City Council - public_hearing

Good evening. This is the call to order for the Canal Winchester City Council public hearing for September 8th, 2026. Clerk, will you call the roll, please?

Ms. Samick. Present. Mr. Bennett. Ms. Detweiler. Here. Mr. McLaughlin.

Here.

Mr. Moore.

Here.

Mr. Payne.

Here.

Mr. Shea. Here.

I have a motion to excuse Mr. Shea, or motion to excuse Mr. Shea.

Is there a second? Second. Motion made by Mr. Moore, second by Mr. McLaughlin, to excuse Mr. Shea. Roll call, please.

Mr. Moore?

Yes.

Mr. McLaughlin? Yes. Mr. Payne?

Yes.

Ms. Samick? Yes. Ms. Stettweiler? Yes.

Is there a motion to excuse Mr. Bennett?

So moved. Second. Okay.

Motion made by Ms. Stettweiler, second by Mr. Moore. Roll call, please.

Ms. Stetweiler? Yes. Mr. Moore?

Yes.

Mr. Payne?

Yes.

Ms. Samick?

Yes.

Mr. McLaughlin? Yes.

Thank you. This evening, the purpose of our public hearing is to discuss Ordinance 26-018. Clerk, will you read the ordinance, please?

in ordinance to amend part 11 of the codified ordinances and the zoning map of the city of canal winchester rezoning approximately 112.3 acres of land from exceptional use to planned residential district owned by the canal family farms llc located at 5593 hayes road pid 184-003688-00 and to adopt a preliminary development plan and development text for proposed 112.3 acre plan residential district, the estates at Miller Farms.

Thank you. Thank you, clerk. The next item will be our staff report. I'm not sure if it's Mr. Herr or Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore, please go ahead.

I have a brief presentation to go over this evening for you guys. I want to try to focus on some high-level topics just to orient City Council's project. Most of you are familiar with it, but kind of wanted to go over the major details and things that Planning and Zoning Commission recommended to City Council for approval of the preliminary plan and zoning map amendment. My clicker works here. Turn it off. So this project is 112.3 acres located south side of Hayes Road. It is located just west of Miller Farms, which is the development that Wilcox got zoned. back two years ago for the corner of Oregon, Hayes, and Lake Office Road. This next phase is currently being called Estates at Miller Farms for just kind of understanding the project scope and its boundaries up on the screen the parcel that's outlined in red is at 112.3 acres the applicant is requesting approval to rezone the property from exceptional use to a planned residential district that planned residential district is for a single family subdivision that consists of 271 single family lots Again, just looking at the current context of the property here, you can see that there are some existing vegetation around the parcel boundaries. There is a of a low wet area that is on the lower half of the parcel that has some tree stands in it and then lyle ditch is kind of the east west line that separates kind of that northern like half piece of the parcel from the majority to the south mr mr real quick mr bennett's in attendance now 5 49. When looking at the site plan context, again the applicant's looking to do 271 single family lots. The parcel has been broken up to have primary access from Hayes Road with a singular access drive. It does connect to the Miller Farms development to the east at two locations. One north of Lyle Ditch, one south of Lyle Ditch. The connection north of Lyle Ditch does lead to two additional access drives off of Hays. And then the connection south of Lyle Ditch does connect to Forgan Road. With this project, the applicant is proposing three future connections to a vacant, agriculturally used parcel located outside the city to the south. Those kind of connectivity points shown on the screen are really what makes this more like a regional project that will have kind of more context to surrounding developments. One of the things that our subdivision regs promote are interconnecting subdivisions, reducing the amount of cul-de-sacs in subdivisions, as this plan kind of highlights those aspects by not having a single cul-de-sac, interconnecting streets and neighborhoods to each other as much as possible. When you're looking at the development plan, the applicant's put together this site data key. This data key talks about the different size of lots that they're committing to building. With the development itself, they are committing to a minimum amount of lots that are of certain size. they're also committing to basically the larger size lot, excuse me, the small size lot will have a minimum amount and then anything kind of in between will be kind of what their market dictates to kind of modify this number here. So when looking at A minimum of 31 lots would be 76 feet wide, a minimum of 40 lots would be 62 feet wide, and there are maybe 200 will be a minimum of 52 foot wide. basically allowing for some deviation on that minimum 52 foot wide, depending on kind of the market context. This key here, and this is a preliminary plan, so the exact off-placement kind of breakdown of where these colors are are just for conversation purposes at this level. As they move into final development plans, the exact locations and stuff can shift some. But this is kind of to give you an idea of how they're planning on developing this neighborhood. When looking at this plan as well, you can see there is The large open space, that big kind of tree block on the south half of the neighborhood, that's the area I was highlighting on the existing conditions. It's a low wet area. There's some existing trees within it. So this is one of the environmentally sensitive areas they're looking at retaining with this subdivision proposal. The Lyle Ditch is the tree line that kind of follows the north, splits the parcel They're showing that as being retained as well. Again, this concept plan shows approximate locations for wet retention basins. Those types of things could be modified as necessary through engineering approvals, but typically at this stage this is kind of a good idea based off of topography where they're going to be putting these related items. The exhibit up on the screen shows all the interconnected roadway networks in orange, sidewalks in blue, trails throughout the reserved space in the purple color. This plan has been developed in a manner to help provide access to those open spaces and trails. You can see On the south side of the creek, there are multiple access points to get to the same trail network. Trails around that reserve space, kind of the middle of the site plan. One of the things that Planning and Zoning Commission recommended for City Council was that this roadway that's dashed in red, kind of splits the north-south access of this property, recommended that this be widened from their current plans. They had that currently a 60 foot right of way. I believe 32 feet of pavement, 30 feet of pavement. Planning and zoning commission recommended that this be widened to 70 foot right of way with 36 feet of pavement to serve as a neighborhood collector throughout the subdivision. What this Neighborhood Collector Street, for all intents and purposes, for kind of a visualization for City Council, would be like Deeds Drive, Thrush, some of those roads that connect major corridors in the city that provide through traffic for not only internal kind of residents, but also people having more options to get to other neighborhoods, other streets. So this is one of the main collector that will be connecting basically Hayes Road from the north to the next kind of public road that's currently outside the city, Berger Road to the south. this you know street through our current street process you can be and will be designed to have like traffic calming efforts like you know convenience bump outside corners things like that to help kind of structure on street parking um you know to to kind of offset the additional right-of-way for you know that treatment that we're recommending A preliminary landscape plan up on the screen. The landscape plan calculates for the number of trees that are being removed for utilities, road crossings, site clearing for the development activity. And the applicant's proposing to replace those trees for our tree schedule. Our landscape code requires one tree for every 500 square feet of structure of a residential home they're building. So the applicant's committed to meeting that as well. Again, this is a ordinary concept plan, so kind of all these bubbles and shapes of trees are just there for visual purpose. The site will be much more landscape than kind of what this graphic is even showing, you know, when they submit for building permits. This exhibit provided by the applicant is the open space plan. So the applicant is proposing a total of 30, Let me get my percentage here. 38.8 acres of open space, which is 34.5%. That open space, majority of it is around Lyle Ditch and then the connector on the western property boundary that leads to future residential growth in the south. There is that large pocket for the environmentally sensitive area that they're retaining and there's some buffers to the single-family dwellings along Hayes Road to the north and to the east as well. The area that's kind of generally been outlined in red is what Planning and Zoning Commission is recommending that there be a public access easement included for this area. This corridor does connect through the green space that is in the Miller Farms development to the east. So this would provide a continuous kind of trail network from the intersection of Oregon and Olithopolis Road. all the way through Miller Farms, through the estates at Miller Farms that would future lead to kind of that southwest terminus where those basins are. They're sharing some paths. As future residential development takes place to the south, our idea is to continue that trail network south to kind of create this more regional loop long term. Again, these will all be privately maintained and owned with public access easements for everybody in the city and beyond to utilize them. The applicant has put together some examples for some improvements within those green space areas. Again, these are some conceptual images, pretty consistent with what was shown in Miller Farms' development, the prior project to the east. This exhibit here is very similar to that other project in the east as well with branding this neighborhood as an extension of Miller Farms. Same sign design as shown here, a similar treatment for the frontage of Hayes Road with the mounding landscaping, the black cross-buck fence. that Miller Farms has on Oregon Hayes and Lightbobbles Road to help kind of brand this community. Again, this is something that as future residential development takes place to the south, you know, city council could require to kind of have this whole kind of corridor be branded in those kind of visual aesthetics as well. Street light exhibit, it's not really exciting, but just showing, you know, that they're going to be producing some street lighting. Again, this is just conceptual. Utility plan, so the utilities for this site will be extended from Miller Farms approval that just took place east. Water, sanitary sewer will be fed through Miller Farms. storm water will be handed through all their on-site attention this site will has less flood plain on it as compared to miller farms so there should be less impacts from that regard This site is just showing, this site, this exhibit is really just showing they have the depth and capacity to handle in our systems for the additional 271 lots. When looking at this kind of overview and comparing the two projects side by side, Like this picture kind of shows, you know, Miller Farms to the east. And then when you look at like the green tones, they kind of change for estates. You know, it shows how these two projects kind of interconnect with each other. When looking at these, side by side, though there are a lot of homes that are taking place in a small area on a dead end water loop. So one of the Planning and Zoning Commission's recommendations was to have the water line that I have dashed in blue along Corgan Road um be added at some point during the estates at miller farms project without it you have over 700 homes that are on a dead end water line that water line comes from the gardens the villages of westchester which i have shown on this graphic Basically, there's over 750 units plus the Canal Winchester Middle School that would be on a dead end water line without this additional loop. um the arrow i've pointed for condition number five is the small section that planning and zoning commission is recommending be added to the estates of the miller farms approvals you know through engineering analysis you know best practices there could be a formula determined when that gets installed but more or less If you look at the blue line that's kind of going diagonal east to west, that connects the estates to Miller Farms. Those roads will connect, those water lines will connect the two kind of developments together. and so connecting that organ road access to lithopolis road where there's a gap in that water main allows the city in the future to connect it up through the roundabout up gender road to loop it not only south of the water tower but also take it east to connect to ashbrook to where we could have multiple points for this water line to be redundant instead of kind of what's currently proposed it would be over 750 units plus the middle school on a dead end water line The development plan requirements require some sort of architectural graphics to be submitted along with the development text. The development text for the architectural component is very similar to what was approved with Miller Farms. So Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the zoning map amendment to rezone the property from EU to PRD be recommended to council for approval. And then for the preliminary development plan, Planning and Zoning Commission had the following five conditions for city council. The first is that additional right of way shall be dedicated along Gates Road as depicted in the plans. This is something similar we did with Miller Farms that they did dedicate an additional way on Hayes, Lythopolis, and Oregon. The traffic improvements shall be completed to comply with the conclusions of the traffic impact study. I don't think that has been completed at this time with the county engineer, so that is still an outstanding item. that the public access easement for the open space along Lyle Ditch to the west lot line to provide access to adjacent residential communities to the Greenway Corridor and its trail network. That's that fun little red blob I showed you guys just to give an approximate of what that comment's trying to achieve. Number four, the roadway accessing Hayes Road shall be widened to 70 foot right of way with 36 feet of pavement to serve as a neighborhood collector street through the subdivision. And then comment number five, the water line planned with Miller Farms along Mythopolis Road, which is currently proposed to terminate at Horgan Road, be extended south along Horgan Road to loop with the phase of Miller Farms south of Lyle Ditch. It's a mouthful, but it was the best way I could describe to basically have the line go from their access at Oregon up to Lithopolis Road, and this graphic I hopefully will help visualize what that is saying from a word standpoint to pictures. Questions from council, if you'd like to help answer.

I think I got this. The water line that we're asking them to...

here this is all on the miller farm side right this is this is both so um in this graphic the dark blue lines are water lines we currently have the light blue lines are very very rough approximations how miller farms estates at miller farms are bringing those south to connect them The dashed blue line along Morgan Road is the piece that's missing that the Planning and Zoning Commission is recommending being incorporated at some point in this project. And then all the dashed blue lines from Lithopolis north up Jender all the way to Washington Street, that is kind of what the city is anticipating constructing to create this loop system.

Okay.

So if you think if you go backwards, this one blue line is what we're asking them to do.

And that's that is that that blue line is on the Miller Farm side, technically not the estate side. The blue line would be in the right of way. Well, I mean, Miller Farm side because the state's on the other side. Okay. Okay.

Yeah, this graphic I put together just really shows, you know, you can see all the rooftops and the lots that are being proposed.

Yeah, so I just, I was kind of curious, like, did we just miss that on the Miller Farm side, or was it not?

The thresholds were different, so when you look at kind of this graphic here, that's why I started to label them. Like, the gardens of Villages of Westchester was only 47 lots. You know, when you added Miller Farms, it was an additional 444. Really, it's a timing exercise on when you start to push the need for the loop. And it was really just the total number of lots exceeded the threshold that I think the city was comfortable with for being on a dead-end service.

Okay. So had the estates not existed or come along, then we would have never asked for that to happen.

We would have never asked for it when they applied for the Miller Farms project.

Right. Okay. Just making sure.

Anything else for Mr. Moore? Mr. Bennett?

Mr. Moore, when we say that little line there, what's the potential cost implications of that little blue line?

I don't know if the applicant has looked at that, evaluated that aspect yet. It was an item planning and zoning commission that asked for them to... um look into to have more information for the city council discussion okay i don't know if that hasn't been done or not but really the whole idea behind it is there's going to be some trigger on when it's absolutely necessary you know for me what makes sense is when the connection from warren road connects miller farms to the estates at miller farms because that would be like physical construction of utilities that creates that bridge. But if their engineering analysis wants to do it sooner or determines it could be done later, I think the important part is not having 750 units plus a middle school on a dead end loop.

We keep, follow up question. What is our threshold with the number of units on a dead end line? I mean, is that just an approximate, or do we have a rough standard? I mean, I'm just curious what the standard is.

There is no standard for that. Ashbrook Village used to be, the entire subdivision used to be on a dead end, but it had a million-gallon water tower and a connection with the village of Electopolis in an emergency that we have used before when we connected that back in with McGill. park that eliminated that. We do have smaller areas that are on dead-end lines. This is served by a 12-inch line and a tower right there just north of the creek at the golf course. But having that loop in there so not everything is on a separate line. We've had the Washington Street-Gender Road connector line on our plans for many many years when we started getting some some movement there or some development with starting with the the middle school it kind of triggered us to have that dilute and that was just as much for Ashbrook as it was for the gender road area

in this section is important for potential development too like the the acreage the 200 plus acres that have been identified for potential development having that closing that loop so it's not dead in allows for us to continue to expand right It's necessary.

It's a safeguard. There will be some fire flow eventually in the system. We have some water modeling planned as part of our facilities plan in the next two years that will help us determine that through the model. It's like a computer generated program that will tell you where you need your lines for that.

about the variances, we didn't really address the variances, being the lot sizes, the setbacks, the width of the lots, et cetera. Was there any recommendations from P&Z regarding that?

Yes, so when looking at the deviations requested, I can go over those in detail here. so the applicant has identified deviations for the a number of standards wearing law size with coverage and setbacks basically the planning and zoning commission looked at those deviations as it relates to the community plan as it relates to what was approved with miller farms to the east there are a large component of these lots that are larger than Miller Farms that was to the east. The setbacks are the same as what was approved with Miller Farms to the east, same with log coverage. The density component is actually much less than what our zoning sets as a maximum threshold. And when looking at the open space component, the PRD process requires a minimum of 20% open space, and there are almost 40%. So the Planning and Zoning Commission did have um any issues with those related items and specifically noting the additional trail connectors i wish this laser pointer worked but as you look at the trail connectivity through south wild niche this phase has much more connectivity to the open space than that with single family in miller farms to the east um do you have another question

uh you can go ahead i'm going to formulate my thoughts can you go back and tell me the minimum because obviously the the 130 lots at 52 inches 52 feet wide 80 at 62 61 at 76 what was the minimum numbers the minimum for each type yeah so you said it i just i didn't write it down fast enough

And 78% of the lots are 62 feet wide or less. 78%.

My book is halfway upside down, so please bear with me. Lot widths of 52 feet, 62 feet, and 76 feet are provided. A minimum of 31 lots shall be 76 feet wide. A minimum of 40 lots shall be 62 feet wide. And the remaining 200 lots shall be a mix of 52, 56, 62, and 76. But no lot shall be smaller than 52.

And then is 52 feet also the size of the smallest lot in Miller Farms? yes okay um i guess the only reason why i bring that up is i know that these are connector subdivisions kind of models after each one of another but we're calling one the estate so um i think it would make more sense to have you know at least 56 and 56 foot lots 60 foot lots you know a lot more of those than Because what's differentiating Miller Farms from Miller Farms Estates then? Other than the, I get that there's not multi-family in town homes there.

If there's different lot size preferences council wants to have with the applicant, that's a discussion that could be had. The name of the subdivision at this point is a placeholder. They could say Miller Farms West. I mean, you know, I just want that one level of the topic to not lead a conversation and actually lead the conversation based on better justification.

We're just essentially discussing whether we're going to rezone.

We're going to zone and adopt the preliminary plan. The preliminary plan sets minimum thresholds. So in this case, minimum and maximum thresholds. So like a maximum threshold would be the total number of lots. A minimum threshold would be the minimum breakdown for lot sizes as they've identified in the plan. You know, some of the recommendations would be for like the collector road would be a minimum threshold. minimum percentage of open space threshold. So the way this is drawn can change realistically. But the thresholds for what the text is approving is the meets and bounds that they're committing to if it gets improved as presented. So if those meets and bounds the city council does not agree with as it relates to the community plan, whatever, those are the things that I would focus on modifying. because the graphic here is just for illustrative purpose only and so the builder whoever builds these homes can come in and choose to make more of one dimension or the other as long as they're meeting the minimum yeah so because there's a minimum of so many laws of a certain dimension that's the threshold they have to hit it's that 200 lots that are left over they could be five acre lots if we're all just saying That's why the minimum in this case is important.

The location of those lots, as indicated on the graphic, is not necessarily accurate. The location of the lots, they can all be 52 feet. You could have a whole section of 52-foot lots, a whole section of 76-foot lots, just depending on which builder chooses to do in that area.

Yes. This is a very good example of an illustrative graphic only. This isn't committing to anything.

I think the thing that I see, the difference between the single family homes and Miller Farms in general, but the single family homes approved at Miller Farms and what we're looking at here is the lot coverage and the lot size. So the lot coverage being at 60%. I mean, we talked about what, it's a 2.4 unit density per acre, and our maximum's what, four? um so i get that it's less but we also have apartments on miller farm so it's not apples to apples if we're looking at the entire thing you might not am i right about that so the you asked two questions i did the lot coverage at sixty percent's the same here as well as approved with miller farms okay so that hasn't been changed

When you're looking at the density component, the density for each sub area of Miller Farms was broken down separately. So there's a different density for the single family versus the multifamily branch apartments versus the townhomes. So the density on Miller Farms is higher than the estates at Miller Farms. Just by percentage of open spaces being dedicated.

You're saying the single family in Miller Farms is more dense than the single family? Absolutely.

Okay. The builder that purchased the single family sections came back and asked for an increase in lot size. And so they lost 12 lots by increasing the lot size to meet their requirements for having the ability to add third-car garages and things like that onto the homes.

In your opinion, and if you can't answer this, could they afford to lose more?

that would be you know a discussion to have with a developer but i think the market the market has shown with the first phase that there's demand for larger lots now they have the flexibility to do that in this section and you know they could always come to us with the final development plan that proposed less lots as long as they meet those minimum standards

I still struggle a little bit with the 34.5% open space. Do you have any feedback around?

Yes, so when looking at this plan, there was a graphic that was presented prior to this kind of final version you're seeing on the screen that was shared with staff to review. That version had more open space with the sacrifice of staff's opinion it wasn't purposeful open space. So if you look up on the screen, let me get rid of Miller Farms because it's too many colors. So if you look up on the screen at the very south property line, if you took a 10 foot strip away from all of those lots from east to west, That was in a previous rendition that added open space for the sake of hitting a percentage that city council said they wanted. It was adding the open space that was dead space. It was inaccessible. It didn't serve any purpose. Same thing with the eastern property line south of Wilditch. There was like a 10-foot dead space behind all those lots just to hit a theoretical open space percentage. When staff looked at those kind of decisions, we asked the developer to remove those dead zones and actually pull out specific lots to connect the trail system for Lyle Ditch into the neighborhood again. So if you look at that large retention basin just to the northwest corner of the big square green space, One lot was removed there, or two lots were removed there. If you go six lots over west, a lot was removed there to add another trail connection. If you go to the far west, two lots were removed there to add more trail connections. So while the percentage didn't equal the amount that was lost, the purpose was to add open space for it. was useful and not just to hit an imaginary number for the sake of saying we got that 40 percent.

Our experience that it's an enforcement nightmare because when you have those strips of open land behind people's homes they tend to go in and clear them out and assume them as their own yard and so example is along the railroad tracks in Canal Cove people have gone and clear cut all the property up to the railroad tracks on property that they don't own and just taken that over and assumed it as their own yard. And our fear was we'd have the same thing happen here, where it doesn't really function as any open space. And if anyone goes in that area, you feel like you're trespassing on someone's lot. And so it doesn't really function as open space.

One of the other areas that staff worked with the applicant for is north of Wilditch, where you have this three parallel roads. In the middle, in a previous concept, had that as an open space area. The county required only one access drive to Hayes Road, which reduced the loop drive system that was making that area more efficient. So what staff had come up with is approximately what you're seeing on the screen, was to provide more open space between those units and Hayes Road to provide a buffer, but also require all those units to have the front door facing Hayes Road and not the back sliding glass door and fenced in yard, you know, things that turn the back of a new development to, you know, existing conditions. So that, you know, in itself changed some of those numbers where the open space got flipped to be a long haze, to be purposeful, and probably took that percentage down a little bit. I'm sure the applicant can say how much open space I sucked out of this plan, but the whole idea was to make it purposeful space that actually meant something and could be utilized rather than just trying to hit a number for no reason.

have a question regarding open space as well so uh the multiple ponds that are proposed they're just proposed they could still change with the final plan or is that pretty much set where they are

I would say that they have some flexibility to change, but it's all based off of engineering. What's the lowest point? Where's the tributaries for that water shedding naturally to anyway? I would say typically these aren't just thrown in randomly on a plant. But in terms of their approximate shape and size, those are, I'm certain, not engineered to the level of being constructed at this point.

OK. And you're saying, too, a purpose for them is to collect stormwater and keep flooding at bay. I don't know if this is the time to ask this question, so let me know if I should not. But will there be an effort to protect those areas from young kids or confused older adults from wandering in? I just know that that has been an issue with residents around this area in Columbus, eloping young kids getting into ponds and needing water rescue. So is there like a purposeful effort to keep them barriered?

This development plan does not address that very specific topic. I would say that our stormwater design manual as a city as a whole promotes wet retention ponds because they are typically easier to maintain. They have a better aesthetic value and just a different value than a dry detention basin.

Yeah those standards also have a three to one slope so you're required to have three to one leading into it so you don't have a steep slope so that if you did you know enter the pond you've got a ways to go and then we have a 10 foot safety shelf and so we have a 10 foot flat area then after that so if you went in you wouldn't get more than like knee deep on an adult before you have a 10 foot area that then goes and drops off again a three to one slope.

Thank you. Anything else for Mr. Moore? OK. Hearing none, we're going to move to public comments. Each person has an opportunity to speak for three minutes to address council with their public comments. And we do ask that you stick to the topic at hand. And if you would like to come to the podium and sign in, you are welcome. to do so at this time.

I'm sorry, Lori, I don't know if the applicant has a presentation this evening as well or not.

Mr. Bowser, would you like to address council?

I think it would be helpful for the public to hear the applicant's side of the

Thank you, Madam President, the rest of council. It's a pleasure to be back in Canal Winchester. Just six months ago, we were finalizing our subarea B. You should start to see complete general as an update for Miller Farms East. start to mobilize. They did not plant specific crops in certain areas, so the equipment could go out there. So if you've driven out along Hays or Lithopolis, you've probably seen that. They'll start to mobilize and start the utility expansion work, as dictated on the previous map that Andrew had shown. He also didn't give himself enough credit. He's the actual one that redesigned once Franklin County came back, so kudos to staff. for redoing that, and I won't hold it against you that we lost open space or anything. Speaking of that, we started out originally when we were working with staff and some of the members of council, 347 homes here on the estates. We dropped that by 76, so it's almost a reduction of 22% of homes as we kind of iteration by iteration. Current gross density, 2.4, which is less than half of what Miller Farms East was. Of course, some of that being because of the multifamily. Alongside of that, though, that's also why the calculation for open space, a little higher there, but almost reaching 40 total acres based on the cost of the ground that's over two million dollars being dedicated as as excuse me public open space for the community and then if you factor in sort of the eight foot six inch tree lawn that's not calculated into the open space that's actually an additional three acres of open space that's there, plus because of the 40% private open space, you're actually about 54% that will be actually manicured landscape areas throughout, some of that being publicly owned and then also privately owned because of the lots themselves. I think it's good to mention about 962 trees, 92% of those will be kept in place. The rest will be replanted and an additional 392 trees planted alongside street trees. Which would also include buffering areas on? Hayes Road as well In addition to this you've talked about some of the parks in the open space almost three miles of sidewalks and paved trails within the development alone will be built and constructed and as far as the conditions that staff and Planning Commission had recommended. We accept all of those. We did have some minor concerns about the collector street and just sort of the traffic not wanting it to be a drag strip. I think by working with staff we can meet that as we get into the final development plan and as far as the water line, I think as long as we put that condition into the effect of as we move west into the estates or when we start the estates south of Lyle Ditch I think that would be fine and that's a good trigger point to build that water line and I think if we can add that and I think we've talked about it with staff I think we're accepting of that condition. Kind of with that, I'm happy to answer any other additional questions. I think there was a question that came up about the cost of that. That's a seven figure water line down the road. And of course that we'll be able to get into that once we engineer it.

Thank you, Mr. Bowser. Any questions for Mr. Andrew Bowser?

Okay, thank you. Thank you.

Was there any public comment? I see Paul back there shaking his head. Yes ma'am, would you come to the podium please? State your name and there's a sign-in sheet up there if you will.

I'm Diane Lewis. I'm at 5714 Hayes Road, and I'm right at your Canal Winchester sign, and there's my mailbox. So you guys, they've already started over here, which I'm aware of. Like I said, they started clearing trees back in March, so I'm assuming that holdup was what he just talked about, why it didn't start until now, whatever he was talking about the water. I'm confused on the lots and what's actually going to be going in. I've been told all kinds of stuff, so I figured I might as well come here tonight to find out the truth as to what's planned. Is it homes? Is it apartments? Is it condos? Is it a strip mall? There's everything floating around. Thank you.

It's single-family homes.

This is a new-to-the-west development of the original Miller Farm. The original Miller Farm is where the apartments and the town homes will be, along with the single family homes. As you move west, you may recall, since you're from that area, there was a an auction that was held. Yeah, that's what I saw here. That's what I call my house. Yeah. Okay. So this is the section that we're here to discuss this evening, and that is all single family homes. Okay. So what's the lot sizes? So they'll range from 52 foot in width to 76. I think this is that the map. 76 and the plan that was brought up on the screen and i have a hard copy if you'd like yeah i'd like to have a copy absolutely we can get you a hard copy of that but please keep in mind that the builder am i allowed to say who the builder is yet or have they signed

if not that's okay i know you're wilcox you're the on the letter you're wilcox community that's developing it we're we're developing it and then we're building a product on miller farms east as she was referencing before okay uh but the home builder itself that'll build a single family home so while we have minimum standards in accordance with

that Mr. Moore presented relative to the minimum lot sizes, and you saw the diagram. That is a tentative plan. Rockford could come in and say, oh, I want this house is going to be on a bigger lot and this house is going to be on a bigger lot. They have the option to do that as they actually lay out their development plan for the homes.

Okay. So the section that's cost me that you're talking about from Rockford homes is where more green space is going to be on a trails and stuff. Is that what you were?

Yes. There'll be a lot of walkable trails and Mr. Moore and the staff, they did a great job of, um, I wanted more open space for what they, I think Andrew kind of like, Today, for me, it was kind of like a more open space does not necessarily mean more usable space. And so they worked with in conjunction with staff to make that so it's trail connecting retention pond connecting. So it should be very walkable, three point some miles of walkable trails in that neighborhood.

Okay. I know you're sticking to this property, but I need to, I'm trying to figure out what's going on right now and what's the tentative time frame to start the property across from me then.

Mr. Bowser, can you talk about Miller Farms specifically in the timeline?

Yeah, what's the tentative time frame?

So I'm going to lose my tree line first.

Okay.

I'm right here.

I'm right here.

Mr. Bowser, you may.

Can you help me for a second so I can understand any questions I may have? So I'm right here. Okay, so there's a trade line right there.

okay so is that i'm assuming you're taking that out no no we're not touching anything that's not south of hayes now there is a water line that comes down here but we've worked with this gentleman that owns this property okay so that's where the water would come in but nothing over here and everything's south of hayes okay because this here is what they're clearing right now correct okay so are these homes or these car apartments those are all homes where's the

apartments and condos that she's talking about.

So the town homes are here. So this would be where the roundabouts at. This is our problem, which is a single story ranch.

So everything's single story. There's not going to be two or three, not going to be a building that's three stories high, right?

So we're here this evening to talk about Miller Farm Estates, which is to the west of Miller Farms. Could I encourage the both of you to allow us to adjourn if you want to talk about that.

I'm just trying to get some general information of what you're putting in on both sides, what's going in everywhere. I wasn't sure. I know they started clearing it, so I wanted to find out when they're clearing across from me, so that's what I wasn't sure of.

Do you have any other questions specific to Miller Farm Estates, because that is the development directly across from you other than that tree line?

Well, I'm looking at where the roadway for the other access that's going on right now. I can tell where that, there's not going to be an access to this?

Yes, on the other side, on Hayes.

Yeah, because see, I know these two are... Okay, that's why I couldn't tell. Okay, so it is going to be on down close to where I'm assuming where Clem Foss brick house is because that field goes down here and there's a house. Okay, so that's what I was trying to figure out. One access point in there. but then it'll connect all the way through. I got you. Okay, and you'll come out this way. Okay. All right, thank you.

And I know Mr. Bowser and Mr. Moore, both of them would be happy to discuss the fine details with you. If you have more questions after we adjourn, that would be awesome.

That's fine. I just wanted to get a generalization. So if I have any more, there'll be more meetings as going forward because you have a lot more meetings on the other side. Yes, yes, there will be more meetings.

This is relative to the zoning. This is kind of the first step in the whole process. Okay. Appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay. Any further council discussion? Okay. Hearing none, is there a motion to adjourn?

So moved. Second.

Motion made by Mr. Bennett, second by Mr. Moore. Roll call, please.

Mr. Bennett?

Yes.

Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Payne? Yes. Ms. Emick? Yes. Ms. Stettweiler? Yes. Mr. McLaughlin?

Yes. There will not be a council work session this evening, so our regular city council meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Meeting adjourned. Time out.

Thank you.

Good evening. This is the call to order for the Canal Winchester City Council meeting for Tuesday, September 8th, 2026. The chair will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Clerk, will you call the roll, please? Ms. Emick? Present. Mr. Bennett?

Here.

Ms. Setweiler? Here. Mr. McLaughlin? Here. Mr. Moore?

Here.

Mr. Payne?

Here.

Mr. Shea?

Motion to excuse Mr. Shea.

Is there a second?

Mr. McLaughlin?

Second.

Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. McLaughlin? Yes. Mr. Payne?

Yes.

Ms. Emick? Yes. Mr. Bennett? Yes. Ms. Stetweiler? Yes.

Thank you. That will take us to the approval of minutes. The first one is minutes 26-032, the August 17, 2026, appeal hearing minutes. Is there a motion to approve?

So moved. Second.

Motion made by Mr. Moore, second by Mr. Payne. Roll call, please.

Mr. Moore?

Yes.

Mr. Payne?

Yes.

Ms. Samick? Yes. Mr. Bennett? Yes. Ms. Detweiler? Yes. Mr. McLaughlin?

Yes. Thank you. The next would be minutes 26-033, the August 17, 2026 work session minutes. Is there a motion to approve?

So moved.

Second.

Motion made by Mr. Moore, second by Mrs. Detweiler. Roll call, please.

Mr. Moore?

Yes.

Ms. Detweiler? Yes. Mr. McLaughlin? Yes. Mr. Payne?

Yes.

Ms. Samick?

Yes.

Mr. Bennett?

Yes. Thank you. Next up is minutes 26-034. This is the August 17th, 2026 City Council meeting minutes. Is there a motion to approve?

So moved. Second.

Motion made by Mr. Moore, second by Mr. Payne. Roll call, please.

Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Payne? Yes. Ms. Samick? Yes. Mr. Bennett? Yes. Ms. Setweiler? Yes. Mr. McLaughlin? Yes.

Thank you. And finally, we have minutes 26-035. This is the August 31st Committee of the Whole Minutes regarding the zoning update. Is there a motion to approve?

So moved.

Second. Motion made by Mr. Moore, second by Mrs. Detweiler. Excuse me.

She tried to steal my motion.

Geez. We're going to start arm wrestling here. Motion made by Mr. Moore, second by Mr. Bennett. Roll call, please.

Mr. Moore?

Yes.

Mr. Bennett?

Yes.

Ms. Setweiler? Yes. Mr. McLaughlin? Yes. Mr. Payne?

Yes.

Ms. Samick?

Yes. That takes us to communications and petitions for this evening. The first one is communication 26-024. In your packets this evening are the Madison Township police statistics. Just a side note, the Madison Township will be represented at the upcoming Council Connect meeting on September 16th. The next one is communication 26-025, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation. Mr. Mayor.

Thank you, Ms. Amick. This proclamation we've done the last two years and we will do it again for this month. Whereas childhood cancer is a leading cause of death by disease in children and whereas in the United States, one in 264 children will be diagnosed with cancer by their 20th birthday with approximately 41 children per day or 15,500 children per year receiving a diagnosis of cancer. And whereas the average age of diagnosis is eight years old, with early diagnosis often being difficult, but late diagnosis being fatal. And whereas 73% of childhood cancer patients will have chronic health conditions as a result of their treatment toxicity, with survivors being 20 times more likely to experience a major cardiac event before the age of 50 than their peers. And whereas the effects of childhood cancer are not just physical but financial and emotional, too. And whereas too many children are affected by this deadly disease and more, most will be done to raise awareness and find a cure. Much should be done. Now, therefore, I, Joe Steger, the Mayor of the City of Canal Winchester, do proclaim the month of September 2026, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I do urge all of our residents to observe Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and support this cause that so deeply impacts families in every community across our country.

Thank you, Mayor Steger.

Thank you. Thank you.

I don't see anyone here representing this proclamation, so we'll move on to the next communication, which is communication 26, Constitution Week Proclamation. Mr. Mayor.

Yes, we have Nancy Sherm Wright with us today who's going to accept this proclamation. Did I pronounce that correctly? You did. Okay, thank you. Whereas September 17th, 2026 marks the 238th anniversary of the drafting of the Constitution of the United States of America, by the Constitutional Convention, and whereas it is fitting and proper to officially recognize this magnificent document and its memorable anniversary, and whereas it is fitting and proper to officially recognize the patriotic celebrations which will commemorate the occasion. And whereas public law 915 guarantees the issuing of a proclamation each year by the President of the United States of America designating September 17th through the 23rd as Constitution Week. Now therefore I Joe Steger by virtue of the authority vested in me as a Mayor of Canal Winchester, Ohio do hereby proclaim September 17th through September 23rd, 2026 to be Constitution Week in the city of Canal Winchester and I ask our citizens to affirm the ideals of the framers of the Constitution, the ones that they had in 1787 by vigilantly protecting the freedoms guaranteed to us through this guardian of our liberties, remembering that lost rights may never be regained.

Thank you, Mrs. Shumright, for coming in this evening. We appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Okay, next up is public comments. Is there anyone who wishes to address council? Mrs. Shumright, please. If you would, please sign the sheet that's up there. I did.

I just wanted to thank and commend the employees of Canal Winchester. I live at 12 North High Street, right 30 feet from the stage. And I just want to commend the employees and I guess the volunteers for the wonderful job they do with cleaning up afterwards. The music shuts off at 6. It's dead silence. The leaf blowers come out. The street sweepers come out. And by the next morning, the stage was gone at 8. The port-a-potty's gone. Everything is cleaned and you would never know there is a festival. So I just wanted to thank and commend our employees Thank you.

I'm sure mr. People's will be happy to forward that along to all of the city employees that work so hard Okay, anyone else Okay, we will move on to reports of city officials and staff first item would be the mayor's report mr. Mayor

Yes, as you can see in your packet, we have the finances for the month. You can review those yourself. If you have any questions, get with me later on that. If you would like to approve that now, you can go ahead before I go further.

Is there a motion to approve the August 2026 Mayor's Court Report? So moved. Second. Motion made by Mr. Moore, second by Mr. Bennett. Roll call, please.

Mr. Moore.

Yes.

Mr. Bennett.

Yes.

Ms. Detweiler. Yes. Mr. McLaughlin. Yes. Mr. Payne.

Yes.

Ms. Seaman.

Yes. Anything else? Yes. Yes.

Thank you very much. I would just like to thank the Labor Day Committee for the job they did. There's, it was, it was, you know, we, the city kind of helped with the festival this year. And everybody really kicked in to bring the festival together at a late date. So I just want to run through everyone on the committee real quick and thank them. Kit Lloyd, she was there all weekend. I saw her working hard in the information booth. Kristen at Square Canvas. Will Bennett took over the treasurer this year. and really did a lot of behind the scenes financial work to keep everything going and paid. So thank you, Will. Marie Gibbons, of course, for the parade. Rhett Young and Sean Starcher from the city crews. Terry Robinson, she was a trooper all weekend. Just worked really hard. and organizing the beer tent, keeping care of the money, keeping the people in and out. So thank you to her. Sue from Destination, Ronnie Woodrow. Greg Powers helped us with the liquor license for that event. Christy Johnson, Chelsea Casagrande. And then I really want to thank Matt Peoples and Hannah. you know, show great leadership in pulling everything together and organizing it. And so thank you, Matt. Really appreciate that. I want to remind everybody that Friday is 9-11 again. It's the 25th anniversary of that tragic event. And over in Groveport at the Motz Museum at 8 a.m. there is a big ceremony. Matt and I have been to it. Two years now, this will be our third year, and I think it's gonna be special this year because of the quarter century anniversary. So I would, it's 8 a.m., kind of early in the morning, but I would encourage everyone to come to that. It's a great event over there. That's all I have. Thank you, Ms. Amy. Mr. Moore, thank you.

Thank you. Next would be our city administrator, Mr. Matt Peoples.

Thank you, Ms. Emick. I really don't have anything to add to my written report. I echo the mayor's comments that everyone pitched in this year. We're in a little bit of a transition with leadership of the festival and everybody's work. It is a, from a whole staff standpoint as well, Everybody has something to do with it on our staff from with Andrew doing the permits and Liz in her office. Amanda works with that. We have a staff luncheon with that and every one of our crew is. Things that are ever-changing with that. So I thought the festival went very well this year, too Thank you.

I would just add a couple of the water guys got called in this weekend, too. Yeah and and they were and Just as accommodating as could be So certainly appreciate they're very very reactive. I know we had a couple power issues And the electricians were there but but anytime there was something where we needed support from the city staff was there, you know, sending pictures, sending, like, hey, everything's good. I was like, OK, great. So just anyway, really, really appreciative of all of staff's contributions. And yeah, I mean, I think you could just list everybody on staff that probably played a role this year in making this thing come to life.

And I also want to mention Sergeant Strawn and his crew. Those guys put in some long hours and I didn't mean to leave you guys out. Thank you very much for your work over the weekend as well. Appreciate it.

I attended and I will say that you would not know that there was a transition year because everything just appeared like it always does. So thank you guys. Anything else, Mr. Peoples?

No, thank you.

Okay. Next up would be Sergeant Strong, Fairfield County Sheriff.

Good evening, council. You should have my monthly statistical report. Ms. Stanley, I think you'd be happy to know that we have some software now that we're going to be able to do some graphing and some other ways to get stats to you. So tomorrow morning, I'm going to a short little class on that, so hopefully it'll a little easier for you excellent um as far as the labor day festival it was a success for our part we didn't have any any major problems um great opportunity for us to get out and interact with the public and adults down to the youth was very positive i also would like to as mr mayor said too with my my deputies for helping out it's a long weekend for us with a lot of activities with football games and other festivals and we put some long hours in the last five days. I think this is my 16 hour day number five in a row. And it's, it's, uh, I'm tired and they're all tired and I want to thank them for what they did. And it's a lot. So that's all I have. And I'll be happy to take any questions.

Thank you. Sergeant strong. Any questions?

Um, one, just one item of note, um, for Sergeant strong. I think, you know, just as we are coming up on, um, The Labor Day Festival's 200th bicentennial, I would just like to see if there's any other safety protocols that we maybe need to look into just from a festival standpoint as we're hosting these things in the downtown area. Just offline, if you could just do kind of an assessment, see if there's any infrastructure we need to consider investing in in the future.

I know we talked this morning to city staff. We're going to sit down and do a hot wash or a debrief of this in the near future, I believe. Yeah, you can always improve on these things. I feel like good things happen and obviously the bad things that happen.

Yeah.

Absolutely. Thank you. You're welcome.

Okay, moving on. The next item would be law director, Mr. Champ.

Thank you, Ms. Samick. No formal report, but happy to take any questions.

Anything for Mr. Champ this evening? Okay. Next up, finance director, Mrs. Jackson.

Thank you, Mrs. Amick. Just to highlight a couple things in my written report. I will have pool statistics for you at our next meeting. I was waiting on some end of year invoices to come in so I could give you the full picture of the cost of operating it this summer. And then I had sent to council approximately two weeks ago an email regarding the Ohio Municipal League Conference. If anyone is interested in attending, if you could please let me know by this Friday so that we can get you registered. That is taking place September 30th through October 2nd at the Ohioan Hotel and Event Center up in Lewis Center. Um, you do not have to go the entire three days if you do not want to. So if there is one day that has topics that interest you, that is fine as well. We can register you for whichever you prefer. So just let myself and Jordan know so that we can make that happen for you. And this is paid for by the city. So don't worry about that part of it either.

Thank you, Mrs. Jackson, Mr. Hairy development director.

Thank you, Mrs. Zamek. A few items to update on. Something I got some comments from people today. Some industrial building on the dead end of Robinette Way and Bowen Road that Molto Properties is developing. They've started putting panels up. So if you're out that way, it's changed the view significantly when you drive along Bowen Road there. with a new industrial building going up. Also, as it relates to that product or that project, the first two buildings that Molto developed, they are potentially selling those buildings by the end of this month. And so at the next meeting, I'll have assignment and assumptions agreement for you to basically allow them to assign their incentive agreements. so that'll be forthcoming meyer has begun mobilizing they're going to repave their entire parking lot so if you're out there there's going to be a lot of activity decker is doing that project and they're out there now they did the back of the store i think today but they've got different areas of the parking lot that are blocked off so there may be some access restrictions i think the gas station was closed today too they were working on repaving in there but there'll be a lot of activity over the the coming weeks and that location and then walmart obviously their projects continuing with the building addition and the complete renovation on the interior of that and so i think their their goal is to have that wrapped up by november and be completed with all their improvements there as well but you have to answer any questions you have regarding anything developer related anything for mr hair

Thank you, Mr. Herr. That takes us to our resolutions, which this evening we have none. Moving on to ordinances, we do have a third reading on Ordinance 26-016. Clerk, will you read the ordinance, please?

In ordinance to accept the dedication of real property from Velocity Hill Road, Parcel 1, LLC, for use as public right-of-way.

Thank you. In Mr. Shea's absence, the Roberts Rules of Order indicate that we may continue. I also checked in with Mr. Shea and he said it is fine to move forward. Do I have a motion to sponsor Ordinance 26-016? So moved. Motion made by Mr. Moore. Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Mrs. Detweiler. Roll call, please.

Mr. Moore.

Yes.

Ms. Stettweiler? Yes. Mr. McLaughlin? Yes. Mr. Payne?

Yes.

Ms. Samick? Yes. Mr. Bennett?

Yes. Thank you. Now do we have a motion to adopt?

I'm sorry.

Any discussion, I guess? No.

Okay. I'll make a motion to adopt ordinance 26-016.

Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Motion made by Mr. Moore, second by Mr. Payne. Roll call, please.

Mr. Moore.

Yes.

Mr. Payne?

Yes.

Ms. Samick?

Yes.

Mr. Bennett?

Yes.

Ms. Setweiler? Yes. Mr. McLaughlin?

Yes. Thank you. Now on to second reading. We have Ordinance 26-017. Clerk, will you read the ordinance, please?

In ordinance to accept the dedication of real property from the South Central Power for use as public right-of-way.

Thank you. The sponsor is Mr. Bennett.

Second reading only.

Thank you. For first reading this evening, we have ordinance 26-018. Clerk, will you read the ordinance, please?

In ordinance to amend part 11 of the codified ordinances in the zoning map of the city of Canal Winchester rezoning approximately 112.3 acres of land from exceptional use to planned residential district owned by the Canal Family Farms LLC located at 5593 Hayes Road, PID 184-003688-00, and to adopt a preliminary development plan and development text for a proposed 112.3 acre planned residential district, the estates at Miller Farms.

Okay, the chair will sponsor ordinance 26-018. Is there a second?

Second.

Motion made by the chair, second by Mr. McLaughlin. and it's first reading only now on to council reports the first item is there will be a rules committee meeting on monday september 21st at 5 15 p.m um i believe mr shea is the chair of the rules committee mrs detweiler and mr payne i believe you've asked for any comments to be submitted to you for that meeting do you know when you want those by we could get them by friday september 18th okay all right that's for the rules committee on monday september 21st the next item would be the work session and council meeting for monday september 21st at 6 pm following that will be the work session council meeting for monday october 5th 2026 at 6 pm Our next Council Connect meeting will be September 16th at 630. Rick Moore and Lori Ameth will be your hosts for that evening. I would like to note that once again, the Madison Township will have a representative at that meeting to talk about the upcoming police and fire level levy. If you would like to come here more on that. The next item is committee reports and one moment please. In Patrick's absence, he gave me permission to give the report for Human Services this evening. In the month of August, there were 466 people were served during the month. 6,504 meals were provided during the month. 7,420 pounds of food were distributed in August. Regarding senior transportation stats for August 2026, there were 311 one-way trips were provided. 279 of the one-way trips provided were City of Canal Winchester residents, and they drove 3,012 miles were driven during the month of August. And I would like to say thank you for your continued support. We will see everyone in person next month and have a great day. That's from Anna Ross, Operations Manager. Next up is the Canal Winchester Industry and Commerce Corporation. The next meeting will be September 30th at 1130 here in Council Chambers. That takes us to the Canal Winchester Joint Rec District. Mr. Bennett and Mr. Moore.

Thank you, Mrs. Amick. Our next meeting is September 15th at 6 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Also, we have quite a few sports going on and the rain has finally subsided. So at least not consistent rain. So mowing has been happening. Fields are in better shape. Kids are getting their games in. Adults are getting their games in. So everything's running as smooth as it can right now. So we'll stick with that.

Anything to add, Mr. Bennett? Nope. Okay. Thank you. The next up is Destination Canal Winchester. Mr. Payne.

Thank you, Mrs. Amick. Planning began this week for booze and brews, and that will be on October 24th in conjunction with the Chamber and their Canal Wellness Fest and Running Scared 5K. Also, Reindeer Games Pub Crawl will be on December 12th. All proceeds will be benefiting Canal Winchester Human Services Adopt-a-Family Program. And as always, download the Destination Canal Winchester app to keep updated on all upcoming events.

Thank you, Mr. Payne. Next up is the Canal Winchester Chamber of Commerce. Mr. McLaughlin.

Thank you, Ms. Zaman. Our brand new Leadership Canal Winchester program launched last week. This cohort will meet for eight more monthly sessions through May 2027. Along the way, they will meet with local executive coaches and community leaders and get back to the community through service. Please follow Leadership Canal Winchester on Facebook for updates. A couple of upcoming events. The next Young Professionals event, LinkedIn Lunch and Learn, is on Thursday, October 15th at Local Cantina. You can register at canalwinchester.com. Registration is open for the 10th annual Running Scared 5K. Like Mr. Payne said, I think in conjunction together, we make that event happen with the health fair and whatnot. So it's a costume-themed run, walk event. on Saturday, October 24th at Hanners Park. And like I said, the Canal Wellness Fest will be going on at the same time. Lastly, we want to welcome our newest members, Hometown Urgent Care. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLaughlin. And next would be the Sustainability Commission, Mrs. Detweiler.

Yes. Our next meeting is October 7th. And we just had a meeting this past Wednesday on September 2. no big news except for our fall cleanup events. We are not having it this year. We are planning on having it next year. Um, and instead we are hoping people who want to clean up this October to sign up for the Walnut Creek tire sweep. Um, RSVP is not required, but it is helpful for planning. So if you would like to do that, please, contact the city. You can call 614-836-2683 or you can connect with our urban forester Dick Miller at 614-834-5110.

Thank you. I'd also like to remind everyone that we have back-to-back Music in the Park. We have a reschedule from earlier this summer. That will be on Friday, 9-11. Mr. Shea and Mr. Moore will be serving you popcorn. And then on 9-18 is another Music in the Park event. Mrs. Detweiler and Mr. Bennett will be serving you popcorn. So all great events to come out for. That takes us to old and new business, and we have one item this evening, OTH 26-011, Eat Bikes and Scooters. And Mr. McLaughlin.

Thanks, Ms. Hammock. Yeah, I want to take time to briefly introduce legislation that I intend to bring forward to our next city council meeting regarding the operation of electrical bikes and electrical scooters in Canal Winchester. The purpose of the legislation is simple, it's for public safety. As the use of e-bikes and e-scooters continues to grow in our community, I believe we have the responsibility to make sure we are protecting everyone who uses our roads and sidewalks, including drivers, pedestrians, and the riders themselves. The ordinance is just a start in increasing public safety for this matter. It would be to address a helmet ordinance for anyone under the age of 18 that are operating an e-bike and e-scooter. Also a ban on double tandem riding on these scooters. I've also had conversations with members of our school board and they have expressed similar concerns. A significant number of their students are using e-bikes and e-scooters, not only recreationally, but as a means of transportation to and from school. And that makes this more than just a recreational issue. It's a matter of youth safety and traffic safety in our community. I also had the chance to briefly speak to Sergeant Strawn, and hopefully he'll chime in as well. But we talked about seeing those concerns in our communities, or having those concerns and things we're seeing in the community as well. My tip is not to over-regulate these forms of transportation or prevent young people from riding them. I want to make sure we encourage their responsible use while putting some basic safety protections in place. And with that being said, I'm going to open the floor for the rest of council to discuss it and start to strong.

So what kind of offense would this be if you were Will you be cited for not having a helmet or being tandem? Does that go to the parent or the child? How does that enforcement work?

Right, yeah. It's written now, and the way it's going to be written in two weeks can be completely different based on how this conversation goes. I wanted your guys' input. I think the way it's written now is it would be a misdemeanor. I don't know if it was a fourth degree. Go ahead.

It's drafted as a minor misdemeanor, so it's a max $150 fine. It doesn't speak to.

Who's responsible for paying that?

It doesn't speak to that. We have cities that have parental obligations imposed.

Would Sergeant Strong be running a ticket to an eight-year-old and handing an eight-year-old a ticket? Or is he holding the kid until his parent picks him? I guess I'm just kind of curious. We're introducing this, and I'm just curious. And again, Worst case scenario, I know what we're trying to accomplish and the goodwill that we want. And listen, this potential ordinance gives parents the opportunity to say, hey, you have to wear a helmet. It's the law. You can't tan them on your bike. It's the law. But again, just from a practical application, I guess I'm just curious. Are we going to see the resource officers at the schools writing tickets?

I think those are valid points. Before Sergeant Strawn speaks, I just want to add something. I think a law can take a couple different forms of effectiveness. One is using it for enforcement, but also deterrent. And I think the practicality of the law for deterrent is probably how this starts as we figure out how enforcement looks. Because I think the question of enforcement is important. Sergeant and I talked about it. How does that look? And that's where I wanted to lean on everybody to figure out how the enforcement piece works. But I think the deterrent piece is pretty obvious and is important in its own right.

And I get the deterrent piece, but you can't put a law on the books and say, don't enforce it. We just hope it will deter them. that opens a whole different can of worms for any other law that can be placed in the books.

As we have laws on the books that are not great laws, it's also illegal for my dog to pee on a walk by ordinance, I think, on people's grass. It's illegal for my dog to poop in your yard and me not pick it up. Again, these are things that we aren't enforcing today. But our laws that we have put on the books to say, here's a reminder of how to be a good citizen, I think your intent is such as it would be that. Again, I think it's just a tool in the parent's toolbox to say it's probably just, hey, you have to wear a helmet, it's the law. It's no different than, hey, put your phone down when you're driving. We can't. People are gonna pick up their phones now. We might cite someone for that more likely than we would. You're not picking up your dog's poo or You know, you're riding on an e-bike without a helmet, but I guess it's just the, my concern is setting the expectation for community-wide enforcement. Because I think with this, it's a little bit different as well. My concern is that are we gonna have, are we gonna be empowering parents to have conversations with kids who aren't their own? Hey, you can't ride that bike with, you can't have two people on that bike, you have to have a helmet. I think there's that concern of that. I know you shared some what other communities were doing as well. Were they, I think from what I've heard, other communities are doing, is it like, like an open house or a helmet safety course or? All kinds of different things.

Obitt's just passed it. What was, do we know the key points, I guess, to that change?

So I did speak to one of the Obitt's city council members. They kind of did the same thing. Their enforcement's going to lean on parents. So every community's kind of doing it different, whether they're going to lean on the parents or whether they're going to, know cite the kids you know or he even talked about maybe a confiscation of the scooter making the parents come pick it up i don't agree with any of that but that's just kind of what other communities are doing he he's they put a ban on double tandem writing and and helmet ordinance and i believe it's i can't remember if it's 16 or 18 in obets but i believe over arlington and correct me if I'm wrong, New Albany, Hilliard, Dublin, and several other communities have already put some of these in place as public safety measures.

And I'm all for creating public safety because I know It doesn't matter if it's a scooter, or an e-bike, or roller blades, or a regular bike. I mean, kids are reckless. It's been this way for as long as kids could be on something. They're invincible, they don't think. I'm not opposed to creating public safety. I think I'm at will, as we've got to be very careful about how we craft this. because while i want to make sure that we have these things in place i also don't want to put our sheriffs in a bad situation i don't want you yanking my niece's scooter away from her and putting in the cop car um you know i think that creates a whole different issue where kids are now afraid of cops um so i bet we they're we got to really think this out before we just throw something on the books i am i think a child would be much more

apt to wear a helmet. First of all, I believe in the parent having the right to tell the child to wear a helmet. I think, though, to tell a child it's the law versus, hey, there's going to be this education program and there might be a raffle drawing for some free helmets. Why don't you go check this out? I think to a 10, 11, 12-year-old child, that speaks volumes and incentivizing the child to do what it is that you want to have happen here um so i i know this weekend knowing that this was going to be a topic of conversation i counted during labor day weekend when i was out on the roads i counted 10 children a few teens a few younger not wearing a helmet i saw three with a helmet so i'm thinking to myself getting back to the enforcement situation I know that Sergeant Strong had bigger fish to fry over Labor Day weekend than stopping these children from not having a helmet on. So I guess I'm hoping that there's a better way, a more positive way to get it to be the social norm versus making it a law and putting the burden of legislation and enforcement on our law enforcement. So that's kind of where my head's at right now.

Sergeant Strong, I think you had something to say.

Yeah, just a conversation with Mr. McLaughlin. That was my concern on the enforcement side. I really don't want to give a 10-year-old kid a ticket for riding a scooter where they shouldn't be. I mean, is it a problem during the mornings and even in the afternoons sitting in the school zone? They're everywhere. Two and three times, sometimes three on a scooter I've seen up to. They're zipping in and out of traffic, people on the sidewalks, the pedestrians. It is a concern. To have that positive interaction, I understand not every interaction I have with the public is positive, I get that. There's times I force things, but to issue a citation to a 10-year-old, I don't like it. I have a problem with standing up and saying, hey, you know what you're doing, you can't be doing, maybe it's an educational purpose.

um but that's that's my major concern with just on enforcement yeah and and maybe there's an opportunity there for like maybe there's a flyer or a handout that just says it's not a ticket or a citation but it's a you know hey you know it's a handout to say hey make sure you're being safe wear a helmet you know just something about helmet safety you know maybe there's some stats on on writing those things without helmets maybe it's more it's more of a public service kind of flyer than it is a citation, that we could start to encourage those positive interactions like you're talking about. Maybe there's an opportunity to hold an educational conversation as opposed to a citation.

I looked up some things. There's another jurisdiction. down to Dayton area where they have like they've partnered with a local ice cream shop. You've been sighted wearing a helmet, you know, the positive, I don't know, I'm just thinking there's got to be positive interaction ways. Even if you see a child with a helmet on, hey, you're doing the right thing, here you go. You're doing the wrong thing, but I see you, maybe next time with a helmet on, here you go. There's just other ways to have positive interactions.

Yeah, I don't know, kids still wear stickers, like with a sticker, like you've been caught wearing your helmet, a sticker that if you're not busy, you can stop.

Nothing. Much more unlikely to give me with an ice cream cone. Yeah, this is true.

In the city of Hilliard, they are issuing citations to parents. That's what they have. Parents are guardians whose children recklessly violate city regulations could face minor mis misdemeanor on their first offense. Additional violations within a year could result in higher misdemeanor. But they put the word could in there. So it could be just the threat of it. Yeah.

And that's That's likely what we'd be doing. Yeah. I don't see us giving, obviously, tickets to kids. But I do appreciate you bringing it up. Because I know that it has been brought up by residents. And I know that riding on one of these e-bikes or e-scooters is not just like riding a bike. They're going 25 miles, 20 miles an hour. Yep, some of them. If somebody hits the concrete going that fast, I'd rather us do something at least pre-eminent than retroactive.

i agree i uh i just want to add one thing to what miss amick said because i agree i think education is a huge part of it and how do we encourage education and that's one of the things i was talking to when i or talking about with the school board is working with the schools to maybe create a psa video put on social media and then maybe some type of yearly educational incentive-based training that teaches traffic safety to kids that haven't been through driver's ed yet. So they can understand some general laws of the road so you don't see kids going 25 miles an hour through an intersection that's a three-way stop. Yeah, and I agree.

The schools, I don't want to pawn everything off on the school either, but they were a great partner earlier this year when I reached out to them. They quickly put together a really nice email that went out to every parent that had a kid in elementary school and middle school. They didn't do the high school just because at that age A lot of them aren't utilizing that. It's more the later elementary school, more in elementary school and middle school. Max was great in getting stuff out and sent me a copy before he sent it out. They were easy to work with.

I just wanted to add, I did pull up the OVETS rules and it looks like It says not following the rules is considered a standard traffic offense. I don't know if that is different than a misdemeanor, but they're in the press, they're calling it a traffic offense and they can receive a ticket. I'm also thinking young people who are, have their driver's license or 16, they can also receive a ticket. And so kind of like what Mr. McLaughlin was saying, I think going along with traffic safety rules, we should have some sort of education for those who are not going through driver's ed because they are sharing the road with cars going as fast as cars but i i don't know if there's something in between like can we have like a city council enforced code of conduct i don't know but it's i'm not for creating a bunch of opportunities for little kids to get tickets but i do think guidelines are important especially for the parents who are not super in tune with These vehicles, they are super new. I know my parents would have been lost with how safe are they or not. I think having rules on the books somewhere to have that conversation for parents who are not actively searching out the safety rules for bikes, maybe they just don't have time. That's fine. But being able to get that information to them is important.

That's it for me.

Thank you, Mr. McLaughlin. We appreciate you bringing up the discussion. Is there any other new business for this evening?

Mr. Herr, at our Committee of the Whole meeting, I believe we referenced part of the code. And again, I might be misremembering, so please help me. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Is there a part of the code that will be shared with as a part of our plan going to the Sustainability Commission for input on certain sections?

Yes, it's already been shared.

It's been shared. Okay.

Yeah. So I think their goal was to have comments back by early October to us.

Yes, it was chapters like 1203 and 1204. It was related to EV chargers and I think renewable energy.

Okay, good. Anything else? Okay, hearing none, is there a motion to adjourn?

So moved.

Second. Motion made by Mr. Moore, second by Mrs. Detweiler. Roll call, please.

Mr. Moore? Yes. Ms. Detweiler? Yes. Mr. Payne?

Yes.

Ms. Amen? Yes. Mr. Bennett?

Yes. Thank you. Time out is 7.45 p.m.