Plans are moving forward to annex land into the Village of Plain City that would house the proposed Madison Meadows development.
On Monday, council had the first reading of pre-annexation legislation that would bring 104.22 acres of land, currently owned by F&T Hostetler Farms, LLC, into the village. The property is located at 10885 Lafayette-Plain City Road and would be the site of a 505-unit development. According to early designs, the development would consist of 150 single-family units, 91 single-family condo units and 264 multi-family units.
“The developer is looking to do the annexation agreement and the rezoning simultaneously,” said Village Administrator Nathan Cahall. It would ensure the necessary steps would be in place before the actual designs plans are ready.”
The land is currently zoned as agricultural use.
Council had some concern over the sewer capacity but Cahall said according to engineers, the system could support the equivalent of 800 homes.
G2 Planning and Design of Columbus is proposing the development. Early estimates show prices between $200-300,000 for single-family homes.
Council also got copies of the lease agreements between the village and business owners in the Uptown area that were up for a first reading.
The village will lease the lot behind Lovejoy’s Plaza on Main Street for up to 50 years from business owners Buckeye Brass and Ralph Smucker who use the lot for customers. Although the village agreed to leave spaces available to those businesses during regular hours, the land will be used for public parking after business hours and on the weekends. With the village entering in the partnership, they’ve agreed to take on the landscape and maintenance of the lot. Early plans show a couple of changes to the existing layout including making the entrance off Main Street on Smith Place a one-way street and closing the entrance at the right side of the building to make way for a pedestrian walkway.
The village was initially in conversation with Smucker, Buckeye Brass and Joe Craft, who also partially owns spaces in the lot in front and back of the Lovejoy’s Plaza building. According to Mayor Darrin Lane, the village and Craft are still in negotiations.
“(Craft) wants his lot plowed by his own contractors and the village to pay for it and we will not do that when we have our own,” Lane said. “I’m sure they will be able to work something out.” The village decided to move forward with the two agreements since Buckeye Brass owns most of the rear spots. This will allow the early steps of fixing drainage issues in the lot to get started as soon as possible.
Lane said plans are in two phases. The first will start this summer and include much of the infrastructure changes. Next year will be for lighting additions and general beautification and landscaping measures. Lane said parking is a top consideration when looking at brining new things to the Uptown.
“We’re trying to avoid mistakes made by other communities,” he said. “One mistake that most make is not preparing for the future with uptown parking.”