By the numbers:
70 acres — Parcel size proposed for redevelopment
140 — Homes in original plan
2 — Tracks of land
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The Springfield News-Sun digs into stories about the local housing market, including recent stories about home sales and a drop in foreclosures.
Clark County commissioners will hold a public hearing Wednesday to discuss a proposal to re-zone 70 acres in Mad River Twp. and Enon.
A developer wants to rezone the agricultural property at the northeast corner of Fairfield Pike and Hunter Road near the Houck Meadows subdivision to residential.
The project was approved by the Clark County Planning Commission, but was rejected by the rural zoning commission last month in a unanimous vote after hearing from residents concerned about flooding, increased traffic and other issues.
Commissioners will likely decide Wednesday if the project will move forward.
Garnett Traylor has circulated a petition against the development and hopes residents can stop the project.
“I do object to them trying to double the number of houses. I think it would put a severe strain on everything around here. Our schools are bursting at the seams. They’ve got trailers over there at Greenon High School and they don’t have enough room in the schools,” Traylor said.
Clark County Commissioner John Detrick said on Tuesday that he wants to hear from residents before he makes a decision about the project.
“I’m going to hear the residents out … We are elected by the constituents and if there’s nobody speaking for this I think it needs to be retweaked, but I’ll reserve my final answer until after we hear from them,” Detrick said.
County Commissioner Rick Lohnes, who is on the planning commission, has said he and others on that board approved it based on the information presented to them.
The planning board had minimal information about residents’ concerns at that time, he has said.
Lohnes said on Tuesday he and other commissioners have received emails and letters from residents concerned about the project.
“I’m studying it right now. We’ve got a lot of letters and testimony and emails in the ‘No’ column and none in the other,” Lohnes said.
Clark County Commissioner David Herier said he will carefully review what’s presented to commissioners before voting on the issue.
He said all residents who have sent comments to commissioners have been against the project, but there has been support from county staff who have reviewed the project.
Previously, Herier said he had visited the site multiple times and recalled seeing a home where there’s water sitting in ditches.
“I’m definitely sympathetic to the current water issues and I understand the concerns,” Herier said. “It’s wet down there so I understand why they’re worried, but the experts are telling us that it would probably get better not worse.”
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