The proposed Planned Unit Development (PUD) that recently received approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) moved one step closer to reality when the public was invited to address the Russells Point Planning Commission in a special meeting Monday night. Eighteen residents listened as representatives from several firms presented information about the proposed development. The individuals, which represented the investors’ group and engineering firms, revealed the depth of work that has been done on this project thus far.
Mike Major, the representative from the investor’s group, provided the Planning Commission with a blueprint drawing of what the hotel would look like. He said that Cobblestone has over 150 locations and all but one are still open. Major said that the addition of the hotel would likely lead to additional development in the area, including restaurants, stores, and possibly additional hotels.
Patrick Beam of Beam Designs, has been working closely with the landowners, the Rudolph Family, for several years. Beam, who designed the John and Mary Rudolph Nature Reserve, has been involved in developing land owned by the Rudolph’s since the early 1980s. While working with the family on other projects, he became aware of a parcel of land that was owned by the family that they wanted to develop.
Beam told the group that in the late 1990s, a state conservation fund was established that would offset development costs for land that had been donated to public entities by private landowners, provided the property remained in public use. It was then that plans started being made to develop the area where the nature reserve now sits. Once that was done, the property was divided into parcels of acreage. Once discussions about location sites for the hotel began to circulate, the Rudolph’s were approached about using one of the parcels for the hotel and the planning commenced from there.
Joshua Stephens, a representative from Core Consulting, spoke about the site development work that has been done thus far. Core, which represents Cobblestone, said that their organization put together the paperwork in order to secure FEMA and State of Ohio EPA approval. Their firm worked on the retention pond that is part of the project. Stephens indicated that several required permits have already been obtained
Tyler Thobe, of Choice One Engineering in Sidney, was hired by the village to ensure the village’s interests were protected. His function was to ensure that the plans being made for the hotel and the calculations that were being made were put together in a way that would be agreeable to the village and existing ordinances.
Of those in attendance, those that spoke were all in favor of the hotel moving forward. The consensus of those that addressed the board was one of optimism that the hotel would be a benefit to the community as a whole.
After public comments, Planning Commission chairman Steve Reid said that the commission would not be voting on the proposal at this meeting. The commission will meet on Monday, May 15th to decide whether to move forward with the proposal or to decline. If approved, the recommendation would be made to the council that they approve the plan.
Reid explains the possibilities of the future Cobblestone Hotel for the final planning commission meeting next Monday:
The council will meet Monday, May 15th at 7:00 PM
