SOLON– City council and school board members had a lot to talk about.
They hadn’t met jointly for a while, but when they did June 2 at Solon City Hall, they talked a lot about growing pains.
The two elected bodies spent most of an hour discussing issues related to ongoing growth, including pending developments, individual city and school projects and possible future collaborations.
City Administrator Cami Rasmussen reported building permits are setting a record pace.
“We’re seeing not only an increase in building permits, but we’re just seeing the population increase at a faster rate than we have historically,” she said.
Where previously, a builder would apply for a single permit, she noted, builders are now seeking three or four permits at a time.
And while existing residential subdivisions are filling out, on the horizon is still a potential annexation to the west with nearly 300 units, she told school board members.
The city just accepted improvements for the latest phase of the Old Mill Creek subdivision, with another phase waiting in the wings, she noted, while Windmill Estates is in its final phase.
But the city is continuing to work with developers for Trail Ridge Estates west of the city limits, Rasmussen added.
The latest concept has changed, she added, with the developer replacing all four-plexes with a small group of three-plexes, making for about a 50/50 split between single family and duplex units.
The city has verbal annexation agreements with two of three property owners impacted by the possible development, she added.
To the south of Solon, the Spartan Hollow development could bring as many as 60 homes to the area, she stated.
Rasmussen added she received general inquiries from two other potential small developments to the west.
“What that tells us is that a lot of developers are looking, they’re interested,” she commented.
When combined with the remaining lots within the city limits, school board President Tim Brown estimated the potential for 425-430 living units.
The Solon Community School District (SCSD) uses between 1.25-2 students per unit as an estimate for growth, officials noted.
Council member Steve Duncan commented the number might be low, based on what the city is seeing.
Board member Rick Jedlicka said growth from those subdivisions would spur any large projects for the district.
The school system already plans to transfer its third grade to Solon Intermediate School (SIS), he said, and while the third grade wing hasn’t been built, the project is ready whenever the need arises.
Superintendent Davis Eidahl explained the district currently has the capacity for seven sections across its elementary grades. Currently, only five sections are needed, he said. Forty to 50 students at each grade level could be absorbed, he suggested.
A long-range planning committee started almost two years ago will likely reconvene in the next month, Jedlicka said.
Most current projects for the school are odds and ends, he said, maintenance to be done over summer months.
The city, on the other hand, had a long list of current projects.
Public Works Director Scott Kleppe reported the city’s North Trunk Sewer project is very close to starting, with a storm sewer project along Bergamot Lane and Wood Lily Drive underway.
The splash pad at the Solon Recreation and Nature Area (SRNA) is also well underway, with hopes to be open by Beef Days, he said, and the city will soon begin work on a sidewalk connection along Highway 1 south of Bridge Community Bank.
Bids for the new fire station were to be opened later in the evening, he added, with yearlong construction to follow.
Kleppe also updated board members on the Gallery Acres West water main and City Engineer Dave Schechinger provided a quick overview of a future turn lane at the intersection of Highway 1 and Main Street.
“Fortunately, for us, our list is nowhere near as lengthy as Scott’s was,” Jedlicka observed.
With the Alliant Energy substation removed from 5th Street, in front of SIS, he said, the district would look to reconfigure the sidewalk.
“We’ve gotta get that sidewalk off of that road,” he remarked. “We have a lot of foot traffic down there every single day and that’s not a safe situation.”
The school system also took down the science building at the former middle school, he said, and while there are no plans for more immediate demolition, the added wings on the building will probably be the next thing to go.
The SCSD has been fortunate in maintaining a campus feel, keeping buildings close together, he said.
The district still has some space, he noted. The former middle school property could house another building at some point and there is some buildable land south of Lakeview.
But that potentially would impact the varsity softball diamond, he added.
“At some point, don’t be surprised if there’s a conversation about the potential to relocate that softball diamond and possibly talk to you about property at the nature center,” he explained.
Currently, Eidahl said, the district’s fiber Internet connection is distributed from the old middle school. Over the summer, it will be moved to a dedicated space at the new middle school, he said.
One major enhancement is an ongoing project at the varsity baseball field, Jedlicka added. The school project has been led by a group of parents, and the district participated in funding, with volunteers raising additional money, he stated.
That project has led to restricted parking at the SRNA Kleppe pointed out.
Over 20 parking spaces are taken up with contractor equipment, he said, with a third of the SRNA parking spaces taken up by either baseball team members or contractors the afternoon of the meeting.
Youth recreation leagues start games by 5:30 p.m., Kleppe said.
“We really do need as many spots as we can get,” he added.
The rest of the meeting was mostly consumed discussing traffic around school buildings.
Cars are no longer backing up onto Highway 382 from Lakeview Elementary, traffic is settling down in front of SIS, but Mayor Steve Stange noted Racine Avenue and 5th Street still experience congestion during peak hours.
Stange suggested exploring opportunities to share the cost of calming devices with the school to slow down traffic.
The school still has an obligation for impact fees leftover from the construction of SIS, and the district is hoping to spend it on improving sidewalk access, Jedlicka said.
The two governments held off on the impact fees to make certain turn lanes weren’t needed in front of SIS.
Jedlicka said the SCSD would address the walkway in front of SIS, but would also continue to build a pedestrian path on the old railroad right-of-way between SIS and Lakeview Elementary.
Beginning in 2018, Eidahl explained, the district has been setting aside funds to pave a portion of the trail each year.
Within a year or so it should be complete, he said.

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Members of the Solon school board and City Council held a joint session at City hall June 2.