Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

To the Pickerington are residents:

Below I have re-wrote the growth managament ordinance that is sponsored by David Shaver, and if the Pickerington City Council fails to act on March 18th then I would like to know how much support my proposal would get from those that visit this web site. The people that live and vote here in Pickerington, the people that must sit in the traffic in the mornings, and pay these ever raising taxes. This would require about 360 signatures and a whole lot of work. It can be put on the ballot with a initiative.

Ted Hackworth

AN ORDINANCE ENACTING A GROWTH MANAGEMENT PLAN ON THE ISSUING OF HOUSING PERMITS AND SEWER TAPS FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL UNITS FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS.


Whereas, the rapid growth of residential units in the City of Pickerington threatens to place undue burdens on the schools, water and sewer services, roads, police and other city services; and,

Whereas, it has been proposed that the City of Pickerington and Violet Township participate in a ?“Growth Summit Meeting?”, and

Whereas, it will be necessary for the City of Pickerington to develop a joint agreement with Violet Township for the management of this growth, and that this will take a reasonable period of time; and,

Whereas. It is necessary to retain the services of various professionals in the fields of city planning and costs of community services in order to develop such a joint agreement, and that this will take a reasonable period of time; and,

Whereas, our current debt load must be lowered with a much stronger tax base to support both the city and the district school system;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF PICKERINGTON, FAIFIELD-FRANKLIN COUNTIES, OHIO A MAJORITY OF IT ELECTORATE APPROVING.

Section 1: That for a period of two years from the date of the effective date of this ordinance, no housing permits or sewer taps for single residential units shall be issued by the City of Pickerington, except as otherwise provided by this ordinance.

Section 2: That this ordinance shall not impair any contracts between a builder and a person who intends to construct a single residential unit for his or her personal use in effect at the time of the effective date of the ordinance.

Section 3: That housing permits and sewer taps may still be issued during this period for the construction of single residential housing on plats that have received final approval of the City Council at the effective date of this ordinance as follows:

1) Such building/housing permits and sewer taps shall be limited to those residential units that will house or care for official senior citizen?’s (persons age 55 and older) housing. All others permits and sewer taps shall not be allowed for any reason until a growth management plan is in effect for the City of Pickerington.

Section 4: To provide guidance to the city government the following provision must be included in a Growth
Management Plan:

Growth plan cont.

1) The growth management plan for the City of Pickerington will require that the residential growth rate for the
City of Pickerington shall limit growth to a one and one half percent (1 ?½%) growth rate of the existing residential units currently being occupied in the city. This is approximately 50 to 70 residential units per year. This rate of growth will be effective for a period of ten (10) years at whitch time the City Council can change the percent of growth based on current conditions.

2) The growth management plan will require that the City of Pickerington retain the services of an outside planning firm to determine possible sites in the City of Pickerington and in Violet Township that would be suitable for commercial development. This firm will require the approval of both the City of Pickerington and the Violet Township Trustees.

3) The City of Pickerington shall retain the service of a professional to determine and develop a ten (10) year capital improvement plan for the city and the township. This study must include infrastructure needs and a time line on there completion. These needs shall be determined by a series of public meetings and a public vote of the Pickerington City Council. The study must identify to the City of Pickerington the sources and taxes revenues that will pay for these needs.

4) The Pickerington City Council must develop an allotment plan for issuance of building permits. It must be fair and it must be based on proportional basis. Those developers faced with financial hardship because of these restriction may apply for relieve to the city. A development fund should be established along with a plan to buy the development rights of any local land owner that may option to leave the City of Pickerington.

5) This ordinance will require the City of Pickerington to proceed with this plan irregardless of the Township Trustees actions and their decision to participate in this planning.

6) All senior housing and senior care facilities will be exempted from any residential growth controls once the growth management plan is implemented.


7) This ordinance shall be implemented expeditiously as to avoid any undue hardships on local builders and developers.

8) All commercial development shall be exempted from any growth controls with the exception of large apartment complexes and Multi-family with over 4 units per building.

Section 5: This ordinance shall become effective as the earliest period authorized by law.

Right Direction

I think this idea is a good one. A recall of several of these folks would be preferrable, but if that's not going to move forward, or might not be effective, this would be a reasonable alternative.

I think it's safe to say that, given the support that the three initiatives received in November, there is little doubt that this would pass as written on any ballot in Pickerington.

I caution however against making this too broad. It would be a shame to bring something like this to council and have them find some legal technicality on which to dismiss it. I am not qualified to provide the review, but as an example, there seems to be case support for a moratorium to allow planning, but does it go to far to mandate the growth rate for the next ten years...it certainly is the right thing to do, I'm just saying let's not give them anything to shoot at if there's any chance they could use it to invalidate the proposal. If necessary, focus on getting the moratorium in place, quickly, and shore up the rest later.

I would add, as I did when a similar idea was proposed by Lisa Reade, that you may not even have to get this to the ballot for it to have an effect. Our council is pragmatic in that they will choose one path they don't like if they are likely to be forced down a path they like even less. They proved that with their adoption of the original wording on the ''emergency ordinance'' initiative last November....

Anyway, a less than perfect idea that will get done is better than a perfect idea that doesn't get done....I say go for it, I think you can be assured it will pass if you can get it on the ballot.

By now also anonymous

We'll keep trying

Now Also Anonymous,


Thank you for responding to my posting.

My purpose here is to state an idea about how to control residential growth. If we circulate this petition and file it with the city this summer then the earliest that it will be on the ballot is November. It will take about 10 days after that to become law.

Also this November there is an election. Clearly my intent is to also establish the issues. This initiative will be the issue this fall. It is a little early to start this but we have a school levy on the ballot this May and I?’m afraid it will fail if something is not done soon. We can no longer do business as usual.

Many communities control their growth a number of ways. Those strategies are still valid here in Pickerington but it will take years to burn off all of the approved lots they have already done the final plat on. I believe that number to be near 3000 lots. Those 3000 lots when fully built out will give the builders between $300 million to $600 million in profit. I am not talking about total sales prices I am talking about their profits before taxes.

These homes could be occupied in as little as 6 years at the current rate of sales. Once they are fully occupied then the operating costs to this community just for the schools will be between $17 million and $32 million PER YEAR depending on if you use .8 kids per house or 1.5 kids per house. The total estimated tax revenues from these 3000 new homes would only come to a little over $8 million dollars per year to the schools. The Community Authority that the Mayor is proposing, even if it was used for operating expenses, is less than $2 million per year. I haven?’t even figured in the delay in the schools getting their hands on the real estate taxes takes up to two years after the buyers have moved into a new home.

What I am proposing is a knock off of the Hudson Ohio plan. They also had problems when they had to build their second high school. They found they couldn?’t operate both schools without doubling the R.E. taxes and double they did. They were a very similar community to Pickerington. Their plan has been in effect since 1995. Since then it has been working and they have limited their residential growth to one and a half percent per year.

Clearly this would give a vote from the public that would either approve or disapprove and the new council after the first of the year would have their marching orders in hand to begin work on the plan. If they needed to modify the provisions from the initiative then I am sure that could be worked out without a law suit.

The city can only challenge the form of the petition. It must be approved language. The circulators must not commit fraud and they must witness everyone that signs the petition. The council and the Law Director can not challenge the content of the ordinance being proposed until it has been approved by the voters.

With that said I can?’t guarantee anything.