Athens City Council talks Ridges redevelopment plan and potential single-use plastic bag ban

Athens City Council discussed the next steps in a possible plan to redevelop the Ridges at its committee meeting Monday evening. Additionally, a presentation from members of Athens ReThink Plastics sparked discussion about a potential single-use plastic bag ban in the city.

The redevelopment of the Ridges has been a conversation topic for years. The university-owned property encompasses over 700 acres of land and a collection of 19th-century buildings, previously called the “Athens Lunatic Asylum.” 

Today, the Ridges is known as a local landmark with an extensive history, carrying deep cultural and historical significance. For many, the goal has been to create a profitable and constructive environment for Ohio U and the city of Athens, while recognizing the historical value of the area.

Ohio U has renovated some of the facilities at the Ridges for educational and administrative use. The property also is home to the Land Lab, a designated area for biological and ecological instruction, and a series of trails.

At the council meeting, CEO of Community Building Partners Joseph Recchie presented on behalf of the Ridges Community Development LLC regarding the future of the Ridges. This item was not an action taken by the council, but it was an update on the progress of the plan to redevelop the Ridges, outlining the necessary next steps in that process.

Recchie described the plan for the future of the Ridges is a complex and collaborative effort. It is the product of 30 months of research, determining what is practical, possible and beneficial for both the property and the community.

The possible future development would effectively maintain the land for recreational use and conservation, create opportunities through vacant and developable space for commercial or housing needs and encourage new investment in the area.

Recchie described meeting with the Ridges Advisory Committee, city staff, elected officials, Athens Land Conservancy, Ohio U campus leadership and Athens City Schools to encourage involvement from those in the community.

“We’ve gone through that process to try to figure out what is practical that can be done within the constraints of the city, county and university,” Recchie said. 

The current step in the redevelopment plan is the establishment of a new community authority (NCA), a governing body that allows for the collaboration of public and private interests for development projects within communities. City council received and is reviewing a draft of the petition to establish the NCA.

Ridges Community Development LLC has a purchase agreement with Ohio U that includes several preconditions that must be met before the land is transferred from the university to be developed, one of which is the formation of the NCA. Until the NCA is approved, Ohio U will not give the land to be developed.

Another aspect that must be decided before any plan is set in motion is the turnover of 600 of the 700 acres of land into a conservation easement, preserving it as permanent recreation and conservation areas.

Recchie discussed the possibility of placing restrictions on the historic buildings or using the National Park Service standards as a frame of reference for any redevelopment of the land.

“It is my opinion that this is the best shot that we have for the Ridges. Unfortunately, those buildings are in dire need of being repaired and brought back to life again. So if we aren’t able to go through with this process, I don’t know what the ultimate fate of the Ridges would be,” Athens Mayor Steve Patterson said about the presentation.

“There’s a lot of room for input, and we consider it a very organic process,” Recchie responded. “We don’t consider it a monolithic development plan. It’s got many components to it, and it will have many participants.” 

There will be a town hall to discuss the Ridges redevelopment plan on March 24, at the Ridges Building 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Representatives from Athens ReThink Plastics gave a presentation regarding a draft of a ban on single-use plastic bags.

Following the lead of Kroger, who recently declared that its stores would be free of plastic bags at checkout by 2025, this possible ordinance would bar stores and restaurants from providing single-use plastic bags to customers. This ban would exclude in-aisle bags for meat and produce. The ordinance would provide funding assistance for businesses during the initial transitional period while alternatives would be implemented.

Athens ReThink Plastics has partnered with the Sierra Club and obtained grant money to support the move towards fewer single-use plastics and promote environmental education. 

Nancy Pierce of Athens ReThink Plastics presented to the council the benefits of banning plastic grocery bags, citing microplastic pollution in the waterways and food chain, the difficulty with recycling single-use plastic bags and a connection to environmental issues, including greenhouse gasses.

Pierce cited examples of eight states and other communities that implemented similar bans, with the public adapting fairly quickly. A ban could also benefit businesses that would no longer have to purchase the bags to distribute.

Janalee Stock, an environmental activist from Athens County, described the ban on single-use plastic bags as “the lowest hanging fruit.” The argument emphasized the argument that banning plastic bags would have a significant impact on the amount of single-use plastics thrown away.

Councilmember Alan Swank commented on the discussion by presenting an array of paper bags from grocery stores like Trader Joe’s, which have already moved away from the use of plastic bags. 

Swank also suggested that moving away from single-use plastic bags could be a promotional opportunity for the City of Athens, if the city purchased an official bag that advertised about the city and involved local businesses in distribution. 

“What better way to promote Athens?” Swank asked.

In previous years, when similar legislation was proposed, one suggestion to discourage the use of single-use bags was to charge a fee. Since, the State of Ohio passed a law making it illegal to charge a fee.

Councilmember Jeff Risner asked what would stop the state legislature from simply shutting down an ordinance like this again, and Nancy Pierce admitted that it was possible. However, Pierce also suggested that increased awareness and pressure from an engaged and concerned public could make the legislation different this time around.

Councilmember Ben Ziff also shared feelings about moving away from single-use plastics. Ziff, a manager at Donkey Coffee, shared that Donkey had made the decision to switch from single-use products to compostable cups, sleeves, lids and bags. 

“Yeah, it costs a little bit more. It costs us, maybe, 25 cents instead of 12. If your profit margin is riding on 12 cents of a transaction, your business has way bigger issues,” Ziff stated.

Ziff emphasized the ease of switching bag materials, stating that even if the State of Ohio does shut an ordinance like this down, anyone can take initiative for themselves. Ziff also highlighted the straightforwardness of making a simple switch that could have a much larger beneficial effect.

“(Switching from one-use plastic bags) has a direct impact on Athens, on the environment of Athens that we live in,” said Ziff.