EAST PALESTINE — East Palestine Council agreed to the rezoning of 3.159 acres on South Washington Street during its regular council meeting last week.

Council passed the ordinance to rezone the property on its third reading. Council said that the zoning board supported the zone change and it heard no strong opposition during a public meeting held to discuss the matter.

The property sits behind Meadowview Apartments and is owned by the same company — Neighborhood Development Services.

The request for the zoning classification was made with the intention — on the contingency of a HUD funding — of constructing 25 to 27 apartment units for senior living (ages 62 and up). Neighborhood Development Services has owned the Meadowview Apartments for 20 years and just completed a rehab of the property.

Village Manager Chad Edwards announced that the Rotary Club donated $25,000 to the village to purchase the parking lot across the street from the municipal building. Edwards also discussed the recent awarding of $$211,488 to the village through the Safer Streets for All program to establish a comprehensive safety action plan to improve local streets.

“The funds will be used in the planning of the new streets in the city and ultimately be tied into the streetscape project,” Edwards said of the street grant. “OMEGA will be paying the $50,000 match, leaving the village with only $2,883 in expenses.”

In announcements, Edwards said the U.S. EPA’s Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) program and East Palestine officials are offering a zoom webinar on Sept. 24 from 6 to 7 p.m. The webinar is to review recent environmental monitoring conducted by government agencies and summarize other completed and ongoing studies conducted by independent entities.

Also at the meeting:

— Councilwoman Jessica Rocco reported that work continues on the $25 million project funded by Norfolk Southern and that the inner circle (grass field in the middle of the park) has been cleared and it is being graded.

— Council held the second reading of adjustments to the indigent burial policy.

— The village department reports were approved.

— Economic and Finance chair Linda May reported that the East Palestine Community Improvement Council (CIC)will meet Sept. 26 at 10 a.m. at the municipal building and that the Think Tank meeting scheduled last week was canceled due to COVID.