Login | February 07, 2025
Recreational community attracts homebuyers from outside the state
Craig Beach Village is filled with recreational opportunities. It borders Lake Milton and includes the area known as the swim beach, the Lake Milton Dam, a boat ramp at Robinson Point, a large picnic and recreation area, a children’s playground, basketball and volleyball courts and a walking path. The newest addition to the scene is the Lake Milton Nature Arts amphitheater, where concerts and other events are held. (Photo courtesy of Craig Beach Village).
SHERRY KARABIN
Special to Legal News
Published: July 25, 2013
Formed in 1931 as part of the Lake Milton community, the Craig Beach Village in Mahoning County has undergone major changes since its creation, gaining population and becoming a top choice for those looking to raise families or buy second homes.
“We have always been a recreational community,” said Mayor Dave Spencer, who was born and raised in the village. “When I was growing up there used to be an amusement park here. It was one of the top in the state.”
Although the amusement portion is gone, Craig Beach Village does border Lake Milton and includes the area known as the swim beach, the Lake Milton Dam, a boat ramp at Robinson Point, a large picnic and recreation area, a children’s playground, basketball and volleyball courts and a walking path. The newest addition to the scene is the Lake Milton Nature Arts amphitheater, where concerts and other events are held.
The village also has another major resource it did not have years ago, Lake Milton State Park. Created in 1988, the same year the Ohio Department of Natural Resources completed construction of the new Lake Milton Dam, it is Ohio’s 72nd state park, and the mayor said its addition has changed the look and feel of the community for the better.
“Everyone in the village was very excited about the park,” said Spencer. “We have people traveling here from all over to take advantage of it.”
While Craig Beach Village is filled with recreational opportunities, the one thing it does not have is a lot of businesses.
“Sixty-five percent of the village is owned by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources of which 50 percent is under Lake Milton,” said Fiscal Officer Adrian Verquer, who has lived in the community since 2002.
“We have limited commercial property, partly because under our zoning ordinance the owner can upgrade a commercial space to residential property, which a lot of people have done. In recent years, we’ve had a lot of people from Pennsylvania coming here to buy second homes.”
One of the main companies in the village is Emergency Billing Services. There is also a Dollar General and a grocery store.
“We do have one large commercial spot where an IGA used to be,” said Verquer. “It is sitting vacant and so far there has not been any interest.”
Craig Beach Village is part of the Jackson-Milton Local School District, and students have access to the new Tri-Lakes Public Library on Mahoning Avenue in North Jackson. The library is located near the high school and middle school complex, which opened in September 2009.
“Our library here closed at the end of June,” said Verquer.
Spencer said the village has just over 1,100 people and the majority work and shop outside the area. Craig Beach Village has not had an income tax since 1999. Officials rely primarily on property taxes, state funding and revenue from the mayor’s court, which handles misdemeanor cases involving violations of ordinances and collects payments for problems that do not require a court appearance.
Verquer said the lack of income tax did not make things easy during the downturn, however, he said the village did not cut services or lay anyone off.
“We have a micro administration to begin with and everyone is part time,” said Verquer. “We contract our street work out, we do not have any personnel or any vehicles and our police department employees are all part time with a non-paid auxiliary police unit of eight reserve officers.”
Fire and emergency medical services are also contracted out and are provided by Milton Township.
“We closed the fire department about six years ago,” said Spencer. “I would like to get that up and running again. I think it is important, especially considering how many visitors we have daily.”
Craig Beach Village did have its share of foreclosures, but Verquer said none of the properties has been demolished.
“We’re recovering from the problem quite well since there is a lot of interest from people who want to buy the properties.”
Verquer said officials have considered implementing a one percent income tax but after doing the math, he said they decided it would not generate enough revenue to warrant instituting it.
He said this November residents will be asked to approve a 3 mil general operating levy that would generate about $54,000, most of which will go toward maintaining the police department.
“Our focus in the near future will be on increasing our general fund,” said Verquer.
Overall, however, the mayor said things are running smoothly and he does not foresee any major hurdles in the future.
“We are a very laid back community and there is not a lot of crime or other problems,” said Spencer.