Dublin City School District has announced it will break ground on a new elementary school in Jerome Township.
The district is planning an elementary school for Jerome Village, to open in fall of 2020. Dublin City Schools has set a ground breaking for April 12.
As part of the agreement to allow the development, Jerome Village donated 43 acres off Ravenhill Parkway for the elementary school. Dublin City School District Superintendent, Todd Hoadley said a naming committee has been formed and should make recommendations to the school board this spring.
In November Dublin City Schools voters approved a combination $195 million bond issue, 2-mill permanent-improvements levy and a 5.9-mill operating levy. The new schools has an expected capacity of 720 students.
At Monday night’s meeting, the trustees approved the Glacier Pointe Neighborhood 11 subdivision. The plan calls for 54 lots on 39.4 acres between Ryan Parkway and Brock Road
Originally the neighborhood had been planned as a single cul-de-sac with 70 lots.
Gary Smith, of G2 Consulting which was hired to evaluate the proposal, said the additional lots may be used in another phase as the development expands west along Ryan Parkway.
Smith said the township’s zoning board unanimously recommended approval of the project. He said the design of the home would be regulated by the Jerome Village Design Review Board and would be consistent with other homes in the neighborhood.
Smith said tree removal for the 54 homes is “pretty substantial” but Trustee Joe Craft explained that many of the trees were Ash, had died and needed removed anyway.
Township Zoning Inspector Mark Spagnuolo added there would be “a considerable number of trees being planted”
Smith also explained that when the design went from a single cul-de-sac to three smaller cul-de-sacs, the designers added a trail to connect the two sections.
Fire Chief Doug Stewart said his department had, “no issues at all with the plan.”
Trustees did express concern about a centralized mail box. Developers said new postal regulations require all new subdivisions to have a centralized box, much like an apartment complex.
Officials said that while they understand the idea, the placement had them concerned. The boxes are to be placed close to the intersection and it could be difficult for cars pulling into the development and vehicles pulling into and out of the mail area.
Smith said that despite the concerns, he believes the “proposal should fit well into the Jerome Village neighborhood.”
The trustees voted unanimously to approve the expansion. While no residents spoke at the public hearing held before the regular meeting, resident Barry Adler spoke during the regular meeting, once again urging the trustees to slow the growth in the township.
“I am concerned that we are already beginning to experience the negative impact of growth in our township,” Adler said. He added, “It is going to get worse.”