PERRYSBURG, Ohio — More than 30 Perrysburg Heights community members marched in protest Tuesday, demanding change when it comes to the city's Land Use Plan and its potential impacts.
Neighbors said they want the city to keep their community as is and to not let commercial leasing erase a community that has been in existence for generations.
For well over a year, they've been against various options of the proposed Land Use Plan. Community activist Leah Delao said the current options for commercial development will only tear the community apart.
"We celebrate our 100th year of that community in August. These people have given everything they can; blue collar workers have given everything they can to keep this community," Delao said. "There should be no reason why we can't continue to keep it and work together to evolve that to make that better."
Aleah Castillo and her family all marched together down the street, including her youngest sister who was in a stroller. Castillo said she hopes her sister can look back years later and feel proud she was there.
"We have to fight for what we believe in, what we deserve, and our rights. (She will know) she was a part of such a big protest and movement for our community," Castillo said.
The march ended at the Perrysburg Municipal Building, where city councilman Tim McCarthy said he understands the community's initial frustrations. However, he said after a year of discussion, he's hopeful the meeting tonight will provide clarity.
"All this talk of the city coming after the Heights to destroy, it is just way off the mark," McCarthy said.
He said the city's goal isn't to get one over on the community. To make sure that wasn't the case, community members packed the council meeting room Tuesday. There was a three-minute time limit given to anyone who wanted to speak.
McCarthy said the Land Use Plan is meant to benefit all of Perrysburg Township.
"To have the commercial area on State Route 25 across from Levis Commons be a workable area for the entire community and serve as a good buffer and transition into the heights," McCarthy said.
Currently, there are four different options on what the city and the heights could do as part of the land use plan, but nothing is set in stone and both sides say there is more work to be done.
Want more from WTOL 11?
➡️ Download the WTOL 11 news app for Apple here or get it in the Google store here.
➡️ Get a fresh start to your morning and wrap up your day with the latest news and your WTOL 11 Weather forecast delivered right to your inbox!
WTOL 11's Your Morning Blast and Your Evening Blast deliver stories from northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and beyond to keep you informed.
Click here to get on the list!