Southwest Messenger - July 26th, 2020

By Andrea Cordle
Southwest Editor
Grove City councilman Roby Schottke
remembers flooding in the area back in the
1970s when he was first buying a home. He
said in the early 2000s he remembers not
being able to get to work on Park Street
due to water in the downtown area. Then
Schottke fielded calls from concerned residents
about their properties flooding due to
a 10-year rain event in March of this year.
“This is not a brand-new thing,” said
Schottke at the March 20 council meeting.
“This flooding issue is not going away, and
By Andrea Cordle
Southwest Editor
The City Beat
PAGE 4 - SOUTHWEST MESSENGER - July 26, 2020
www.columbusmessenger.com
Wet basement program considered in Grove City
it is time to help.”
Schottke introduced legislation that
would enact a wet basement grant program.
The plan is to set aside $200,000
from the city’s sidewalk program to fund
the wet basement program. The program is
designed to help property owners with
flooding issues in their homes.
According to the legislation, grant
money would be provided as a one-time
reimbursement and matched at 50 percent
of private investment up to a maximum of
$5,000. Homeowners eligible would be in
historic flood prone areas within Grove
City bounded by Parlin Drive on the north,
Hoover Road in the east, Casa Boulevard
on the south, and Demorest Road through
Rockledge Street on the west.
Those who apply for the program must
submit an inspection report and estimate
by either a plumber, home inspector or contractor.
Applicants also must be current in
their real estate property taxes and must
be in good standing with local, regional,
state, and federal taxing authorities.
Grove City Council approved two pieces
of legislation that would clear a path for
Some of the projects that would be covered
are measures that would prevent
basement flooding like installing a backflow
prevention device or replacing a sump
pump.
In May, Cindi Fitzpatrick, the city’s service
director addressed flooding concerns
and potential solutions after a severe rain
event in March, which dumped several
inches of water in the area in a short
amount of time. After that event, the service
department received about 100 calls or
emails from residents who reported water
in their basements.
According to Fitzpatrick, the older
neighborhoods in Grove City saw the most
impact from the storms due to an aging
stormwater drainage system.
“Most of the flooding occurred in areas
where sewers were built before 1960,” she
said.
Fitzpatrick said she supports a program
to help residents with flooding issues.
However, she believes the proposed wet
basement program should have a narrower
the Pinnacle developer to build more
homes.
The actions were discussed at the July
20 meeting though not all council members
were on board with the plans.
With a 3-2 vote, council approved the
annexation of approximately 74 acres
located west of State Route 104 and south
of White Road. The property was in
Jackson Township and was annexed into
the city so the developer, Joe Ciminello,
could build a residential subdivision that
would include 180 single family homes and
29 condominiums on about 60 acres of land.
The proposal also calls for a 10-acre park.
According to Ciminello, this housing
development would be an extension of the
Pinnacle Club development.
Council president Christine Houk and
councilman Ted Berry voted against the
annexation ordinance.
Berry said the area along State Route
104 and White Road is already cramped
and overcrowded.
“We just keep on developing in that
area,” he said.
Berry said he would like to see more
park land and natural areas in the city.
Houk said she is concerned about
adding more of a burden to the schools and
township emergency workers. She is also
concerned about the added traffic and the
city not having infrastructure improvements
in place.
“We seem to be chasing something I
can’t quite define,” said Houk. “It’s frustrating
to watch it happen.”
With a 4-1 vote, council also approved a
scope and target the areas most affected by
flooding.
The city’s administration has been evaluating
a private property protection grant
program that would be like the dry basement
project in the city of Columbus. This
grant program would support the installation
of backflow preventers in private residences.
Grove City Mayor Richard “Ike” Stage
said he wants to take care of health risks
and take care of people but sees the wet
basement program as “far reaching.”
Schottke said he does not see the program
as being any different than the city’s
sidewalk program or the Town Center commercial
grant program where the city
matches funds to help the property owner
with maintenance issues.
To clarify the intent of the wet basement
program, council agreed to delay the vote
on the legislation and discuss it again in
August.
Pinnacle extention gets clear path for development
Blood drive at Kingston Center
The American Red Cross Blood Drive
meets in the Kingston Center, 3226
Kingston Ave., from 1-7 p.m. the first
around the southwest
pre-annexation and development agreement
with Ciminello regarding the property
along 104 and White Road. Houk voted
against the measure.
According to Chuck Boso, the city’s
administrator, this agreement would use
funds generated through the Pinnacle TIF
district to make infrastructure improvements
along White Road and State Route
104. The new homes would then be added
to the TIF district already in place.
The original TIF agreement was enacted
in 2003 when the Pinnacle was first
built. Ciminello said the funds from the
property have already helped the city fund
infrastructure improvements along
Buckeye Parkway.
“We have paid forward,” said the developer.
“We can’t proceed with the development
without White Road and State Route
104 infrastructure improvements.”
According to the legislation, the city
would use $9 million to widen White Road,
install a traffic signal at the White Road
and State Route 104 intersection (with
approval from ODOT), put turn lanes on
White Road and State Route 104, and
extend water lines along the roadways.
Boso said the improvements would be
completed in phases.
Houk voted against the measure with
concerns that the city is paying for all the
improvements and she said she fails to see
where the developer is contributing.
“This is a considerable amount of
money,” said Houk. “Why are we not asking
the developer to contribute?”
Wednesday of each month. To schedule an
appointment call 1-800-448-3543 or visit
the American Red Cross Blood Drive website.