City officials discuss Enclave at the Ravines

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Delaware City Council continued discussions on an 87-unit, single-family development located within the Ravines at Olentangy with a second reading during Monday’s meeting.

Developer Ron Sabbatino and T&R Properties are proposing the development, called the Enclave at the Ravines at Olentangy, on approximately 15 acres north of Curve Road and west of Rochdale Run.

Units would be ranch-style and a minimum of 1,200 square feet, each with a two-car garage.

The Enclave would be Subarea 3 of five total subareas. The first subarea was previously approved for 128 single-family homes on approximately 46 acres, and homes are currently being constructed. Subarea 2 has been approved for 36 tw0-family dwelling units and has been platted.

Subarea 4 has been approved for an assisted living facility on just under four acres, and Subarea 5 currently remains vacant but has been approved for office or light manufacturing uses.

During the first reading Nov. 11, Councilwoman Lisa Keller expressed concerns about the proposed development and its proximity to the closed landfill, which sits just east of the land. In particular, she cited potential issues with methane gas emanating from the landfill, and the notification requirements for those potentially living in the development.

In addressing those concerns, City Engineer Bill Ferrigno said that properties within a 1,000-foot buffer zone of existing or closed landfills are required to have additional “monitoring and notification requirements.” However, Ferrigno said none of the units being discussed in the proposal will fall within that 1,000-foot buffer.

Keller further questioned the health impacts of living so close to a landfill, to which Ferrigno said he believed that was why the 1,000-foot buffer is implemented. Asked when the landfill was active, Ferrigno said he believed it was in the early 1970s to the mid-1980s before being closed in the late 1980s.

During Monday’s meeting, Ferrigno said that after further research, approximately half of the proposed lots for the Enclave would, in fact, be located in the buffer zone that would require additional monitoring and notifications. He said the notification of the nearby landfill would be present on the deeds for the home.

Ferrigno said he will be meeting with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) next month as a follow-up to determine if any additional precautions would be needed now that the subarea is ready to be developed. He added, “Our monitoring for gas has been going on for years out there … We’ve added additional monitoring wells. Though the requirement is to start monitoring for gas a year after the first habitable structure is built, the developer and the city, together, have gone ahead and actually already started that process earlier this year.”

A gas cutoff trench as a possible future mitigating measure has also been discussed in regard to the landfill, although there is currently no requirement for it to be constructed. Ferrigno said the trench and the details of its construction, should it be needed, will be part of the discussion with the EPA.

Ferrigno went on to say that explosive gasses resulting from a former landfill typically peak around seven or eight years after the landfill is closed, and he noted this landfill’s closure is approaching the 20-year mark. He reiterated that the meeting with the EPA isn’t a result of any positive readings for explosive gases but is more of a precautionary measure to know what the next steps would be should there ever be positive readings in the future.

Vice Mayor Kent Shafer motioned to suspend the rules requiring three readings for an ordinance’s passing, and Councilman Chris Jones seconded that motion. However, a motion to suspend the rule requires a super-majority vote, meaning five favorable votes are needed rather than the typical four.

The motion did not receive the necessary five votes and will be taken to a third reading during council’s next meeting Dec. 9.

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By Dillon Davis

[email protected]

Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56.

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