Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Article published Mar 24, 2006

Big box retailers unwelcome

Violet Township residents rally against overdevelopment

By TAMARIA L. KULEMEKA
The Eagle-Gazette Staff
tkulemeka@nncogannett.com

VIOLET TOWNSHIP - Big box retailers are not welcome in Violet Township.
That was the message echoed by residents who oppose a request for 106 acres - on the north and south sides of Refugee Road, east of Pickerington Road - to be rezoned from residential to commercial. The developer for the proposed project is TLG Development Company Inc.

More than 300 residents turned out for a public hearing held by the township's zoning commission at Ridgeview Middle School on Thursday, with a standing-room-only crowd cramming the cafeteria where the meeting was held.

Hundreds of residents stood in a line that stretched from the front door of the middle school and wrapped around the building. Many of those residents never made it into the meeting because there was no room for them.

But those who did make it in had plenty to say.

''I think what you all need to think about is the facts. Who is going to benefit?'' asked Joel Potts. ''I heard the schools. I don't think the schools will benefit ... What do you think is going to happen to the schools if our property values decrease? ... This isn't about the American dream. This is talking about creating the suburban nightmare.''

Rumors have circulated that Wal-Mart will anchor the proposed development, and some residents argued the store's presence would bring more crime to the area, low-income wages, litter and so on.

David Fisher, attorney for the developer, said no user has been identified or negotiated with in regards to the site - but some residents didn't seem to buy that. Many residents continued to walk up to the podium and use Wal-Mart as part of their argument.

Fisher also said there were no tax or economic abatements being sought by his client.

''All dollars to which the school system would be entitled ... would be made available to the school district,'' Fisher said. ''And our very, very preliminary figures of that are in excess of half a million dollars.''

Fisher stressed there are policy issues that must be dealt with before anything can go forward, such as economic impact and traffic studies, a thoroughfare plan, and intergovernmental agreements. He said the developer is willing to conduct economic and traffic studies and work with the township, staff and small community-focused groups on other policy issues.

''It's important to respect the property owners,'' Fisher said. ''They deserve that fair and complete hearing on their property.''

Once the public comment phase ends, the township's zoning commission will make a recommendation - in support of or against the development - to the Violet Township Trustees.

R.D. Sabatino urged the commission to reject the rezoning, just as the Fairfield County Regional Planning Commission did earlier this month. More than 200 residents attended that meeting to oppose the rezoning, according to Sabatino.

Kelly Sanders and her parents own part of the 106 acres. She believes residents have the right to participate in the decision making process, but she also believes she and her parents have a ''legal, constitutional right to sell their property and rezone it.''

''This land will be eventually developed,'' Saunders said. ''There will be increased traffic and change whether it's commercial or whether it's residential. ... I guess I'm tired of the hypocrisy - of hearing people complain about their taxes and the levies. ... Pickerington is no longer a small town. Not one person here tonight has had the ability to stop the progress or stop the growth. It has already happened and it will continue to happen

More Press

VIOLET TOWNSHIP


No big-box retail store, residents tell officials



By Kirk D . Richards THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




As early as 6:10 p.m. yesterday, people began assembling in the Pickerington Ridgeview Junior High School cafeteria to protest plans for a big-box retailer in Violet Township.
By the 7:30 p.m. start of the township Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the 300 folding chairs were filled.
The rest of the cafeteria space was taken by people standing shoulder-toshoulder. And even more struggled to get into the door. Many could not.
''If we seem a little bit nervous, it?’s because we don?’t usually get this much attention,'' commission Chairman John Biancamano told the boisterous crowd. ''Sorry you all can?’t see.''
Most of the people were there to urge the commission to recommend against a developer?’s request to rezone 106 acres of farmland to commercial from residential.
The TLG Development Co. of Dublin has proposed a big-box retailer for the site at the intersection of Pickerington and Refugee roads.
The school was chosen for the meeting in an effort to accommodate an expected large crowd.
''We have hundreds of people out there,'' one woman shouted as others inched forward.
''Could we have order?'' Biancamano pleaded. ''We got the biggest room we could find.''
Though there was literature circulating around the room against a Wal-Mart, TLG attorney David Fisher emphasized last night that no company to occupy the site has been identified.
Fisher also railed against ''misinformation'' floating around, saying that the developer has not sought any tax abatement for the property.
The attorney also asked the audience to ''respect the rights of the current property owners.''
Two of the property owners, Kelly Sanders and Donald Smith, both addressed the crowd in favor of the project.
Sanders suggested it is too late to stop growth.
''Pickerington is no longer a small town,'' Sanders said. ''I?’m tired of the hypocrisy.''
William C. Blackmon, who lives on Pickerington Road less than a mile from the proposed development, said any big-box retailer would generate noise and add to traffic congestion.
''It?’s disgusting to me,'' said Blackmon, who has lived in the township for 35 years. ''I moved out here to live in the country.''
Township resident Sharon Little said the project could make it harder for her to sell her home one day.
''I do have concerns for my property values,'' Little said.
Resident Suzanne Botelho said she has witnessed motorists failing to stop for school buses with lights flashing. She worries that the situation will get worse if the project is approved.
''Our children are at stake here,'' Botelho said to huge applause.
Fisher asked that the commission give the developer time to conduct traffic and economic-impact studies.
With residents still talking late into the night, Biancamano said the commission would need more time before making a recommendation. Violet Township trustees would not be able to overturn the recommendation without a unanimous vote.
''We try to make the best decision based on the facts and the law,'' Biancamano said.
The chairman said an even bigger venue will be secured, if possible, for the next meeting to give more people an opportunity to attend.
krichards@dispatch.com

No comments

I guess what is missing here is those questions asked last night that were not answered.

Chris Logdson asked if the infrastructure would be completed PRIOR to the development? No Answer

Chris also stated that the residents did not say they didn't want more roof tops but didn't want them in there at the high density requested. Clearly the Ricketts could understand that since Rita did lead the charge for two lots per acre in the City in 2002.

The comment was the once this is zoned C-2 then ANYONE in the future can develop the property as to want ever goes into that zoning district. Then very little control over the project. He suggest a S-1 or S-2 I believe. The sound system was not the best and I was at the rear of the room.

So who knows what these S zoning districts are?

Then the lady from the Chevington Woods Civic association asked if the Commission was qualified to make the decision on a project this complicated? No answer other than where they all lived in the township.

It seems the challenges here are monstrous and some want to make fun of that fact. This project so far is very poorly thought out and the developer lawyer is not answering the basic questions and I guess when does he involve the City of Pickerington in these discussions if they have not done so already?

City P and Z

Pick P and Z was just faced with a similar situation a few months back, weren't they? They had a zone change request from residential to commercial at the corner of Church and Hill I think. The concerns raised at one of the public hearings was that the applied for zoning would allow any retail if that owner left. They found the correct zoning and put conditions on it to protect the city and the neighborhood if I recall.

Can't the township also look for the appropriate zoning that would allow commercial but wouldn't let an adult establishment open in the same plaza if it was appropriate zoning for such a business.

Maybe the lady who asked the qualifications of the zoning board and the trustees was on track. Maybe they are just more good old boys with their hearts in the right place but are way out of their league in dealing with developers such as these.