For years, people living near Westerville Road and Interstate 270 say their neighborhood has had a signature scent, and not the good kind. Neighbors blame an asphalt plant for a harsh odor that they say stings their noses and throats. Now that the facility’s air permit is up for renewal, those same residents are pressing Ohio regulators to dig deeper before the operation gets another five-year sign-off. The state, however, says its inspections show the plant is playing by the rules, setting up a familiar showdown between what monitors record and what residents say they breathe.
The tension is no longer limited to a few fed-up homeowners. According to ABC 6, Jenny Morgan’s Citizen Pollution Watch now has about 60 members and has logged hundreds of odor reports on a shared online map. Morgan told the station the smell has triggered burning in her nose, chest and throat, plus headaches, weakness and other symptoms. Westerville officials, for their part, said they have heard directly from roughly two dozen residents about the issue.
City’s Long-Running Frustration Sets The Stage
Westerville’s concern is not new. The city’s official resolution archive shows that in 2021, Westerville City Council passed a resolution opposing a Columbus zoning application related to Scioto Materials. That earlier move helps explain why this latest permit renewal feels like more than routine paperwork for neighbors who say the industrial site has been affecting the surrounding area for years.
Scioto Materials operates as a regional construction materials supplier, serving Northeast Franklin County with asphalt, ready-mix concrete and paving products, according to Shelly Company. For residents, that business role is at the center of the debate: they are not simply asking whether the company can keep producing asphalt, but whether it can do so without creating what they describe as a persistent nuisance next door.
Ohio EPA Backs The Plant’s Compliance Record
The plant’s current federally enforceable air permit has to be renewed every five years, and Ohio EPA is taking public comments through Saturday. As reported by ABC 6, the agency had received 21 comments in the first 28 days of the comment window and has logged 50 complaints about the site since May 2024.
Ohio EPA says its inspections have found Scioto Materials operating within its permit and meeting state and federal air quality standards. The company has said its renewal paperwork reflects a commitment to environmental compliance and to continued cooperation with regulators, local officials and community groups.
Neighbors are pushing for more. Residents are asking for public hearings, an extension of the public comment period, additional pollutant studies and a pause on the renewal process. Ohio EPA has said it will decide whether to hold a public hearing after it reviews the comments it receives, which means the next move depends on whether the agency views the public record as sufficient for a straightforward renewal or a signal that the situation deserves a closer look.
