By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com

Two local construction projects got the green light from the Bucyrus Planning Commission Monday.

A request had been submitted for construction plans for the new Ohio Department of Transportation Crawford County facility, which will be located at 275 Crossroads Boulevard.

Planning and Zoning Administrator John Rostash explained that ODOT had planned to build a new facility and maintain a presence in the community with its upgraded full-service facility. The site will feature an office, truck storage, welding facility, and a wash bay and maintenance. There will also be a mixing building, an 86,000 square foot salt storage, a 114,000 square foot brine storage, and a 5,600 square foot cold storage facility. The entire campus will be fenced in and monitored by security.

The project has already received seven building permits from the State of Ohio and has a completion date of Sept. 1, 2015.

“It will be great for the city and community,” noted Mayor Jeff Reser, “and the county.”

A motion was made and accepted to approve the request by ODOT.

Hord’s Livestock had also submitted construction plans for a project on the northwest corner of Isaac-Beal Rd. and Beal Ave. Hord’s intends to construct a trailer wash and drying facility in that location. The project had already been vetted at a Bucyrus City Platting Committee meeting in September.

The livestock trailer washing and drying facility would allow unwashed trailers to enter from an Isaac-Beal Rd. access drive and exit from a drive onto Beal Ave. to maintain a sterile environment. A similar facility is located near Wynford High School.

Hord’s will also be using they city’s sewer system, potable water, and electric in its facility, something that Reser saw as a huge plus for the city.

Rostash said Hord’s eventually wants to bring in semi-trailers to the facility to be washed. That, however, will have to wait until that location can be rezoned from a Limited Industrial/Commercial district to a General Industrial district. That requested has been sent to the Board of Zoning Appeals and a meeting has been set for Nov. 3.

A motion was made and accepted to approve the request by Hord’s Livestock.