Cosgray Road Annexation Stalled
Important and valuable land distinctions at issue during this stage of development
Hilliard City Council is waiting until the eleventh hour to decide whether or not to approve the proposed annexation of 6 acres on Cosgray Road into Hilliard from Norwich Township.
Donald Plank, an attorney representing the applicant and land owner, the Islamic Society of Greater Columbus, appealed to City Council on March 24 to approve the annexation, the parcel being surrounded on all sides by Hilliard, and then tackle whether the rezoning or proposed development is acceptable.
But City Council members are pressing for the applicant to provide a concept plan that provides a more detailed presentation for what is to be built on the parcel, about half of which is on the west side of Cosgray Road, and the other half on the east side, just north of the Heritage Rail Trail.
Proposed uses by the developer include a child daycare center or a private elementary school on the site.
Hilliard Assistant City Manager Dan Ralley told City Council members on March 10 that staff has concerns that there is not adequate parking on the site and that overflow parking could spill onto streets in the adjoining neighborhood, Hoffman Farms.
Plank, however, asked that City Council approve the annexation and then take up the issue of whether an acceptable plan can be achieved, acknowledging that the owner might well sell the land if no agreement can be reached.
“We could downsize the (proposed) building or sell the land… (But) the value lies in annexing the land to Hilliard,” Plank said.
Owing to a statutory requirement that Hilliard City Council act within a specified time after the Franklin County Commissioners OK’s the rezoning application, Hilliard City Council must approve or reject the rezoning application by April 3, according to Hilliard City Attorney Thad Boggs.
March 24 is the final regularly scheduled City Council meeting prior to April 3.
The ordinance was up for a second and final reading on Feb. 24 but postponed to March 10 to allow the applicant and staff members to revise a concept plan.
“We asked for a concept plan to see (if the proposal) is feasible. The first one had challenges, so we asked for something else that could fit, we did not get it,” City Manager Michelle Crandall said.
Responding to a question from Councilman Greg Betts, Boggs told council members that staff prefers more agreement on a concept plan before it is annexed because once it is annexed into the city, it becomes the city’s concern how it is developed, including possible litigation in connection to its rezoning.
Plank said requiring an investment of time and effort to create such a detailed concept plan, without any guarantee it will even be annexed, is unfair to the applicant.
“I can’t see it ever being a good idea,” Councilman Andy Teater said about any kind of school on the site.
City Council voted 5-1 to postpone the ordinance until March 24, with Councilwoman Emily Cole dissenting.
Councilman Les Carrier was absent.
Seems like this is a trend for the city to give the Islamic groups of Hilliard a hard time with zoning.
Are other religious groups or businesses put under the same scrutiny? If they are, then okay, if not, then what can people do to stop the discrimination other than hopefully vote the bigots involved with the city out of office?