Harriet Crim heard the presentation on Farrell's urban renewal plan, part of which calls for extending the Hillside Industrial Park into her neighborhood.

The city proposes buying Ms. Crim's house on Florida Street, along with a handful of others, and moving her and other residents to new homes.

"Are you going to take that hill?" Ms. Crim asked council Monday. Her house looks over the steep hill down to Broadway.

Warned by solicitor Stephen Mirizio that a yes or no answer is not in the city's best interest, Mayor William Morocco said the city would like to take the hill.

"Provided everything falls into place, there will be an opportunity for relocation," he said.

Mirizio's concern was that the city not commit to something before it has the money to do so.

City council approved a Redevelopment Area Proposal -- until Monday, it had been called a plan -- that will go to the state.

The city's proposal to redevelop the Florida area and a section of Idaho Street is a
$1 million project, half of which would come from the state Redevelopment Capital Assistance program.

The city already has set aside the rest -- $300,000 from the revolving loan fund, and $200,000 from a Community Development Block Grant.

The proposal doesn't become a plan, which would obligate the city to follow it through, until it signs a contract with the state for the Redevelopment Capital Assistance money, said consultant Tom Graney.

The proposal will not be complete until consulting engineer Ed Winslow provides bid-worthy plans and specifications, said Graney, president of Graney, Grossman, Ray, Colosimo and Associates, Grove City.

"He assured me they'd be done in the next week or so," said Graney, adding that Winslow has provided updated cost estimates for the work, which would include the purchase of property, relocation of residents, building of roads, relocation of utilities and replatting of lots.

Ms. Crim said she hoped council would live up to the proposal. If not, she would like it to re-open Florida Street, which was closed off at Broadway.

"It's created a problem for me," she said of the closing. "I get drug addicts sitting in the middle of the road. It's not safe for me."

Ms. Crim, who also complained of the unwanted visitors playing loud music, added that she has stopped calling the police. "I'd be on the phone all night long," she said.

Council Rudolph Hammond encouraged Ms. Crim to call all night long.

"I would keep calling," he said. "It has to be on record that you're doing this."

Morocco said he would talk to the police department about Ms. Crim's complaints.

Although the acquisition of property cannot begin until the money is approved, the city's relocation specialist, Roger Winston, who has not been officially hired, said he will start meeting with property owners soon to explain their rights.

Most of the Florida-area land is vacant, but there are six buildings that would have to be demolished, five of which are occupied. The families living in the occupied buildings would be relocated. The city would pay for moving costs and residents could receive financial help with either buying or renting new homes.

Once the land is cleared, it would be made ready for light industrial and heavy commercial business use.

Lee Avenue Extension would be built to connect with Crago Street. Maryland Street and Florida between Broadway and Lee would be torn up, and four alleys vacated.

Utilities would be moved or removed and newly constructed, and the lots would be replatted from a maze of small lots into four parcels.

The Idaho project area is along the south side of Idaho from Spearman to just shy of Fruit, and the north side of Idaho from Spearman to Wallis.

Most of the area is vacant, but four unused, commercial buildings would have to be demolished.

The lots would be replatted into seven parcels. The parcels on the north side of Idaho could be used for residential or limited commercial development, while the south side parcels could only be used for commercial purposes.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Joe Pinchot at jpinchot@sharon-herald.com