Southeast Messenger - June 2nd, 2019

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PAGE 2 - SOUTHEAST MESSENGER - June 2, 2019 Groveport Garden Club The Groveport Garden Club meets the first Tuesday each month at Groveport Zion Lutheran Church, 6014 Groveport Road. Call Marylee Bendig at (614) 218- 1097. AUTO HOME BUSINESS LIFE INSURANCE Beplerinsurance.com 614.837.4379 staff@beplerinsurance.com 3246 Noe Bixby Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43232 Lung Cancer? Asbestos exposure in industrial, construction, manufacturing jobs, or the military may be the cause. Family in the home were also exposed. Call 1-866-795-3684 or email cancer@breakinginjurynews.com. $30 billion is set aside for asbestos victims with cancer. Valuable settlement monies may not require filing a lawsuit. LEVY Continued from page 1 She said if the district can become an ELPP district this summer, it is conceivable the district could build two schools with local dollars and then build two more once a bond issue is approved and state money is available. But she added, “Right now the OFCC cannot commit to us as to when the state funding would be available.” She said if Groveport Madison remains a CFAP district, it could be a five to six year wait for state funding for new buildings. “It would be difficult to go to the voters with a bond issue when the OFCC won’t commit to when the state money would be available,” said Ogden. “It’s www.columbusmessenger.com First Tuesday comes to downtown Groveport By Rick Palsgrove Southeast Editor There’s something special happening this summer in downtown Groveport. Beginning June 4, the first of four First Tuesday events will begin for the season in front of Groveport Elementary, 715 Main St., and near ACE Hardware. First Tuesday features food trucks, live music, vendors, the Farmer’s Market, and activities for all ages. Vendors will be in the semi-circle drive at Groveport Elementary School and food trucks will be in the green space near Ace Hardware on Main Street. Each First Tuesday date will have its own theme. The First Tuesday schedule (Hours are 4-7 p.m.): •June 4 — Family Farm Day featuring sunflowers seeds for the first 50 kids to take home and start a garden, petting zoo, old fashioned tractors, and adult craft hour. •July 2 — Red, White & Kids featuring a kids parade at 6 p.m., shaved ice, and bounce house. “Celebrate by dressing your children up in red, white, and blue and decorate their bikes, scooters, or wagons for the kids parade,” said Groveport Community Affairs Director Patty Storts. •Aug. 6 — Dog Days including a dog show, pet vendors, and adoptable pets. •Sept. 3 — Go Cruisers Day featuring the Cruiser marching band, Cruiserettes, and cheerleaders. “The themes are the same as last year’s themes with the exception of Go Cruisers Day,” said Jessica Reeves, Groveport public relations/communications coordinator. “Red, White, and Kid’s Celebration and Dog Days were both very popular themes last year with a great turnout.” Reeves said the live music will be acoustic. “First Tuesday is an opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate hometown pride.” - Jessica Reeves Groveport communications coordinator “The performer on June 4 is Peter Conrad,” said Reeves. “He plays oldies, country, and folk.” Reeves said the food trucks at First Tuesday will be Curbside Dish, Taquitos, Schmidt’s, Queen’s Table, and M & S Grub Hub. “There will be different combinations of these food trucks at each First Tuesday depending on their availability,” said Reeves. In addition to the four First Tuesday events, the Groveport Farmers Market will be held every Tuesday from June 4 through Sept. 10 from 4-7 p.m. in the grassy area near Ace Hardware on Main St. For information call 614-836-3333. “Events like First Tuesday and the Farmer’s Market help generate interest in the downtown area and create a vitality for the district,” said Groveport Development Director Jeff Green. “While this event will start on a smaller scale, as it grows, it will hopefully incorporate more of the downtown area. These events are just another way to put ‘feet on the street.’” Green said local businesses are encouraged to participate in the First Tuesday event in any way possible. “For the first year, at least, we are not charging vendors a fee to participate,” said Green. “Businesses may opt to offer a First Tuesday special or even set up a table at the event site. It’s really up to businesses to find ways to be a part and to get their name out to people attending the events.” Added Reeves, “First Tuesday is another opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate hometown pride, connect with local vendors, and potentially attract new businesses to the downtown area.” a moving target.” Before pursuing a bond issue for new schools, Ogden said the district needs to establish an overall plan that includes the look of the buildings, where the building would be, the order the buildings would be built, and where students transition to attend schools while new buildings are constructed. “We need a comprehensive plan of exactly what we’re going to do,” said Board President Bryan Shoemaker. “We have to have new buildings.” High school addition Ogden and district staff recently met with the OFCC to discuss the proposed four classroom addition to the high school. Ogden said OFCC officials recommended the district wait to see what state legislative changes accompany the upcoming state budget because language in the budget bill could affect the district’s construction plans. Ogden said the current high school enrollment is 1,638 while the building was built to hold 1,432. The latter figure was based on OFCC estimates prior to construction. The OFCC arrived at the number by using a combination of Ohio Department of Education numbers, the district’s 10 year enrollment trend, and the district’s current enrollment at the time. Ogden said the approximately 200 student increase at the high school comes from about 100 former Eastland Career Center students returning to the high school to take advantage of the tech programs the new school offers; and about 100 students from local K-8 charter schools who are now of high school age. The district has $2 million in savings leftover from the high school construction project, but must get OFCC approval before using the funds. “The OFCC wants to see a three-year enrollment trend,” said Ogden. “They want to know that the current enrollment number will sustain over time.” Shoemaker said he wants a letter from the OFCC acknowledging that their enrollment projections were incorrect. “Somebody owes us an apology,” said Shoemaker regarding the enrollment projections. Existing building repairs Assistant Superintendent Jamie Grube is visiting the schools to determine the critical building repair priorities. He will present this information at the board’s next meeting on June 12. “We’ll do what we can with what money we have in the existing allocation,” said Grube. “One way or another it’s a band-aid solution. The budget is what the budget is, but we still have to prioritize repairs.” Added Treasurer John Walsh, “It’s about choices.” Next steps To place an issue on the Nov. 5 ballot, the board must file a resolution of necessity to do so by July 8 and a resolution to proceed by Aug. 8. The board must decide if it will place an operating levy by itself on the ballot and wait to place a bond issue on a future ballot; or place a levy and bond issue on the ballot. The board’s next meeting is June 12 at 7 p.m. in the District Service Center, 4400 Marketing Place, Suite B, Groveport.
www.columbusmessenger.com June 2, 2019 - SOUTHEAST MESSENGER - PAGE 3 Warehouses delayed; others proposed for Saltzgaber By Rick Palsgrove Southeast Editor Traffic issues prompted Groveport City Council to postpone a vote on the final development plan for two warehouses along South Hamilton Road. Also, some council members expressed concern that the city’s residents do not want more warehouses in that area. In light of council’s concerns, Phil Rasey, vice president of development for the Pizzuti Companies requested council postpone the vote on the final development plan until June 10 so the company and city officials can further review the traffic issues and explore options. The Pizzuti Companies wants to build two warehouses on 44.4 acres at 4500 S. Hamilton Road. One warehouse would be 324,000 square feet and the other would be 252,000 square feet. Rasey said the buildings would be “last mile” distribution centers with multiple tenants. “There is a prospect for one of the buildings, but I’m not at liberty to discuss it at this time,” said Groveport Development Director Jeff Green. “Because the buildings are considered ‘spec’ buildings, we wouldn’t have projected income tax revenue figures at this time.” Green said the property has a 15 year property tax abatement. If the two warehouses are built, traffic going in and out of the development would use the traffic signal at South Hamilton Road (State Route 317) and Higgins Boulevard/Director’s Boulevard. Though a traffic study was done and the plan calls for improvements to and modernization of the intersection, Councilman Ed Didine said there are already lengthy traffic back-ups on South Hamilton Road at certain times of day and that “now it’s proposed two more big buildings be added to that area.” Added Council President Shawn Cleary of the proposed new warehouses, “That’s a whole lot of people at one location. The traffic situation needs to be improved. I have mixed feelings because of the numbers.” Councilwoman Becky Hutson and Councilman Chad Grashel both noted the city’s residents have expressed they do not want more warehouses in the area. “I’m looking for something else that the residents can enjoy there,” said Grashel of the area where the warehouses are proposed to be built. Green said existing zoning allows for warehouses to be built on the site and that the buildings fit with the city’s Gateway Corridor Plan. He said if retail businesses were built there it would create continuous traffic all day on South Hamilton Road. “I don’t want to see retail or a strip mall there,” said Dildine. “I have no problem with the development because it does fit there. My issue is with the traffic.” The city’s Gateway Corridor Plan addresses redevelopment along two of the main roadway corridors into town: the County to work on township roads By Rick Palsgrove Southeast Editor Franklin County will resurface several roads in Madison Township this summer. “The work will start in mid-June and be done by September,” said Carla Marable, director of communications for the Franklin County Engineer’s Office. Mark Mullenax, engineer technician for the Franklin County Engineer’s Office, said the resurfacing will involve milling and paving. “It’s simple mill and fill,” said Mullenax. The roads to be resurfaced in Madison Township this summer are: Brice Road between Winchester Pike and Brice Meadow Drive; Front Street between the railroad tracks and Ebright Road; Hamilton Road between Corbett Road and Lowery Court; Hendron Road between Glendening Drive and State Route 317; and Pontius Road between London- Lancaster Road and Rohr Road. These five Madison Township roads are part of the county’s $3.8 million road resurfacing project that includes 10 other roads in other parts of the county. The project is funded by the motor vehicle license and gas tax fund. According to Marable, the Madison Township roads make up $1.1 million of the total project cost. The work will be performed by Kokosing Construction Company, Inc. Mullenax said the roads slated for resurfacing were selected by using a pavement condition index that measures how rough a road has become and by visual inspection annually. “We also consider how much the county maintenance department is spending to maintain a road,” said Mullenax. Public meeting about Toy Road The Franklin County Engineer’s Office, the city of Groveport, and Madison Township will hold a public meeting about Toy Road on June 4 from 5:30-7:30 p.m at the engineer’s East Maintenance Facility, located at 4801 Herndon Road in Groveport. The formal presentation begins at 6 p.m. The county engineer will talk about future road improvements, city of Groveport officials will explain why the city returned an Ohio Public Works Commission grant, and Madison Township officials will be there to answer questions. South Hamilton Road corridor between U.S. 33 and Bixby Road; and the Groveport Road corridor from State Route 317 west to Swisher Road. The Gateway Corridor Plan cites potential uses that include an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 square feet of building space on the 44.4 acre 4500 S. Hamilton Road site. When asked how The Pizzuti Companies’ proposal fits in with the city’s vision for the Gateway Corridor Plan in the Hamilton Road corridor, Green said, “The developers are taking great pains with landscaping, buffers and other site features to create a more attractive and less industrial appearance. Given the fact that these buildings will be situated between other similar structures, it will be compatible.” Warehouses on Saltzgaber Road Land along Saltzgaber Road could become the home to two new large warehouses. Groveport City Council is considering a proposal from Paul Hemmer Companies to build a 275,000 square foot warehouse and a 240,500 square foot warehouse on 37.6 acres located on the east side of Saltzgaber Road south of Groveport Road. As part of the proposal, pending an approved traffic study, Saltzgaber Road could be widened to three lanes with a 100 foot diameter turnaround placed on the south end of the road near Toy Road. Also, 225 foot (south) and a 150 foot (north) left turn lanes could be provided from Groveport Road to Saltzgaber Road. Groveport City Administrator Marsha Hall said the developer’s traffic study is still being reviewed by the city’s traffic engineer and Franklin County officials, so specific details of what will be expected in the way of off-site improvements are not yet available. “We will require the developer to pay for any off-site improvements required for their development,” said Hall. “The only items we (the city) would pay for are those improvements responding to background traffic.” According to the project’s development plan, if the project is approved, work on the road improvements and first warehouse could begin in the second half of 2019 and work on the second warehouse in the second half of 2020. The city of Groveport planning and zoning commission will review the proposed Saltzgaber Road warehouse project at its June 3 meeting at 6 p.m. in the Groveport Municipal Building, 655 Blacklick St. After the planning and zoning commission’s review, the proposal would be sent to Groveport City Council for further consideration.
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Southeast Messenger - June 2nd, 2019

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