BOARDMAN — Township trustees are backing an application for a Community Entertainment District for the Southern Park Mall.

The new district would allow the mall to attract new restaurants — with liquor permits.

Community Entertainment Districts were created by Ohio lawmakers to designate bounded areas of no less than 20 acres for entertainment, retail, social or cultural establishments.

“The Southern Park Mall made the application for this,” said township Administrator Jason Loree.

He said the mall met the criteria of the 20 acres, and the township has met the required population of at least 40,000.

The CED designation will allow additional liquor permits to be issued. Loree said several restaurants would love to open in the mall, but won’t because they wouldn’t be able to obtain a liquor permit.

But under the CED, the mall would be able to obtain five new liquor licenses, which would end up being a big draw for the restaurants. Those new licenses would only be allowed within the CED and nowhere else in the township.

Loree said there would need to be a public meeting on the issue and trustees could take action on it as early as the Dec. 30 meeting.

On a different matter, approval was given to transfer the lot at 171 Melbourne Ave. to Boardman trustees. The move was made on the recommendation of road superintendent and land bank manager Marilyn Sferra Kenner. The subject property has a riparian area, and according to the current Boardman Township Land Reutilization protocols, should remain as green space.

“This is the property where the house burned down,” Kenner said. “After the fire, we had the structure torn down.”

She said the work came through a grant and now work continues on a second grant that could help obtain three more properties. A third grant has been applied for that will help secure another 14 properties along that corridor.

Right now, there is a channel with a sandstone base. Kenner said if the properties along it can be obtained and returned to green lots, they could be graded to provide for a two-stage flood control plane.

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