Council Weighs Rezoning 120 Acres for Research & Manufacturing
Public hearing set for March 10 as city organizes for economic growth near Britton Farms
One year after the City of Hilliard acquired 120 acres adjacent to the Britton Farms subdivision, Hilliard City Council is being asked to rezone the parcel from R-R (rural residential) to a Planned Unit Development District (PUD) for intended commercial uses.
An ordinance rezoning the 120 acres was introduced Feb. 24 at Hilliard City Council.
It is scheduled for a public hearing, and a second and final reading, at 7 p.m. March 10 at Hilliard City Council.
The ordinance arrived at Hilliard City Council after consideration by the Hilliard Planning and Zoning Commission whose members issued a positive recommendation by a 6-1 vote on Jan. 9.
The property was once owned by the family of Larry Wolpert- a former member of the Ohio House of Representative and former Hilliard City Councilman.
One subarea of the rezoned parcel would include 48 acres of open space along the east side of the site, between Davidson Road and Hayden Run Road.
The second subarea would include developable land on the western half of the site along the rail line that crosses Davidson Road.
This sub area would include offices, laboratories, scientific research facilities, advanced manufacturing and other uses intended to attract companies that align with the city’s economic development strategy, according to the staff report.
John Talentino, a city planner, said the proposed development calls for about 780,000 square-feet of “flex development” that would generate an annual income tax between $700,000 and $1.4 million for the city.
It was purchased “for economic development purposes,” according to the staff report.
The transfer price of the parcel, at 4840 Davidson Road, is zero, according to the property record with the Franklin County Auditor’s Office.
Hilliard City Council approved the purchase of the parcel in November 2023, issuing bonds for an amount not to exceed $13 million, for the purchase of the Wolpert property and additional property at another location.
The authorizing ordinance approved in November 2023 called for the Hilliard Development Corporation to purchase 120 acres on Davidson Road for $10.8 million and the organization closed on the land in March 2024.
The parcel is bordered on the east by the Britton Farms subdivision, to the west by railroad tracks, and lies between Davidson Road and Hayden Run Road.
The northern portion of the parcel borders the Hayden Crest subdivision in Norwich Township.
Residents from the subdivision appealed to City Council to increase minimum setbacks, require additional buffering, and other considerations to reduce the impact of the development.