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Phone in guess
Interesting phone in guess as to the identity of ''Mystery Community'' XXX.
The guesser thought it was Hudson, OH. Nice try, but not correct. Hudson has over 50% of it's assessed tax value in commericial / industrial (Pikerington has about 13%). The citizens of Hudson felt the pinch in tax load some years back after passing a major school construction issue and implemented a growth managment control process on new residential construction - by limiting new builds to 1-1/2% per year. Hudson also has an extensive infrastructure plan and proceeds along this plan with funding that is projected ahead for uses along the plans timeline.
Good guess, but ''Mystery Community'' XXX still has not been identified.
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Hebron Ohio
It is obvious that this mystery community is NOT Pickerington. If they had 950 acres there would be an application before Planning and Zoning for a rezoning to PR-4. One community near Pickerington is Hebron, Ohio. It is located just north of I-70 on route 79. For years route 79 was a two-lane road about six miles north of I-70. The two lanes and the distance for the freeway did not stop them from building an industrial park. Now they have improved the access by building a four road up from I-70 thus opening their industrial parks to even greater growth.
Grove City has built a road, which basically changed the route of Gantz road. On one side of Gantz road they have an industrial park. It is buffered with earthen beams and pine trees. It is interesting to note that Pickerington City councilman Craig Maxey has his business in this Grove City industrial park called South Point.
Ted Hackworth
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Two guesses in one - yet not it!
Those were a couple of good guesses. By making 2 guesses you doubled your odds of nailing the correct answer ?– and by not guessing it was Pickerington you also increased your chances.
Interesting that Hebron had the foresight to understand that a key to bring in an industrial / commercial tax base is to create the transportation infrastructure to invite businesses to succeed. It is so basic. A few miles off the freeway were nothing to stop them from doing what was needed. What a shame it is that we have (and continue) to choke off our accesses from Interstate 70 and Route 33 with subdivisions. Both City and Township have made a mess of subdivisions within these vital access points. Those of you that view our latest Newsletter will see on the maps how we are choking off needed transportation corridors. Hebron is a good example of a community that had the forethought to identify this need and plan to make their more diversified commercial / industrial tax base a reality. Speaking of transportation access people continue to forget that we had the potential of a third transportation corridor, that being the rail line right through the middle of this community. Many would envy this opportunity, we plant house beside, yet another vital resource. Oh well, Hebron is not ?“Mystery Community?” XXX.
Grove City ?– yet another good try, but not correct. Here you see one of the most recent examples of a community that has used it?’s bonding (debt capabilities) to make transportation access improvements and increase their commercial / industrial growth. Also noted by your comments is that Grove City will buffer this commercial / industrial component of their community by earthen works and vegetation. That is a far cry from our Pickerington approach, within our land use plan, of buffering with higher density residential units like condos and apartments. It is amazing to see that our buffers still produce loads of students upon our overwhelmed school district and cars that clog our roads. Grove City has used its financial debt structure to the tune of about $650,000.00 to beef up their communities diversified tax base with the roads you mentioned. This while Pickerington is using its debt capabilities to the tune of $1,100,000.00 for the engineering studies that are felt needed to provide more water and sewer capacity to it?’s residential boom. Keep in mind that the engineering studies costs are far, far below the actual costs of increasing these facilities. So you say a current Council member works in that community (Grove City) and hasn?’t set forth the wheels in motion for the same potentials here ?– wonders never cease. Well, our former Mayor is a businessman with none of his operations here in Pickerington either. Grove City is not the ?“Mystery Community?” XXX.
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3 guesses
Hi Bob,
Since the article was in Columbus Monthly, I will guess that XXX is in Central Ohio.
Guess #1 - Obetz: They are going to have quite a sum of cash after the tax abatements expire.
Guess #2 - Groveport: They are going to have quite a sum of cash (not quite as much as Obetz but still a sum) after the tax abatements expire.
Guess #3 - Canal Winchester: Originally they were my first guess and I am still wondering if it might be them. I think they have jumped on a great opportunity that has somehow passed the attention of the current Pickerington Council.
Not to be self serving, but I hope I won the grand prize!
Tim
By Tim Bryant
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