Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

We have provided this room below for CommUNITY 1st previous input from concerned citizens to be viewable to a wider array of citizens prior to their open invitation for additional participation.



What's Important

1. Education

2. Slow, Controlled Growth

3. Credible Leadership

4. Parks and Green space

5. Quality of Life

6. Reasonable and Predictable Taxes

7. Churches / Organized Religion

8. Clear Explanation and Discussions of Issues PRIOR to being voted on by Elected Officials

9. Athletics

10. Safe and Clean City

11. Preserve Rural, Small Town Flavor

12. Community Appearance

13. Entertainment



Define Type of Community

1. Establish a Vision Statement
Long Term Goals - 20 years, 50 years

2. Establish a Mission Statement
A means to get to the Vision Statement

3. Reasonable and Predictable Taxes

4. Community Appearance
Strict Buffer Requirements

5. Time Frame needed to accomplish this


Maintain Excellent Schools

1. Create New Funding Sources
Reduce Reliance on Residential Property Taxes

2. Community Authority
Create on in both the City and Township

3. Builder?’s contribute land or money with no strings attached

4. Learn from other School District?’s Successes and failures

5. Move District Offices out of Pickerington Elementary School
Possibly relocate to Pickerington High School Portables

6. Keep Focus on Kids

7. Good Education occurs inside buildings not because of the buildings ?¡V responsibly expand school buildings


SLOW Residential Growth

1. Slow Growth in both the City & Township

2. Moratorium in place while Plan is developed

3. Control by limiting of Sewer Taps

4. Adopt IRC & enforce with Builders

5. Look at what?’s worked in other High Growth Areas

6. Coordinated / Joint Land Use Plan
Get copy of Fairfield County Land Use Plan from the Fairfield County Regional Planning Commission

7. Common Zoning

8. Build different types of homes, bigger lots, more expensive homes to increase taxes & decrease density

9. Safety needs to be considered with new developments ?¡V where entrances are & impact of new traffic



...continued below ....


By webmaster

CommUNITY 1st points cont'd.

CommUNITY 1st Issues continued


Explore Changes in Government

1. Government Entities MUST Cooperate
Liaison where needed
Local Political Leader?’s need to keep people informed
Become a Home Rule Township
Merger of City and Township with Cohesive Leadership

2. Strict Ethics Statement (Stricter than the State?’s Version) needs signed by Elected Officials

3. Attitude of Fiscal Responsibility
School Board, City and Township

4. Restructure Government Meetings to facilitate Community Participation


Increase Commercial Tax Base (from 18% - 33%)

1. Identify and Preserve Commercial Lands in the City & Township

2. Build Office Park(s)
Foster Multi-Story Office Buildings on Rt. 33 (similar to 270 & Sawmill Rd.)
Include Planned services to support the workers : i.e. Daycare, Dry Cleaners, Restaurants

3. Build an Industrial Park

4. Joint Land Use Plan between the City & Township
Get copy of Fairfield County Land Use Plan from the Fairfield County Regional Planning Commission

5. Look to other Communities for examples of what?’s worked for them

6. Need Common Zoning with the City and Township

7. Create a Business District Plan

8. Pickerington needs to explore CEDA or a version of CEDA

9. Convert 8185 Farms & Viola Park to Commercial Land; include area East of Pickerington Rd. & West of Allen Rd.

10. Focus on Service Types of Business

11. Create Innovative Buffers around Industry

Traffic Flow

1. Accessibility to Major Highways
Consider additional exits & entrances to I-70 and Rt. 33
Need interchanges on I-70 at Taylor Rd. and Mink Rd.

2. Improve Traffic Flow on major Pickerington roads
Diley Rd. / Refugee Rd. / S.R. 256

3. Good Highway Accessibility

4. Additional Interchange at Allen Rd.
Network with Pat Harris - County Administrator, ODOT, Tim Schaeffer, Jay Hottinger, Township Trustees & Pickerington City Council

5. Create I-70 - Rt. 33 Connector


Parks & Green Space

1. Community Center
Similar to Westerville?’s
For use of both City and Township Residents

2. Increase space devoted to Parks and Green space
Support Hiking/Biking Trails

3. Adequate Sports Facilities
Soccer Fields

4. Engage Community
Encourage Individual Involvement


Other Quality of Life Issues


1. Engage Community
Encourage Individual Involvement

2. Water and Sewer Analysis

3. Police and Fire Analysis

4. Local Calling within a County - not Long Distance

5. Keep Community Informed & Encourage Community Participation in CommUNITY 1st

6. Vehicle to keep Community Informed
Newsletter, Civic Associations, Chamber of Commerce, Websites, Workplace Fliers

7. Community Involvement
Come to Meetings
Procedural Process to Initiate a Referenda or Initiative Petition
How do you communicate with City Leaders and be heard?¨?


By webmaster

New Point in Traffic

One additional point was added to the Traffic topic at this past Sunday's meeting.

Restore COTA Bus Service from Pickerington to Columbus & back.

Small groups were formed to work on topic specific items.

Next CommUNITY 1st meeting is 7-9pm on May 18th at the Junior High School. Smaller Groups will meet between now & then.