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Perrysburg Heights neighbors worried about city plan for growth

After a plan was released showing a development proposal for the future of Perrysburg Heights, neighbors are worried about their future.

PERRYSBURG, Ohio — The City of Perrysburg is looking toward its future - causing some neighbors to be worried about theirs.

On Wednesday night, people in neighboring Perrysburg Heights expressed concern about what comes next, protesting against the city and pushing to save their homes.

This neighborhood is known as a more diverse and affordable neighborhood with generations of families living next door to one another.

"I mean, there's not many neighborhoods where everybody knows everybody, you know what I mean? If somebody needs something, there's somebody here that can help you. There are many little kids out running to grandma's house," Perrysburg Heights neighbor Diane Perry said.

A plan from the city is what has people concerned about their future. 

It describes more walkability and accessibility to the city of Perrysburg, with large homes in place of the low and middle income properties there now.

"There's other property around Levis Commons that they can buy up, just leave us alone. We've been here quite a long time," said Perrysburg Heights neighbor Charles Perry.

Perrysburg Heights isn't in the city of Perrysburg, so why is the city creating plans for a new neighborhood design?

"When we're doing future planning, we try to include the surrounding areas, or areas of potential growth, and I think that's where the Heights got included," Perrysburg city council member Cory Kuhlman said.

The city says it's not what it appears to be, but that isn't enough to get rid of neighbors' concerns, with one saying at Wednesday's meeting that they've seen the city developing closer and closer to the neighborhood, so they need to see more.

"If someone put a plan for a park where I currently reside, I would be concerned, I would've shown up to the meetings too and said, 'hey, what's going on here?'" Kuhlman said.

The city planning committee has vowed to resolve the concerns as soon as possible and plans to have a meeting with the Heights community set up in the future. 

 According to the city, there isn't a current plan to annex Perrysburg Heights right now, but it is something they could choose to do in the future because the Heights shares the city's water utility.

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