Sun Mess One

I went to the library and saw and article on the front page of the Sun Messenger about plans to halt drill. I copied it and read it later. Then, I realised the article was not for Highland Heights. It was for Mayfield Heights. Looks like more than one city around here is haveing this problem.

Here is the actual HH article.

HH boards block drilling plan
City tells Bass Energy, 'Follow approval process first'
Thursday, November 15, 2007
By Susan Ketchum
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS
Bass Energy's plan to begin preparing drilling sites in City Park by Friday ran into opposition Monday night from the Planning and Zoning Commission and members of City Council.
Ed Repasy, of Bass Energy, came to the meeting with plans to drill two wells in the wooded area of the park, 5905 Wilson Mills Road. The proposed sites are at opposite corners of the wooded area, one near the end of Hawthorne Drive on the north west corner, the other on the southeast corner by Kennelwood Drive.
"We don't need any permits or variances. We have a signed lease from the mayor and city council, and a permit from the state," Repasy said, "House Bill 278 supersedes this board." Council did vote unanimously in March to allow Mayor Scott Coleman to sign a lease agreement. However, the resolution "is contingent upon the approval of the three sites by the City of Highland Heights."
P&Z Chair Robert Mastrangelo told Repasy approval of the sites was to follow the normal progression through P&Z. The board had just received the projected site plan Monday.
"House Bill 278 does not say anything about the approval process. It doesn't tie our hands, because Highland Heights owns the land," Mastrangelo said. "Friday would be a stretch."
Repasy said Bass originally wanted to drill the wells closer to the baseball field, but council did not want that and suggested moving them into the woods.
"There are a lot of trees. Those trees will have to come down, and the stumps taken out and plastics put down," Repasy said.
Bass would also need an access road to drill in the woods, and a pit 150 feet by 150 feet to collect water. The trees would be replanted and the site restored after the drilling.
Several council members protested they had never seen or discussed the proposed sites.
"I take issue that approval was ever obtained. You never came back to council," Murphy said.
"You said council said you should go into the woods. That's simply not true. We did not say that."
About 25 residents also showed up to protest the wells. Some are totally opposed to wells at the city park. Rose DeFranco lives on Blakley Drive, behind the park.
"They shouldn't be putting gas wells in a community park. It is a recreational area. I don't care where they put them, I'm against gas wells," DeFranco said.
Frank Skala is concerned the projected wells will destroy more of the woods, and are on or near some wetland areas of the park.
"I appreciate that city council is helping to keep us out of the red financially and put us in the black, but we also need to be in the green. We're in a period of global warming, and we have to keep our trees," he said. "Lets keep all the trees we can and find some other place to locate the gas wells."
At one point Repasy said he would return with the company attorney. At another point, he apologized.
"I didn't know what the rules were. We'll do whatever you people want us to do," he said.
Bass Energy will be invited to a future council meeting to discuss the proposal.
Contact Susan Ketchum at sbketchum@yahoo.com or (216) 986-5861.