Plain City Council members took actions Monday to prepare for growth in the village, both at its core and the outskirts.
During its meeting Monday, council unanimously adopted the Uptown Master Plan and approved a statement of services that will be available to a proposed annexation on Plain City-Lafayette Road.
The Uptown Master Plan provides a framework for the future growth and development potential of the area.
Council members heard from representatives from OHM Advisors, the consulting firm that completed the Uptown Master Plan, during their March work session earlier this month.
Kim Littleton with OHM explained to council that the plan is not a binding document, but can be used by officials to help guide growth in order to make the Uptown economically, culturally and socially vibrant.
The plan includes six priority projects, ranging from: creating housing at the former elementary school building, adding housing and connections to southwest Plain City, improving the intersection of Main Street and North Chillicothe Street, working on the streetscapes along Main Street, adding parking and creating a better connection to the Heritage Trail.
Council members also took a step toward annexing land on Lafayette-Plain City Road after they were approached in February by developers with Wilcox Communities, who intend to create an age-targeted community.
If approved, Jonathan Wilcox said the neighborhood would have 226 single-story apartment units, 80 patio homes and 145 traditional single-family homes.
Wilcox asked that council approve a pre-annexation agreement, which essentially sets up the process that allows the development company to file for annexation with the county.
At the time, Wilcox said while the filing process is underway, developers would work through the village’s zoning process.
The statement of services indicates that Plain City will provide to the area seeking to be annexed all services currently available to the rest of the village.
That includes the services of: full-time administrative staff, the Village Development Services Department, the West Jefferson Building Department, the Plain City Police Department, the village’s Public Works Department and Local Waste, Inc., which is a private refuse hauler the village contracts with.
The area that would be annexed currently receives fire and EMS services from the Pleasant Valley Joint Fire District. If annexed into the village, those services would continue.
In other business:
– Mayor Jody Carney read a proclamation recognizing Women’s History Month.
She noted that Plain City has many women in leadership positions, including Village Administrator Haley Lupton, Finance Director Renee Sonnett and Parks and Recreation Director Linda Granger. Rucker noted that the village’s mayor is a woman as well.
Carney said she is thankful for each of the women who contribute to the village and their communities.
– Council unanimously approved the appointments of Diana McCoy to the Board of Zoning Appeals and Beth Pothast to the Personnel and Finance Committee.
According to her application, McCoy is a Plain City resident who is employed as a registered nurse at Memorial Hospital. She said she previously served on BZA.
Pothast is also a village resident who works as an associate relations lead – HR for Big Lots. She wrote in her application that she served on the Parks and Recreation Committee in the past but feels her HR and business background could be useful on the Personnel and Finance Committee.
– Council unanimously accepted the Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation to approve the final plat for Darby Station Section 4, Part 1-2.
Darby Station is a residential development with six different subareas on just over 335 acres along Route 161.
The final development is slated to have 752 units or 522 units, depending on whether a “flex” subarea is developed as multi-family units or a school site.