Property reportedly played role in park board member’s resignation

Some Geauga Park District officials have discussed the possibility of purchasing an 114-acre property owned by Ralph Spidalieri in Hambden Township, park board member Sally LaMarca said. She said that former park board member Jolene Carnabuci had previously raised the property for consideration at a board meeting. The park district did not pursue a purchase. Afterward, Ms. Carnabuci unexpectedly resigned, citing changes in her personal and business responsibilities. “I believe that was part of the reason Jolene left,” Ms. LaMarca said. “She wanted it to take place.” Ms. LaMarca also weighed in on Probate Judge Timothy Grendell’s recent removal of Raymond “Ray” Guarino from the park board. “I believe that the judge wants yes people because he said he had his agenda and Ray wasn’t a part of it,” she said. “Ray isn’t a yes person.” Judge Grendell cited five reasons for his removal, including a personal failure to preside over park board meetings and “unfortunate negligent hiring and negligent administrative oversight.” “The judge made up a reason to get rid of me,” Mr. Guarino said. “The way the board meetings are conducted, they’ve been conducted like that for the last 13 years. He never had a problem with it before.” The property, located at 10241 Old State Road, was formerly home to Pinnacle Woods Paintball, which closed last month. It sold two years ago to Hambden Woods LLC for $295,000. Hambden Township Zoning Inspector Richard Acquaviva said he met with the owner, Mr. Spidalieri, and his attorney about a year ago to discuss a proposal to put a gun range on the property. He said he did not approve the proposal. Although technically zoned as residential property, the site had operated as a paintball range for several decades under a grandfathered use, he said. “You can substitute in a new commercial use to take place of another commercial use, but it can’t be significantly different than what was there previously,” he said. “Most importantly in this case, it can’t create more noise than what was there previously. Paintballs to shotguns is obviously a big change in noise. Based on that alone, I told him I can’t approve it.” He said Mr. Spidalieri never appealed and he never heard anything more about it. This is a developing story.