matching the design already in place elsewhere.
Tree City USA recertification and Growth Award application
Perrysburg's annual Tree City USA recertification and Growth Award application is due the first week of December. Keeping the designation matters for the city's urban forestry credentials and eligibility for related programs.
Underused parks: Bicentennial and Three Meadows
With the city budget stretched by downtown renovations and the new River Road building, PRAC's 2027 focus is maximizing what Bicentennial and Three Meadows already offer rather than adding new amenities.
Fall planting and winter pruning plans
Crews recently trimmed 63 trees around Nora Drive and Little Creek Drive, removed 16 stumps, and planted 16 new trees — steady upkeep of the city's street tree canopy.
Growth of Perrysburg residential subdivisions
The 102-lot single-family, 96 villa-lot, 86 attached-villa PUD near the high school moved forward with final plat approval for its first 31 lots.
Edward Jones storefront improvements at 12855 Eckel Junction Road
Edward Jones wants to update the exterior storefront at its Southpoint Business Park office, and the architectural review committee weighs in on whether the design fits the park's standards. These reviews keep the business park looking consistent but can add a step for property owners before work begins.
Research & Development code amendment
New definitions for light and heavy research/testing uses would let R&D businesses locate in Perrysburg without waiting for the full zoning rewrite, with strict buffers keeping heavy testing away from homes. Staff cited interest from a smart-glass firm and Whirlpool.
Assistant Law Director Position
The 2027 law budget proposes a new assistant law director who would also serve as clerk of council — succession planning and a second attorney for the city. Kuhlman wants outside counsel spending history first and suggested exploring a hybrid prosecutor role.
Senior Utility Discount Program
A proposed discount for residents over 65 or disabled residents with limited incomes was tabled while the committee gathers more details, including whether renters and non-resident rate payers should qualify.
Fire Station 38 Renovation
The fire station kitchen/day-room renovation is about 40-45% done, with cabinets and flooring going in now. The goal is completion by end of November — ahead of the contractor's end-of-year target.
Rotary Community Park grant pursuit
Rotary raised $140,000 but the $850,000 project needed help: a state beacon grant cut ~$300,000, $200,000 is in the 2027 budget, and a $500,000 Meta grant application is pending.
Invisible Fence Company Grant
The committee was scheduled to discuss a grant from the Invisible Fence Company. The purpose and value of the grant were not detailed in the published agenda.
Animal Control Officer
The Safety Committee will revisit the animal control officer position eliminated years ago at its October 20 meeting — a frequent community request.
Pedestrian Safety at I-75 Overpass (Route 20)
A resident raised concerns again about pedestrians and cyclists crossing the Route 20 bridge over I-75. Staff will look at signage and grant options; a real fix would likely wait for an ODOT bridge replacement that isn't planned anytime soon.
Income tax collections trend
September was soft but year-to-date collections are up 0.8%. Net profit taxes are down ~29%, offset by individual and withholding gains, and refunds are running $500,000 lower than last year.
IT staffing and cybersecurity spending
The IT budget adds an administrator and replaces 12 end-of-life network switches, with a big jump in Microsoft licensing tied to cybersecurity needs.
Deputy tax commissioner and enforcement
The tax division wants a deputy tax commissioner (about six months of the year) to handle enforcement — landlords, contractors, delinquencies — plus reminder postcards to boost filings. Tax accounts grew 13% in one year.
2027 Budget Requests
Tax, IT and Law departments want new positions and tech: a Deputy Tax Commissioner, an IT administrator, an Assistant Law Director/Clerk hybrid, and 12 network switch replacements.
2026 Budget Adjustments
Council approved about $75,000 in 2026 budget adjustments — mostly extra money for street and refuse vehicle repairs — and certified the county-determined tax levy amounts, which show only a nominal increase for 2027.
2027 Recreation Budget
The recreation department had a record 2026 with 4,500+ registrants in 96 programs, and 2027 keeps the same programming. Labor moves into the services line and supplies are cut to match what's actually spent — about a 16% overall decrease.
2027 Engineering budget and ADA transition plan
The 2027 Engineering budget, up 6.8 percent, funds a new employee, a required ADA transition plan covering all city facilities, a study of traffic congestion at Woodlands-area schools on Indian Avenue, and Sandusky Street intersection studies.
Appointment to Park & Recreation Advisory Committee
Anwer Ali, a physician with mental health experience, wants to help spread the word about recreation programs and pursue grants; the committee forwarded his appointment to Council.
Nonconforming commercial sign updates
The board must decide whether oversized gas station signs that lost their grandfathered status can stay. The same variances were denied in August 2025 and the signs remain in place, so staff is pushing for denial while offering the applicant a narrower color-only fix.
Record 2026 recreation participation and 2027 programming
The committee drafted 13 ideas for the Recreation Committee's February 9 meeting, including an e-bike rules workshop with police input, kayak workshops at Three Meadows pond, and QR-code court schedules to make reservations easier.
Fort Meigs Road Multi-Use Path
Council accepted donated land from the schools and a title agency and dedicated park land at Rivercrest and Rotary parks so the safety-funded path along Fort Meigs Road, W. Indiana and Hull Prairie can go out to bid on schedule.
Relocation of municipal services to former Mercy Health site
The city wants to rezone 6.22 acres it bought from Mercy Health so municipal services and Public Utilities can expand there. The commission recommended approval; council hears it October 6.
New water and sewer rates
First readings of ordinances updating water and sewer rate structures — the actual rate numbers and vote are still to come, likely later in October.
Wood County Park District recreation grants
The city is applying at all three grant tiers: a boat dock at Maple Street, safety netting for all five batting cages, and a bench swing on the Hood Park multi-use path. City Council votes on whether to apply at its next meeting.
Road salt supply for winter 2026-27
Locking in 2,500 tons of salt at $93.26/ton keeps winter streets cleared at a price under budget.
Partnership with Perrysburg Heights Community Center
The committee's 2027 focus is generating ideas to draw people to Bicentennial and Three Meadows parks. Members also want to make better use of the Perrysburg Heights Community Center, which the city supports with a $20,000 annual donation but has two underused gymnasiums.
Watermain Replacement Project
The Front, Second and Third Street watermain project moves forward with $79,000 in materials and a re-signed Ohio EPA loan.
Ace Hardware site plan at 1175 Louisiana Avenue
A preliminary and final site plan for a new Ace Hardware at 1175 Louisiana Avenue was on the commission's agenda. The project would bring new retail development to the Louisiana Avenue corridor, though no outcome is yet confirmed.
Proposed Assistant Law Director position
The Law Director wants to convert a vacant clerk/paralegal job into an Assistant Law Director. One committee member worries the city is getting top-heavy; a staffing survey of peer cities is coming back before any decision.
Harbor Town South (Phase 1) setback amendment
Buildings in the first phase of Harbor Town South will shift closer to Lighthouse Way, as the city required, while staying outside the easement.
Litter Prevention and Recycling Board dysfunction
The Litter Board's code hasn't been touched in 25 years. The update grows it from 9 to 12 members for easier quorums and opens seats to city staff for more varied discussion.
Unpermitted driveway ribbons at 1101 Hunting Creek Drive
A homeowner added concrete ribbons widening a driveway to 30 feet without a permit, and the work doesn't meet city specs anyway. The variance was denied, and the ribbons must come out regardless.
Residential fence and garage variances
The Guys' request showed the tension in the code's side-yard shed ban: staff said a compliant rear-yard spot exists, but the board agreed flooding and fiber installation issues justified the side-yard placement.
Halo Illuminated Wall Signs in the Historic District
The historic district currently bans internally lit signs, but staff is exploring whether halo (reverse channel) illuminated letters — used in other Ohio cities — could be allowed with soft white lighting. A possible compromise for businesses like Swig that want brighter signage.
Shade tree work and $70,000 special assessments
Six trees at Fountain Point died and were cut down, but the stumps remain. A resident asked whether the city will replace them; the answer depends on whether the trees died from property owner neglect.
September 11th Community Service Project at Woodlands Park
Volunteers will mulch and prune the Bicentennial trees at Woodlands Park from 4 to 6 p.m. on September 11, with a pruning lesson from the city's urban forester. About 12-20 volunteers are already signed up, and the city will supply mulch, gloves, and tools.
Water main replacement on Front, Second, Third Streets
Utilities reported a water main replacement project starting this fall covering 10,400 feet on Front, Second, and Third Streets, and reminded residents a $6 monthly stormwater fee starts January 2027.
Coventry Pointe Plat 7 final plat
A resident asked the city to look into the unsafe pedestrian crossing at the Coventry development entrance near the high school (50 mph road, lots of kids), saying his service request went unanswered. He also asked council to oppose expanding or renewing Flock license plate cameras.
Investment advisory services contract
The city will formalize investment management agreements with two firms selected through an RFP — Raymond James/Skacinski (~$10M at ~7 basis points, ~$7,600/yr) and Touchstone Wealth (~$50M at 5 basis points, ~$25,000/yr).
Outdoor Seating Policy for Historic Downtown District
Downtown businesses that want patios will have to follow new guidelines on where seating goes and what furniture is allowed. The approved furniture list was narrowed to keep storefront areas as open as possible.
Fleet Purchases: Dump Truck and Leaf Truck
Public Service wants to retire a 2014 snow plow and buy a 2027 model that can handle other jobs year-round. The purchase is already budgeted under Resolution 95-2025.
Ohio Public Works Commission Grant Submission
The city was considering applying for OPWC grant funding, which could offset local costs on infrastructure work. Whether the submission moved forward is unknown.
Stormwater utility launching January 2027
After two years of work, the city will roll out a stormwater utility in January to fund flood fixes and infrastructure repairs — adding $6 a month to residential utility bills. Lots more information is coming this fall.
Wastewater treatment plant primary clarification expansion
A $484,500 design and bidding services contract with Fishbeck would move the wastewater plant expansion forward.