After years of consideration, the fate of a potential Plain City development may be decided in March.
A public hearing for the Oak Grove residential development was held during Monday’s council meeting.
Village Administrator Nathan Cahall said the proposed development would create 235 single-family lots along U.S. 42, on the south edge of the Village.
An ordinance that would reject the plans was most recently tabled during the Jan. 13 council meeting. Amended plans were presented to council Monday.
The Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend denial of the initial application Dec. 18 following review of the plans at its November meeting.
Cahall said the application was missing “information and documentation” at the time. He said Village staff reached out to developers for comments, but did not receive a response.
Developers, including Wade Dunham of the Evergreen Land Company, advocated against disapproval during January’s council meeting.
He explained that developers did not believe the final development plan would be reviewed at the November Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. He said the confusion led to poor communication between the applicants and Village staff.
In January, council had the option to vote in favor of the ordinance – which would accept the commission’s recommendation to deny the plans – or approve the plans by a supermajority vote.
Council ultimately tabled the ordinance to allow more time for developers to submit additional information.
“I think (we saw) at the last meeting, the Oak Grove development was a miscommunication,” Mayor Darrin Lane said. “I appreciate everyone giving them time to work on this.”
Since then, Cahall said staff has worked with the developers to acquire necessary information and improve the original application.
Previous issues included a lack of information surrounding storm water management, offsite improvements on U.S. 42 and utility, specifically sewer, operations. Cahall said each of these have been addressed in the amended application.
“We were dealing with some of the bigger nuts and bolts,” Cahall said. “What’s in front of you – the revised plan – seems feasible.”
Cahall said Village staff and engineers were comfortable with council approving the amended application, but not all council members agreed with the route to do so.
To approve the new plans, council would still need a supermajority vote to contradict the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation.
Council member Darren Lee said he felt the plans should go back to the commission for review. Council member Frank Reed said, “That’s my gut feeling too.”
Jody Carney, council president, disagreed, noting the ordinance was tabled previously “to give staff time to get it up to par.” She said she felt they were successful in doing so.
Several others agreed with her sentiment.
Lane said he trusted the discretion of Village staff, even if their recommendation did not align with the opinion of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
“At what point do committees start micromanaging staff we pay tens of thousands of dollars to?” he asked.
He also emphasized the additional time it would take to send the application back to the Planning and Zoning Commission, if rejected.
“It costs a lot of time and money and is something Plain City is notorious for,” he said.
Solicitor Paul Lafayette said council had to “vote up or down.” He said the ordinance could be tabled again, but only at the applicant’s request.
Faye Cox, attorney for the applicant, said the developers preferred council approve the amended plans. However, she said they are satisfied with going back to the Planning and Zoning Commission, presenting amendments to the original application and coming back to council.
“It’s been a very long road so far… if it’s another month or two, we’re O.K. with that,” Cox said.
Council voted unanimously to close the public hearing and table the ordinance.
The application will go back to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review on March 18. The plans will be before council for a third reading on March 23.
In other business:
– Cahall shared updates surrounding several Village projects.
He said bids for the S. Chillicothe Street water main replacement project should open in approximately two and a half weeks; installation of new playground equipment at Pastime Park should be complete by the end of the week, weather permitting; and a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the sewer plant expansion should be publicized this week.
– Council unanimously approved the nomination of Tom Jaskiewicz to the Board of Zoning Appeals. Jaskiewicz also serves as a lieutenant with the Plain City Police Department.