GALENA — Harlem Township now has a Quick Strategy Guide as an official document.

Harlem’s Zoning Commission met on Feb. 16 in a hearing for the Harlem Township Quick Strategy Guide as an addendum to the Harlem Township Comprehensive Plan. Holly Mattei from Crossroads Community Planning said the guide had been created “to help the community handle the projected growth due to Intel.” She referenced similar growth experienced in Chandler, Arizona, following the opening of a similar Intel campus.

“Mattei said the main reason for the Quick Strategy Guide is to provide adequate densities that developers could be comfortable with and to keep the township from potential annexation,” the minutes read. “Ms. Mattei stated that potential annexation was the biggest threat discovered for Harlem Township. Ms. Mattei emphasized that this is why it is vital to have a stronger zoning resolution so there could not be a threat of annexation solely to get better zoning restrictions from neighboring communities. The Quick Strategy Guide is only a guiding document that does not replace the township’s Comprehensive Plan. The Quick Strategy Guide, when adopted, will supplement the current Comprehensive Plan, and allow for different options once sewers are available. Ms. Mattei stated that if the Quick Strategy Guide gets adopted by the Trustees new overlay zoning districts would then need to be written to match the new sections of the Comprehensive Plan.”

Among the comments were to expand the area of the Center Village District to attract small businesses. It was noted “that the township does not have a say in the sewer lines coming, it is a county decision.” Incoming sewer lines and the building of Intel are occurring at the same time but are said not to be connected.

The guide was unanimously approved as Appendix G to the 2020 Comprehensive Plan, based on the following findings of facts and conclusions:

“1) Sewer Service Agreement between the City of Columbus and Delaware County extends a municipal sewer trunk line to the Delaware County line at Smothers Road just west of the Harlem Road roundabout. Delaware County Regional Sewer District is evaluating several proposals for extending municipal sewer feeder lines to a significant portion of Harlem Township as far north as the northern boundary of the Duncan Run Subwater Shed.

2) Intel Corporation announced in January 2022 its plan to construct two new microchip manufacturing plants, “fabs”, within a ten-minute drive time from Harlem Township.

3) The two Intel Fabs so close to Harlem Township, coupled with other large nearby projects in support of Facebook, Google, and Amazon, will create a demand for commercial and residential development in the township.

4) Harlem Township’s proximity to each of these industrial developments make the township an attractive target for developers to annex parcels into nearby municipalities to procure municipal services and more favorable zoning.

5) While the 2020 Harlem Township Comprehensive Plan, adopted November 2021, recognized the need to include some commercial uses and some higher density housing in the southern portion in the township, industrial development in the area and the extension of municipal sewers requires some changes to the Comprehensive Plan in order to create a foundation for zoning that will encourage well planned development within the township, discourage annexation into adjoining municipalities, and allow the township to maintain some level of control over development.

6) The purpose of the subject addendum is to provide a foundation in the Comprehensive Plan for the township to adopt new zoning overlays in districts that will encourage well planned development within the township that wards off annexation, preserves some agricultural land use, and will help preserve some semblance of rural character in the more developed areas.”

Steve Eisenbrown, of the Strategic Planning Committee, then recommended getting trustees approval for the Quick Strategy Guide as soon as possible. Also discussed was updating forms on harlemtwp.com.

Harlem’s Zoning Commission had a workshop meeting earlier on Feb. 13 regarding the zoning code. Joining the commission was Scott Sanders of the Delaware County Regional Planning Commission.

“Sanders outlined that the zoning code will not be changing entirely but will be updated in areas where necessary,” the meeting minutes said.

Two articles of the zoning resolution were topics of discussion — Farm Residential (FR-1) and Planned Residential Conservation District (PRCD).

Among the questions that commission members asked of Sanders was whether “it is possible to bring in development without bringing in sidewalks,” and he responded, “there must be a sidewalk on at least one side of the road for safety reasons.”

Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at the above email address.