With several community members in attendance, Tuesday afternoon, the City of Bellefontaine Planning Commission met for nearly three hours to discuss a full agenda, including two important zoning issues that the City Council will soon review.
Chairman Rick Gildow explained that the Planning Commission’s job is to recommend to the City Council what zoning should apply to different properties or if the zoning needs to be changed to meet current needs.
Gildow emphasized that while the commission can suggest changes, the City Council will make the final decision.
During the meeting, SSD Wes Dodds reminded the commission that these topics should not be taken lightly.
He stressed the importance of thinking about the long-term goals for the city when making zoning decisions, noting that the outcomes will impact the city’s growth for years to come.
Several people addressed the commission for and against several topics discussed at the meeting, creating a lengthy time frame.
The first major issue discussed was the Annexation Request for a 200.827-acre Tract owned by Scott Duff. Christian Gillikin, representing Hodson Greendefine Blue Jacket LLC, asked the commission to consider property, located north of the intersection of Township Road 217 (Stockyard Road) and US 33, west of the C.C.C. & St. Louis Railroad (Conrail). The land is currently zoned B-1 and U-1 in Lake Township, and the request was to change it to M-2 General Manufacturing District. Duff hopes to annex the property into the City of Bellefontaine and is currently planning to develop it into a large solar project. After discussion, the Planning Commission recommended that the property be zoned R-1 Residential Housing instead, and this recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council. (Side note, the city council can change the zoning as they see fit, the commission just felt that this was the most restrictive, due to the lack of city legislation on solar use within the city limits.)
The second item on the agenda was the Annexation Request for a 46-acre Tract. Jeremy LeVan, representing LeVan Investments LLC, requested the annexation of this property, located west of the 1100-1500 block of Ludlow Road, south of East Lake Avenue, and east of Michigan Street. The property is currently zoned R-1 (Low-Density Residential District) in Lake Township, and LeVan requested it be zoned R-3 Multi-Family Residence District. However, the Planning Commission also recommended that this land be zoned R-1 Residential Housing instead of R-3.
These zoning decisions are important for future planning and development in Bellefontaine.
The Planning Commission’s recommendations will now go to the City Council, where they will be reviewed and discussed before a final decision is made.
The meeting also included plenty of discussion from both commission members and the public, highlighting the importance of considering the community’s needs and future growth.
The decisions on these zoning matters are still pending, but the discussions are an important step in guiding Bellefontaine’s development.
The City Council will meet soon to vote on the Planning Commission’s recommendations.
Residents are encouraged to stay involved and attend upcoming City Council meetings.
Other items on the agenda included:
- Request to Vacate Alley
Dylan Bost, of 333 N. West St., Bellefontaine, is requesting to vacate the 207.2-foot east-west alley located between 333 N. West St. and 401 N. West St. This property is currently zoned R2, One and Two Family Residence District. (This was unanimously passed and will move on to the city council for ordinance consideration.) - Request for Outdoor Patio Approval
Jason Duff, representing The Maxwell LLC, is seeking approval to occupy an 8-foot portion of the public right-of-way in front of 233 S. Main St. This area will be used as an outdoor patio for The Maxwell event venue. The patio will be exclusively used for events hosted at the venue. (This was unanimously passed and will move on to the city council for ordinance consideration.) - Request for Variance at Wren & Roy Avenue
Jeremy LeVan, representing Lebaron Investments LLC, is requesting a variance for property located at the dead end of Wren Avenue and Roy Avenue, south of Michigan Street. This variance seeks approval for a 50-foot right-of-way, which would match the dimensions of nearby streets, despite the required 60-foot right-of-way. This property is zoned R-3C, Condominium Residence District. (This was unanimously passed and will move on to the city council for ordinance consideration.) - Preliminary Plat Approval
LeVan Investments LLC, represented by Jeremy LeVan, is requesting approval for the proposed preliminary plat for the Arbor Run subdivision. The development is planned for 14.437 acres located at the dead end of Wren Avenue and Roy Avenue, south of Michigan Street. The proposed subdivision will consist of approximately 80 single-family lots and is zoned R-3C, Condominium Residence District. (The commission did not have to date drawings on this plat, so the matter was tabled until the next meeting in April.)
Gildow talks about the meeting and the complexity of the topics at the meeting:
The next commission meeting will be held on April 8th at 4 PM in council chambers.
