Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Subdivision proposed in Violet Twp.

Thursday, April 22, 2004

MICHAEL J. MAURER
ThisWeek Staff Writer

A meeting of the Violet Township zoning commission was standing-room only Tuesday night as more than 70 township residents turned out to oppose a proposed 214-unit single family subdivision on Refugee Road.

Commission chair John Biancamano said the attendance caught the commissioners off guard, and immediately announced that a second meeting would be held next month to allow additional public comment.

The commissioners scheduled the additional meeting for May 27, 7:30 p.m., Violet Township hall, 12970 Rustic Drive.

''It's very rare that we get a crowd of this size for these (zoning meetings),'' Biancamano said.

The proposed planned unit development, tentatively named Eastern Lakes, would cover 109 acres on the north side of Refugee Road between Pickerington Road and Tollgate Road. The land is owned by Alfred and Maria Allert and would be developed by 3 Pillars Homes, said developer spokesman Fred Simon

Simon said the developer projected that the homes would sell for approximately $300,000 and would be built on 80 foot lots. One-and-a-half and two story homes would be a minimum of 2000 square feet.

A total of 214 homes would be built in three or four phases, Simon said. Currently, like all land in Violet Township, the property is zoned residential, including a mix of R1 and R2 zoning.

Simon said the current zoning would allow for 166 homes to be built without any curbs and gutters and without significant additional approvals.

''We don't want to (build without curbs and gutters) because we don't think that makes a very nice subdivision,'' Simon said. ''But those things cost money.''

Several Violet Township residents spoke against the project and none spoke in favor. Biancamano limited public comment to 30 minutes and said the May 27 meeting would be dedicated to the Eastern Lakes application only.

Stephanie Brobst, representing the Northeast Violet Township Civic Association, said Simon had been cooperative, meeting with her civic association and also residents of the nearby Huntington Hills subdivision. But she criticized the plan for not including any changes suggested by township residents.

''(The proposed) 2.3 houses per acre in a rural area, which this is, is way out of line,'' Brobst said. ''We would ask the zoning commission to hold the line to 1.4 (units per acre), which is what we got in Violet Meadows.''

Brobst also encouraged the developer to consider a contribution to Pickerington Local School District or a 10-acre land donation for a new school bus station.

Township resident Chris Logsdon said the proposed lot sizes were too small and that the developer should look at Violet Meadows.

''Big lots and stringent deed restrictions equals high dollar volume and high property values,'' Logsdon said. He said high prices help the schools by increasing the amount of property tax collected per child.

Commissioner Larry Sutherland said he was not aware of any planned unit development proposal that was used to increase the number of homes above the number of units allowed under traditional, existing zoning.

''I know why we're doing this,'' Sutherland said. ''It's so you can increase (the number of) units and scrunch down the land used. But that's not what planned development was intended for.''


mmaurer@thisweeknews.com





By Concerned Resident

Get prepared for the fight

It appears the only tactic available to the township residents is delay. I understand the rezoning applicants are not very cooperative. I am sure this is a bargaining tool to start with but what happens after the first couple of meetings?

I understand also that this developer is not willing to put in curbs and sidewalks. Is he willing to give sit backs for a future widening of Refugee road or is anyone thinking about that? I understand that the county has approved this development.

County sometimes irrelevant

What the Fairfield County Regional Planning Commission does is sometimes in fact many time irrelevant when it gets back to the Township. From past experience the County usually approves most developments, says a little piecemeal about density and how most Violet residents are displeased with this etc, etc. I can tell you many developments the FCRPC approved did not develop like the approved plan because the citizens in Violet said no and finally sometimes after many years, the developers listened or had no choice. I do not think it would be any different in this case, if it takes years, then that is years that the citizens delay impact on the schools.

The plan the developer applied under a Planned Unit Development (PUD) requires curbs and gutters. If he developed under the current zoning as he is allowed now, he would not be required to put in curbs and gutters and sidewalks. They always whine about the cost of curbs and gutters and wave the flag saying ''hey, I will not put them in if not required.'' The market facts are different though, and when it comes down to it, they will put in curbs and gutters and sidewalks even if not required because that is what comparable subdivisions in 2004 which they compete against have. It is market driven when not required. Each time you increase the lot frontage it does cost them more, his proposal is 80' and you insist on a minimum of 100' on 60% of the lots with those bordering rural zoning at 120' etc, you can see how it adds up.

One thing to think about is whatever he is in contract to pay for the land, or did pay for the land, IS HIS PROBLEM! If he paid too much given the market, the community toleration of density, requirements, etc, too bad, these all have to be considered in the price for the land. It is not a community problem if he pays too much, it is solely his bad business decision and we should not have to bail him out allowing homes to be crammed on the land so he gets his projected return. Developers must do their homework before coming to our community and asking for approval to change the nature of the community. It can cost them millions of dollars if they make mistakes, that is the nature of the business. It costs us millions of dollars in taxes to support the market they come here for (schools). I think the whining should stop.