ASHLAND – Area residents eager to have a Chipotle restaurant closer to home may have to wait a little while longer after work on the project has stalled.
The issue was raised at Tuesday’s Ashland City Council meeting as council members considered whether they wanted to have a hearing to oppose Chipotle’s application for a liquor license.
Councilwoman Sandra Tunnell said the project at Ashland Commons on East Main Street was stalled and she was concerned about granting a license to Chipotle in the event the project is not able to move forward.
Law Director Rick Wolfe reminded Tunnell that council was not approving a license for Chipotle, but they were buying it from someone else.
“The question is do we want to object to it and do we want to have a hearing to object to it,” Wolfe said.
“There are local people who are not getting paid who would like to see some money,” Tunnell said.
Wolfe questioned whether the progress of the project is a valid reason to object to a liquor license.
“Isn’t it our job, even though that may not be an official reason to not like the liquor permit, isn’t it our job to help the people of Ashland get their money for the time and the work they’ve done and here’s a method to do that,” Tunnell said.
“I would suggest to you that your rationale is not a reason that a hearing officer would deny approval for a permit and then all you’ve done is just delay the fruition of the project. I’m not sure that would be a good thing and actually may work against what you’re trying to accomplish,” Wolfe said.
Councilman Robert Valentine argued that Chipotle would probably sell their permit in the event the project was unable to move forward, freeing it up for someone else to purchase.
“Hopefully. There is legislation coming from Columbus because people buy them and they sit on them for generations,” Tunnell said.
In the end, council voted 4-1, with Tunnell casting a “no” vote, to not ask for a hearing.
After the meeting, Ashland Area Economic Development President Kathryn Goon explained the situation further, saying that developers Meridian Realty Capital are not paying the local subcontractors completing work on the Ashland Commons project. Meridian is a private development firm based in southern Ohio. Ashland-based Simonson Contractors is the main contractor on the project.
Goon said a lien has been placed on the property which would not allow leases to acquire occupancy permits and open their businesses.
The 12,000-square-foot strip is being built at the former Carter Lumber site on East Main Street. Other businesses slated to open in the complex are Kay’s Jewelers and Sprint.
“It’s a good thing they didn’t hold up the liquor license because it’s not Chipotle’s fault. They’re just leasing the space. Everybody is just leasing the space. It’s actually Meridian that’s not paying for it,” Goon said.
Wednesday afternoon, Goon said she had spoken with someone at Meridian who told her they have had some challenges and are working with local people to get them resolved. The goal is for the stores in Ashland Commons to be open by mid-August.
Emails and phone calls to Meridian seeking comment were not returned by the time this story was published.
