Fiber-to-home construction begins in Seville

SEVILLE — Long-awaited construction of residential fiber optic internet infrastructure broke ground Monday in Seville, the start of a multi-year process delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Alabama-based Lit Communities, which is leading Medina County Fiber Network's residential expansion, announced Monday it was taking in new help from Stephens Capital Partners and The Pritzker Organization to expand high-speed internet offerings in multiple areas of the country. Getting started on rollout in Medina County through Lit's subsidiary, Medina Fiber, is first on a long list of priorities, said Lit founder and CEO Brian Snider. Snider added that he hopes to have the network's first residential customers online by June. "When the coronavirus started, we kind of took a step back and looked for a larger investment to allow us to expand to Medina and other areas," he said. "We decided on this new partnership to use combined equity to build out in Medina and in multiple markets the later end of this year. We've got a few others in Kentucky, Texas, Virginia and Pennsylvania we're getting lined up." "We've been wanting to do this for a long time and it's finally happened," Snider added regarding the start of work in Seville. "We're a year behind but I think the ability that we have now to accelerate what we're doing is going to help out a lot. If the demand is there, we'll bring in construction crews as needed." Those wishing to sign up or find more information on the expansion can visit www.medina.litcommunities.net. Lit Communities had been preparing to begin construction residential fiber infrastructure last spring but those plans were put on hold as pandemic lockdown measures were instituted. Snider said hopes remain to expand service to roughly 50,000 Medina County households over the next three to five years. Local businesses already enjoying Medina County Fiber Network connections do not fall under Lit's current service umbrella but Snider said that could change in the future. "We're going to get started in Seville and Westfield Center and continue our way north," he said. "Customers in Seville should be ready to go by June and Westfield Center will be right after that." Two new state bills that would provide grants to private internet providers to expand broadband, fiber, and high-speed access have drawn a mixed reaction from Medina County commissioners. Introduced in February, Ohio House Bill 2 has a stated goal of providing grants to offset construction costs for expansion of high-speed internet and all broadband services to areas and households that have previously gone without. An email from Medina County Commissioners to Columbus legislative committees expressed general support for the idea of expanding access but asked why public entities such as school districts and municipalities with in-house providers are excluded from receiving new state aid. Snider said that despite an association with Medina County Fiber Network, a public-private sector partnership, his company's broadband projects would be eligible for any prospective state aid under House Bill 2. "We double checked and Medina County Fiber Network checked, as far as the arrangement that we have, and we're still able to apply," he said. "What we're applying for is our part of the network, the last mile piece that will be a whole new build. Any money we'd get has to be used only for that." Medina County Fiber Network operates on an "open access" model, which allows internet service providers to lease space on the county-owned fiber infrastructure and compete for customers' business. In this model, multiple services and service providers can operate on the shared network. Businesses and residents choose services from varying providers, according to their own needs and budget. "I think they should be allowed to," Snider added regarding public entities being eligible for House Bill 2 aid. "I don't know if that will change in the bill but I suspect it will pass. We're seeing bills like this in Ohio and other states, too." Another concern brought up by commissioners involves potential for increased residential property taxes in areas affected by any new broadband-related construction. The email said that, under House Bill 2 provisions, local governments would gain the ability to levy special property assessments once a grant is awarded for a particular area. These special assessments would be handed down for the purpose of providing a contribution by the county towards the funding gap for any eligible project. According to the bill language, tax assessments may only be levied on property benefiting from the broadband project and must be calculated so that the total assessment collected from these properties is no more than the county's or township's contribution toward the funding that gap. House Bill 2 has gained Ohio Statehouse approval while Columbus senators have given a thumbs up to identical companion legislation, Senate Bill 8. U.S. Census data measuring 2013-2017 showed that 85.1 percent of Medina County households enjoyed broadband internet access, much higher than Ohio (77.1) and U.S. (78.1) averages. Montville Township's 94.6 rate was by far the highest in Medina County followed by Hickley (88.3), Granger (87.8), Liverpool (87.5), and Westfield Center (87.4). Wadsworth, Brunswick, and Medina cities registered respectively at 86.2, 85.5, and 82.2. Homer Township's 63.7 rate was the county's lowest. Next came Spencer and Lodi villages at 68.4 and 71.8. Contact reporter Jonathan Delozier at (330)721-4050 or jdelozier@medina-gazette.com.