Two housing projects — one that has been in the works for several years and the other still in the conceptual phase — were discussed for the Delaware city government this month.

On March 14, City Council approved ordinances clearing the way for 73 new single-family homes on the southern edge of Delaware, the second phase of the Winterbrooke subdivision developed by M/I Homes.

The March 2 planning commission heard details of a concept that would add 282 apartments to the northwest side of town. No formal proposal had been submitted by March 15.

The Winterbrooke development is north of Peachblow Road and east of US Route 23.

City records show the first phase of 66 homes was approved in January 2020, and those homes have been completed and are in the process of being sold.

Continued:Multifamily housing on the northern edge of Delaware clears the first hurdle with OK rezoning

When completed, the entire project would have 263 homes on 102 acres, according to a preliminary subdivision plan approved by the city in October 2012.

Jordan Selmek, from the town’s development office, told council the streets in the development include Winterbourne Drive, Sage Hill Drive, Douglass Court, Maple Crest Drive, Zelkova Lane and Royal Fern Drive.

The site is east of the Belmont Place subdivision and south of the Communities at Glenross subdivision, according to city records.

The main access to the development is via Peachblow Road, Selmek said.

Council approved an order authorizing the final development plan and another approving the final subdivision plan, both for the second phase of Winterbrooke.

The concept plan heard by the planning commission would put 282 apartments on approximately 47 acres west of Troy Road.

The project is designed by Lucy Ridge LLC, a subsidiary of Worthington-based Wilcox Communities.

Wilcox partner Jonathan Wilcox told the planning commission that the apartments ranged from 1,100 to 1,400 square feet.

Each apartment would have two bedrooms, and the plan would include garages, a community garden and a clubhouse, among other amenities, Wilcox said.

Planning director Dave Efland said the apartments would be spread across 39 buildings.

The site, which is zoned residential, could eventually hold 368 to 454 apartments, Efland said, proving the Wilcox plan has relatively low density by comparison.

The site also includes an area of ​​about 8 acres, which could have potential as a future park site, Efland said.

The project would be the 13th apartment development in Ohio for Wilcox if it goes ahead, Wilcox told the commission.

Columbia gas meters always provided for building facades

Also at the March 14 council meeting, Deputy City Manager Kyle Kridler told council that Columbia Gas still wants to move gas meters to the front of historic downtown buildings on Sandusky Street. , between William and Winter streets.

Luka Papalko, public affairs manager for Columbia Gas of Ohio, earlier told council and city officials that Columbia wanted to relocate the meters as part of a larger project planned to replace and upgrade gas lines on along this block this year.

Merchants in Downtown and Main Street Delaware opposed moving the meters in front of the buildings, saying it would compromise the historic integrity of the buildings, which were almost all built in the 1800s.

Papalko said Columbia is driven by safety and reliability. Similar gas line replacements elsewhere in Ohio reduced the risk of gas line leaks by 40%, he said.

Columbia respects the historic downtown aesthetic, he said, but meters cannot be left inside buildings and leaving meters behind buildings is problematic.

On March 14, Kridler told the council that city officials, including members of the city’s public works and economic development offices, as well as members of Main Street Delaware, met with Columbia Gas officials on March 11.

“It’s still kind of a Columbia Gas preference to place gas meters on the front of buildings. Staff continued to urge Columbia Gas to explore alternative options, which include meters inside the building. or back,” Kridler said. .

He said city employees had scheduled a tour of the affected area on March 18 to study meter placement options at each property.

“We will continue to push meters inside and behind buildings,” he told the council.

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