WATERVILLE, Ohio — A referendum on the Waterville amphitheater will be heading to the Lucas County Board of Elections.
Volunteers with the group "Not In My Backyard" collected over 1,000 signatures to petition Waterville City Council to send the controversial amphitheater to the ballot and to voters.
On Monday, Waterville City Council unanimously voted in favor of letting the board of elections decide whether or not it should appear on the ballot. It's too early to tell when that could be.
Amphitheater developer Hunter Brucks told WTOL 11 that he has no intention of stopping construction on the project unless given a work stoppage order.
Waterville City Council voted 4-2 in November in favor of constructing an amphitheater after council failed to reach a decision on Oct. 24 at the end of a three-hour public hearing.
The proposal is a partnership between Third Street Cigar Records and HB Concerts Inc. and HBC Management to develop the entertainment venue near South Pray Boulevard in Waterville.
The amphitheater has been controversial with residents and business owners in Waterville across five public meetings since it was announced in early July.
Those opposing it have raised concerns about noise, traffic and safety, among other issues. But supporters have envisioned the new spot as a boon for the local economy and the great regional venue, ideally bringing back the music scene many remember from the glory days of the Toledo Sports Arena.
The amphitheater previously gained approval from the Waterville special planning committee in a 3-2 vote in mid-September.
Some residents organized a citizen's defense fund following the announcement, which has raised around $11,500 as of Monday night and aims to block the amphitheater altogether.