The Delaware Planning Commission will consider three development requests including housing projects from Ohio Wesleyan University at its Wednesday meeting.
OWU received a donation to replace its Honors House, 81 Oak Hill Ave., to accommodate 27 students compared with 11 students at the existing structure. The building is dated and is in need of repairs, according to a city staff report. The commission will consider to recommend a combined preliminary and final development plan.
Also, OWU continues to move forward with the development of its small living units, or SLUs, along the north side of Rowland Avenue between South Washington Street and South Liberty Street.
Council approved the preliminary plans for Phases 1 through 5 of the project in August 2015. Phase 1 and 2 have been completed with the former now occupied. The commission will consider a final development plan for Phase 3, which would be located between the now completed SLUs.
Staff proposes a change to the preliminary development plan to move Phase 4 SLU from Rowland Avenue to along South Liberty Street just north of the Phase 1 SLU, because a private access easement prohibits the construction of four SLUs along Rowland. But an originally contemplated detention pond is no longer needed because staff has more detailed information about the storm water.
In addition to OWU, the commission will consider a final subdivision plat for Braumiller Woods Section 3 along Colony Ridge and Buena Park drives. This is the final section for the subdivision that will consist 119 homes over 49.7 acres. Council approved the preliminary plat in 2004, the same year a final plat was approved for Section 1 that consisted of 35 single-family lots.
The final plat for Section 2 with 23 lots was approved in 2012. The final plat for Section 3 will have 38 single-family lots instead of 42 as originally planned.
Although not on the agenda, the commission will not discuss a proposed amendment for codified ordinance section 1168.07. The change would allow the Tree Bank Fund dollars to be used for the planting and installation of trees on public property at any location within the city including the right-of-way. The fund is an option for developers and property owners that are required to replace removed trees.
The city’s Shade Tree Commission discussed the amendment at its last meeting, but have not finalized its recommendation for the Planning Commission’s consideration. City Council will have the final say.
The commission will meet at City Hall, 1 S. Sandusky St., 7 p.m. in council chambers.
