The Bellefontaine city limits continue to expand as the Bellefontaine City Council Tuesday, Sept. 23, voted 7–0 on the final vote to accept the annexation into the city the Detrick property.
The approximately 143 acres of land lies in Harrison Township adjacent to the city, southwest of the intersection of W. Lake Ave./County Road 11 and west of S. Troy Rd./Township Road 216.
Council member Jordan Reser, along with council members John Aler and Mackenzie Fitzpatrick, voted against the annexation on the second reading of the ordinance at the last meeting. However, all three voted in favor of the annexation at Tuesday’s meeting, after the council received assurances from the developer, who told those assembled that it will not seek tax abatements for any new construction on the parcels.
Jordan Reser explains his vote:
Service/Safety Director Wes Dodds make it very clear before the vote that the Detrick property will be coming in to the city as an R-1, One Family Resident District, and stressed that no tax abatements have been offered or issued to the company, which is considering developing housing units on the newly-annexed land.
In arguing for the annexation, Dodds went on to say that the infrastructure extensions to the Detrick property were very feasible — the developer is expected for pay for those costs. In addition, both the city’s water and wastewater plants can currently easily handle new housing units up to an additional two million gallons of water per day, as both plants are running about half-capacity at present.
Dodds also noted that the city recently raised tap fees for both new water and sewer lines, which will give the city another revenue stream if and when construction on the parcels begins.
The service/safety director went on to tell the council that he has had discussions with Brad Hall, superintendent of Bellefontaine City Schools, regarding both the LeVan and Detrick the annexations.
He reported that while the superintendent welcomed an influx of new students as the city grows, Hall has made it very clear, to both Dodds and the general public, that he and the BCS Board of Education are very much against the issuance of property tax abatements for any new housing on these properties.
Prior to the vote, seven citizens, most of whom live outside the city limits near annexation, spoke up against the measure Tuesday, citing increased traffic and drainage problems that would come with any development.
Rachel Moreland, who lives on C.R. 11 and whose property will be surrounded by the annexation while leaving her land outside the city limits, urged the council to “take a step back” on the annexation, saying “We don’t want (Bellefontaine) to become another Marysville.”
Russ Miller, who lives on C.R. 11 adjacent to the Detrick property, also asked the council to pump the brakes on the project, saying the land in question isn’t going anywhere, noting “I don’t think it’s wise to proceed right now.”
In response, Bart Barok, who represents Sox Real Estate of Marysville, the company which is making plans to develop the property, told the council that Sox Real Estate will not be asking for abatements on the construction, going on to say that Sox Real Estate has committed to conducting a traffic study prior to the start of any construction. He also said he assured the Bellefontaine City Schools that Sox will not be asking for any tax abatements for the proposed development.
As of this week, no plans for construction on either the Detrick property or the LeVan property, which was annexed into the city in August, have been submitted to the Planning Commission or the council.
Both Dodds and Reser said that any number of steps must first be taken before construction can begin on either of the properties and a timeline on when the developments of the annexations are to begin have yet to be released.
The Bellefontaine City Council is scheduled to meet again in regular session at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14.
