Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Impact Fees

Just so no one is confused, impact fees cannot be assessed for schools. Additionally, impact fee results won't be seen for a few years.

That said, kudos for this city council for at least doing something no council has done before. Planning for the future and not planning for their retirement jobs with Homewood and other developers.

By Mythbuster

Donations to the Schools

You guys need to attend more Pickerington City council meetings. In the Manager's report a month or so ago Mayor Shaver and the City Manager did meet with the BIA Representatives on the subject of volunteer donations to the schools for each home they close on.

Judy Gilleland did indicate that the BIA didn't throw them out and they didn't reject the proposal. I am sure for the BIA to take a very different PR tact they must meet with their members and have them all sign off first.

With that said the mythbuster is correct in that impact fees can not be used for the schools. However step by step if the City adopts this impact fee policy it will present the first target for the BIA to aim at. The problem for the BIA will be if they take this to court and lose (remember this consulting group working for the city is nationally known and they have been court tested) then other communities in Central Ohio will see what Pickerington is doing and if we all bring it to the front page then instead of one city to deal with the BIA will then be engaged with multiple cities. It will take the pressure off of Pickerington and our schools.

I also understand that there are other policies being worked on. It is legal to force or should I say persuade and maybe somehow delay and put off say plat approvals or other ''Administrative decisions'' to make it likely and to the builders advantage to say donate 20 acres for a school site. Make the approval contingent on the deed being filed at the court house.

If all of these forth coming policies fail to control growth then resort to a build out schedule.