A couple of corrections to the comments around 7:30: This is what the Ohio Revised Code calls an "Expedited Type 2 Annexation." Among other things, it means it is not "annexed from Norwich Twp" but rather remains in the township, in the same way much of the City of Hilliard is also in Norwich Twp. The Sugar Farms annexation is also the same, annexed into the City of Columbus but remaining in Norwich Twp.
In an Expedited Type 2 annexation, the County Commissioners have no approval authority in regard to sewer/water as Anthony stated. In fact, for this kind of annexation, the County Commissioners have no role except to confirm that the annexation will meet all the conditions required for an Expedited Type 2, and if it does, they are mandated by the statute to approve the annexation.
I suspect that the economics of this development is being driven by some kind of incentive funded by the $200 million bond fund Columbus voters approved last year with the goal of created more affordable housing in the City of Columbus. Secondary to that a new policy of the Columbus City Council to create opportunities for Columbus kids to attend "better resourced" (ie suburban) schools, which is possible because the several I-270 suburban school districts, including Hilliard Schools, have had a substantial portion of their attendance area annexed into Columbus. So this apartment complex could hit both of those goals.
I don't know in fact the developer is getting such a subsidy, or that the intention is to have some or all of the apartments be affordable. But it's a stupid place to put a concentration of apartments. Note that I'm a fan of these Columbus initiatives of affordable housing in suburban school districts. But such housing needs also to be in the "walkable" part of the community.
This isn't really an infill - it's just one of the few rural parcels left. A better move would be put such a development where folks could easily walk to grocery stores, schools and COTA stops. This site has none of those properties.
The City of Columbus is choosing to promote this kind of development along a bunch of corridors, like the Sawmill/Bethel/Henderson area - which by the way was where a boatload of apartment development happened in the 1970s. I know - I lived in one of them - called Country Corners when it opened about 1974.
So something's going on with this one that we don't understand. Maybe the developer doesn't really plan to do affordable housing there, just a boatload of expensive apartments like the Greyson on Leap Rd or the thousands on Riggins Rd. Or maybe the developer is getting a big grant from the $200m Columbus affordable housing fund, and the Columbus people don't care that it's a stupid site other than being in Hilliard Schools.
If you want to learn the truth, follow the money....
A couple of corrections to the comments around 7:30: This is what the Ohio Revised Code calls an "Expedited Type 2 Annexation." Among other things, it means it is not "annexed from Norwich Twp" but rather remains in the township, in the same way much of the City of Hilliard is also in Norwich Twp. The Sugar Farms annexation is also the same, annexed into the City of Columbus but remaining in Norwich Twp.
In an Expedited Type 2 annexation, the County Commissioners have no approval authority in regard to sewer/water as Anthony stated. In fact, for this kind of annexation, the County Commissioners have no role except to confirm that the annexation will meet all the conditions required for an Expedited Type 2, and if it does, they are mandated by the statute to approve the annexation.
I suspect that the economics of this development is being driven by some kind of incentive funded by the $200 million bond fund Columbus voters approved last year with the goal of created more affordable housing in the City of Columbus. Secondary to that a new policy of the Columbus City Council to create opportunities for Columbus kids to attend "better resourced" (ie suburban) schools, which is possible because the several I-270 suburban school districts, including Hilliard Schools, have had a substantial portion of their attendance area annexed into Columbus. So this apartment complex could hit both of those goals.
I don't know in fact the developer is getting such a subsidy, or that the intention is to have some or all of the apartments be affordable. But it's a stupid place to put a concentration of apartments. Note that I'm a fan of these Columbus initiatives of affordable housing in suburban school districts. But such housing needs also to be in the "walkable" part of the community.
This isn't really an infill - it's just one of the few rural parcels left. A better move would be put such a development where folks could easily walk to grocery stores, schools and COTA stops. This site has none of those properties.
The City of Columbus is choosing to promote this kind of development along a bunch of corridors, like the Sawmill/Bethel/Henderson area - which by the way was where a boatload of apartment development happened in the 1970s. I know - I lived in one of them - called Country Corners when it opened about 1974.
So something's going on with this one that we don't understand. Maybe the developer doesn't really plan to do affordable housing there, just a boatload of expensive apartments like the Greyson on Leap Rd or the thousands on Riggins Rd. Or maybe the developer is getting a big grant from the $200m Columbus affordable housing fund, and the Columbus people don't care that it's a stupid site other than being in Hilliard Schools.
If you want to learn the truth, follow the money....