The Delaware County Regional Planning Commission (DCRPC) met for the first time in its new home, the Byxbe Campus, on Oct. 26, 2023, with Orange Township having the most business.
Aurora Farms, a single lot subdivision project on nearly 24 acres in Orange, was discussed. The land at the northern extension of Hibbing Lane, west of North Road, is currently vacant, but would be developed as a multi-family residential condominium complex of 85 units (61 detached and 12 two-family units). Preliminary approval was granted by the commission.
Orange Summit Communities in Orange was granted a one-year extension for its four lots on 54.4 acres. Applicant Schottenstein Real Estate Group said, “Construction is underway on Rail Timber Way.”
The Porshi subdivision, 19 lots on 9.6 acres in Orange, was granted a one-year extension as “construction was put on hold,” the applicant said. Porshi is at the west side of South Old State Road, north of East Orange Road.
The final plat for Hidden Ravines Crossing, a single lot on 31.1 acres in Orange, was approved by consent. “Hidden Ravines Crossing is a mixed-use development located at the southeast corner of US-23 and Orange Centre Drive,” staff comments said. “This project will extend Orange Center Drive, connecting it to US-23. Preliminary approval was granted in May, 2022…”
These developments are in the Olentangy School District, and utilities include Del-Co Water.
The commission also:
• Discussed meeting times, whether the commission should meet in the morning or evening. The start time will remain at 6 p.m.
• Approved Terrain Evolution’s preliminary plans for the NorthStar Ivy Neighborhood subdivision project, 160 lots on 61.2 acres in Berkshire Township.
• Preliminary approval was given for the Oaks at Berlin (formerly known as Piatt Road Development) subdivision project, 20 lots on 14.6 acres on the east side of Piatt Road and north of Glenmead Drive in Berlin Township. Also in Berlin, Evans Farm section 4, on the north side of Shanahan Road west of North Road, was granted a one-year extension “based on current market conditions and access to sanitary sewer.”
• Approved text amendments to the term “Accessory Dwelling Unit” for the Troy Township Zoning Resolution.
• It was noted by the DCRPC’s Executive Committee on Oct. 18 that there was “$8,517 annual rent at the new Byxbe building and estimated 1.4% of the utility costs,” and the building lease was signed on behalf of the commission.
The Delaware County Regional Planning Commission met Nov. 30 and gave conditional approval to rezonings for the Peachblow Development in Berlin Township.
There were three rezonings in all for Peachblowroad Ltd., which were currently zoned as Farm Residential. Todd Faris of Faris Planning and Design represented the applicant.
First was “to create a transitional planned unit development with condominiums and townhomes; The Cottages (124 condo lots) and The Village (110 townhome units)” on 64.8 acres at the south side of Peachblow Road, east of U.S. Route 23.”
Next was a Neighborhood Commercial District “with commercial and multi-family apartments including The Flats North (103 units) and The Flats South (91 units)” on 19.4 acres. Faris said “this project is a walkable mixed-use community with retail on the third floor. They have had several discussions with the Township, and they really wanted a place in Berlin Township that was a destination.”
Last was 8.2 acres rezoned to Planned Commercial District “to create a total of 40,000-square-feet of commercial space” in the east and west regions.
Berlin Township’s 2023 Comprehensive Plan includes the sites as part of the “Southern Gateway,” on the south side of Peachblow Road, east of U.S. Route 23. The properties are in Olentangy Local Schools.
The RPC also:
• Granted rezoning for Weaver Custom Homes from Farm Residential to Rural Residential on 87.6 acres at 15550 Murphy Road, Sunbury, in Trenton Township. Also in Trenton, a common access driveway was given preliminary approval for five lots on 57.7 acres at the west side of Longshore Road, north of state Route 37.
• Granted final plat consent to section two of Liberty Grand Communities, 190 units on two lots on 32.6 acres in Liberty Township, south of Hyatts Road and west of Sawmill Parkway. Also in Liberty, conditional approval was granted to rezone 2.2 acres from Farm Residential to Planned Commercial at 4819 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center.
• Approved rezoning of 36.2 acres in Concord Township from Farm Residential to Planned Residential District for the development of an Epcon Communities subdivision of 54 single-family condos called the Courtyards on Concord. The site is at 10204 Concord Road north of Tartan Fields Drive.
• A rezoning from Agricultural Residential to Farm Residential was granted for a lot split to a 5-acre property at 1500 Green-Cook Road in Harlem Township.
• Final plats were approved for Slate Ridge Residential lots in Orange Township, 219 detached condominiums on four lots on 102.8 acres north side of Home Road east of Columbus Pike.
• Denied rezoning of 32 acres of Farm Residential/Industrial to Industrial at 1297 Ostrander Road, Scioto Township. The site currently has a cell phone tower.
• Documents in Orange and Porter township, as well as Shawnee Hills, were starting to be reviewed.
At its final meeting of the year, the Delaware County Regional Planning Commission approved a subdivision project at NorthStar in Berkshire Township.
On Dec. 21, the RPC heard a combined preliminary and final plat request for section one of the Golf Course, Lot 741 Div. #1, two lots on 269.2 acres for a planned residential community and golf course southeast of Wilson Road and east of North Galena Road.
The property is currently zoned Planned Residential District. It is in the Big Walnut school district, and utilities include Del-Co Water and central sanitary sewer. The applicant was NorthStar Residential Development, the engineer Terrain Evolution.
“The site is 269.21-acres in size,” said staff comments. “The 222.147-acre lot includes the existing Northstar Golf Club and sanitary sewer pump station. The 47.063-acre lot is vacant, unimproved land and note “J” on the plat states that this lot is non-buildable until such time as adequate public vehicular access can be provided.”
Also at the meeting:
• Consent was given to a final plat for a common access driveway, three lots on 9.8 acres at 4910 Rutherford Road (north side, west of Steitz Road), Concord Township, Buckeye Valley Schools. Also, 6 acres in Concord on the west side of U.S. 42, northeast of Concord Road, was granted conditional approval to be rezoned from Farm Residential to Planned Commercial “to allow the expansion of self-storage units for Northwest Storage and addition of a warehousing/office for Northwest Building Resources Inc.”
• Five amended articles in the Harlem Township Zoning Resolution were given conditional approval, specifically: Low Density Residential, Planned Residential District, Planned Residential Conservation District, General Development Standards and Procedure for Rezoning to a Planned District.
• The commission did not take action on applying the Route 23 Corridor Overlay District to North Orange Development LLC on 8.7 acres in Orange Township, Olentangy Schools. The request would allow the construction of Lewis Center Self Storage on the west side of Gooding Boulevard, north of Corduroy Road, between the Grand Pointe subdivision and The Inn at Olentangy and the Village at North Falls. It was said Orange’s Zoning Commission discussed the matter on Dec. 20, and RPC recommended denial.
Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at [email protected].
