Board of Trustees - Regular Meeting
About this meeting
- Government Body
- Board of Trustees
- Meeting Type
- Board Of Trustees
- Location
- Miami, OH
- Meeting Date
- February 3, 2026
Transcript
64 sections (from 202 segments)
6 o'clock p.m. I call this meeting of the Miami Township Board of Trustees to order. Will you please rise and join me in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands nationy for all. Roll call, please. Mr. Posey, present. Mr. Barry, here. Mr. Cult, here. Chief Nielson, you have the reading of casualties.
Yes, sir. Deputy Sheriff Tim Jordan with the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office, Louisiana. End of watch on January 21st. Sheriff's Deputy Derek Bonham with the Weekly County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee. End of watch on January 30th. Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Olmire with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, Louisiana with an end of watch of January 30th and Senior Police Officer Pradep Tang with the Gwynette County Police Department in Georgia with an end of watch of February 1st.
Please join me in a moment of silence for these following first responders. Thank you. Next item on the agenda is a presentation regarding the parks master plan update. Mr. Schwer Gordon So, when I stepped into the role of public works director in June of 2022, I had a vision to improve Miami Township Parks for our community and everyone who uses these spaces. Early on, public works staff worked alongside Director Carlson and his community development team to begin the parks and trails plan as a way to fully assess our park assets, review accessibility throughout the township, and identify where meaningful improvements were most needed. This vision guided how we approached the parks and trails plan, ensuring the document wasn't just a plan on a shelf, but a practical, forward-looking roadmap designed to elevate Miami Township's parks and trails system in a meaningful and achievable way. Over the next few slides, I will provide a quick recap of where we were and show the progress that was made. So, here's a brief overview of where we were with parks and trails plan. We officially adopted the plan May 2024 and it was built with a lot of community input. It reinforces that Miami Township's park system is diverse. Everything from small neighborhood parks to regional destinations and the plan helps us prioritize improvements accordingly. Most importantly, it outlines how we will implement the plan while improving accessibility, connectivity, and
tracking progress. At the time, the inventory analysis showed that many of our park amenities are showing their age. Some areas, especially in our neighborhood parks, were in far fair or even poor conditions. Several features in our network needed some attention and modernization. We also saw that many parks lack accessible routes. Overall, this reinforced that our parks need some thoughtful investment so they can continue to serve the community well. Data from the National Recreation and Parks Association shows how our park staffing and funding are compared to national benchmarks. At the time, our park system was operating with just three full-time employees and two seasonal staff, which is far below the national median for communities our size. Likewise, our operating expenses per resident were significantly lower than the national average. together. These benchmarks highlighted that while our team works very hard, our staffing and funding levels are very lean. This slide highlighted that we heard from the diff from the community trails were by far the most appreciated and most requested amenity. People consistently told us they value walking, hiking, and biking opportunities. Playgrounds, exercise areas, and sports spaces are also ranked highly. Overall, the community clearly expressed a desire for more ways to get outside, stay active, and enjoy connected park spaces. Lastly, recapping the park's master plan, we looked at accessibility. As the township has developed, we ended up with gaps in our sidewalk and bike network. This makes it harder for people
to walk or bike safely. The community has expressed a strong interest in more walkable connected places. Utilizing the active transportation plan through MBRPC will help us elevate where those gaps are, prioritize the most important projects, and build a safer, more connected network for both recreation and everyday travel. We're also able to build on regional planning work that's already been done, giving us a solid foundation for improving connections to schools, parks, jobs, and key destinations. So, we recaped where we were. Now, we're going to showcase how we made improvements utilizing federal American Rescue Plan funds. We quickly activated the necessary repairs and upgrades to the parks and trails system, allowing us to address priority needs. Whoops, sorry about that. I hit the wrong button. Uh, priority needs and make visible progress right away. So, resolution 2623, ARP funds were used able to replace our aging parks department trucks. This includes retiring three older vehicles, some over 20 years old, and purchasing reliable new vehicles that immediately improve our daily operations and service capacity. Just wanted to note that the new trucks have drop downside beds to make uh adding contents in and out a lot easier. Also had tool boxes so we're readily accessible when we're out in the parks to handle issues. ARP funds allowed us to tackle several park improvements needed. We were able to replace aging roofs and metal doors at multiple shelters. We refreshed playground areas with new swings and ADA compliant fall zone mulch throughout various parks. We repaired worn
facilities and invested in equipment to better maintain our ball fields. These upgrades addressed overdue maintenance and helped improve the safety and appearance of our parks. Another note, we also painted our shelters to match our Miami Township color pal palette to give it a new fresh feel. So, I want to highlight this project. Uh, this playground started as a concept plan and has now become a fully realized improvement at Miami View Park. With American Rescue Plan funding, we were able to redesign the space with safety in mind. We relocated the playground closer to the parking lot, which moved it away from the pond. The new design is fully ADA accessible, which includes interactive play features for children with disabilities, multiple shade structures, and educational and sensory elements, creating a welcoming, inclusive play environment for all families. A much needed improvement for our parks network. So, we broke ground on October 2025. It was a truly magical day for Miami View Park. This moment marked the transition from years of planning and community input to a project becoming real. It brought together families, staff, partners, and community members to celebrate a shared investment in a safer, more inclusive, and more welcoming park space. It was a wonderful milestone that helped launch the next phase of improvements with real momentum. Here's a look at the finished playground at Miami View. It's vibrant and accessible space provides family families with a modern place to play. This slide outlines another phase in park improvements funded by the American Rescue Plan funds, including shel shelter replacement, new bike repair
stations, and upgrading drinking fountains and grills. So on these pictures, you can see that they are actively installed. We have the bike repair station on the left. You can see what our old drinking fountain system uh used to be at our parks. And now you can see on the picture on the right, bike repair station and we have drinking fountains that are ADA compliant and pet friendly. And then here's a look at a fully completed uh bike hub station at Cranes Run Park right along the great Miami River Trail. Uh the only caveat is once all this snow melts, we will get the picnic table installed underneath there. But a great place to stop and rest. Also, with American Rescue Plan funds, new grills and hot coal bins are now installed in five parks to give visitors safer and cleaner spaces for picnics and gatherings. These improvements are making our parks more inviting. So, want to highlight several general fund improvements, including a new ADA ramp at Miami View Park, Little Libraries program, that's a partnership with the Dayton Metro Library, Miami Township Branch, and new ADA accessible picnic tables that we are slowly rolling out to all of our parks. On the left, you'll see the picnic tables. Uh the legs are inverted on the table so wheelchair can access either side. On the right, park supervisor and parks foreman built benches to include with the little libraries program and that was a really cute idea. So, alternative fundings and projects, Miami View Park, uh, we had a resurfacing project at Miami View funded through the Community
Improvement Corporation, which has refreshed the park's main drive, parking lots, and improved overall access. This project was completed in 2025. Another funded source through Austin East TIFF at Walroo Park updated the main drive parking lots and enhanced access for everyone using the park. This was also completed in 2025. So board, I passed out uh to you uh where we were on the left 2024 with our parks master plan and where we're sitting at today. As you can see, we have made significant pro progress since the parks and trails plan was adopted in May of 24. In less than two years, we've moved a large share of our park assets from fair or poor condition into good condition. Many items that were previously listed as needing repaired or replaced are now completed. These improvements span from safety items, shelter repairs, drinking fountains, bike repair stations, grills, signage, and accessibility features. Most of these improvements would not have been possible without assistance from federal and other funding mechanisms. We've hit early major benchmarks. Parks are in better condition, upgrades are happening faster, and we're using funds efficiently. This plan is clearly delivering the results ahead of expectations. So based on the National Recreation and Parks Association standards, we established the parks foreman position through resolution 112025. This role was filled in March of 25 by Grant Short. Our parks team now includes four full-time employees and two seasonal staff members, aligning our workforce closer with recommended
staffing levels for communities of our size. While still way below the recommended workforce designation, we are improving. I also want to mention three projects with local match funding. This project that you see is in our Shiitakqua area and is mostly funded through Montgomery County Community Development Block Grant Program. Work at A Street Park began late in 2025 and the improvements include ADA accessible pathways to the playground, off- streetet parking, a new gazebo, picnic tables, and tree installation, which are all on track for completion summer of 26. Another park in the Shiitakwa area is awaiting final approval to begin major upgrades, including ADA compliance, improvements, a new playground installation, off- streetet parking, and several new site features. This project is expected to begin in 26 with support from the McGomery County Community Development Block Grant Program. The last project I want to discuss is we're moving ahead with major safety and accessibility upgrades along Spring Pike. We pursued ODOT funding to support the expansion of our multi-use pathway network and phase 1 delivers 1,400 ft of new shared use path on the east side of the corridor. This project brings ADA compliant curb ramps, improved cross markings, and a much safer connection to the existing path at Fern Ferndown Drive. Once complete, it will create a stronger, more walkable link between nearby neighborhoods, businesses, and parks, making this corridor safer and easier to navigate for everyone.
Funding and support. Our funding strategy continues to expand as we pursue every available opportunity to support park and trail improvements. We actively target state and federal grant programs to reduce the burden on local dollars and accelerate project timelines. Beyond grants, we're tapping into a wide range of alternative revenue sources such as the TIFF districts, Jeds, CIC, Miami Township Community Foundation, and sponsorships. All of which help stretch our resources further. Some future upgrades may require additional investment. We will carefully consider and review our funding options and only if necessary and with strong community guidance would we consider a levy to support long-term parks. Time for some of the exciting parts. So, we'll continue advancing parks and trails plan by prioritizing key investments. We'll refine our long-term vision and develop detailed concepts that guide future construction investment. Now, I want to walk you through a few concept plans and a broader idea that may shape the next generation of our parks and trails network. So, this is a concept plan, but the key features have already received approval from the city of Dayton. Walrrew Park stands out as our premier park in Miami Township, and this plan builds on that strength by enhancing trails, access, and natural areas while creating new opportunities for residents to enjoy the space. This vision sets the stage for truly an exceptional park experience. Just briefly want to highlight that this park is special due to the amount of urban and commercial space that surround
it along with the proximity to Interstate 75. It is a heavy, heavily wooded lot that offers a peaceful place for visitors to relax and enjoy centuries old white oak trees along with other natural amenities. So Waldrrew, it means forest at rest and that idea continues to guide every part of improvements at this park. The park's legacy began with the Shaun family who generously donated the land for recreational use, and we honor that history by preserving its natural character while thoughtfully expanding access and amenities. Our improvements integrate ADA compliant features throughout the site, ensuring visitors of all abilities can experience the trails, playgrounds, and gathering spaces. This is a concept of a replacement playground. We designed a wooded nature inspired aesthetic for our updated Miami Township branding. The color palette ties in the surrounding forest and builds a unified welcoming look across the amenities, signage, and play spaces. Each enhancement strengthens Walru's peaceful wooded feel while ensuring it remains accessible and reflective of our community's vision. And I just want to highlight uh you know there's a tree slide in there. So we're trying to keep that natural theme in this concept plan. Additionally, a fitness court at Waldrrew would bring a full outdoor workout experience to the park. It offers bodyweight training stations, space for group classes, and opportunities for year-round exercise, all set within the park's natural landscape. This amenity supports community wellness by providing free accessible fitness options for users of all ages and abilities.
Additionally, a fitness court brings wellness options to our parks. This is something residents clearly asked for in the parks and trails plan survey. Community feedback showed strong interest in more outdoor fitness opportunities, more year-round recreation choices, and more people focused spaces. A fitness court delivers all that in one place. It boosts physical and mental well-being, creates a social hub for group workouts, and gives residents a free, accessible way to stay active right in the heart of Walju Park. We could host a staff wellness day where the only thing heavier than the workout might be the amount of food we consume after. Another concept plan. This is early in our design for replacing the playground at Zingo Park. Designed to bring new energy and updated features to the space. This concept uses a brick facade theme to reflect the character of the surrounding homes and maintain a cohesive neighborhood feel. While this is just a preliminary design, the any final playground uh features would include ADA compliance and ensure children of all abilities can play, explore, and enjoy the new space. Another concept absolutely brings Cranes Run Park to life. We're imagining a totally totally re-energized playground that uses a rich natural inspired color palette to blend right in the park's gorgeous na natural settings. As a regional park with the great Miami River Trail running right through it, Cranes Run is the perfect place for a play space that feels connected to the outdoors, the trail, and the whole adventure vibe of the property. And while this is still an early concept, the final design would include ADA compliance features for kids of all abilities to climb, explore, spin, and play. It's a fresh, vibrant vision that
elevates the park and creates a destination that families will be excited to return again and again. on this slide. Originally designed by CESO and submitted for Ohio Senate funding in 2024, this fishing pier concept for Cranes Run Park is still very much alive and we are not letting go of the opportunity it brings. Even though we didn't secure the funding needed to build the pier at the time, the vision is worth pursuing. Crane's Run has strong aquatic life and is already a natural gathering point, making it the perfect spot for future community events like a fishing derby. With ADA compliant improvements, this pier could become a signature destination on the Great Miami River Trail, opening the pond to everyone, creating new recreation opportunities, and giving the park an exciting new amenity. We are staying focused, optimistic, and ready for the next chance to bring this project to life. Cranes Run Park Championship disc golf course concept plan. This championship level disc golf course concept at Cranes Run Park paints a bold vision for what this space could become. A true regional destination along the great great Miami River Trail. Designed on a collegiate style scale, this course opens the door to hosting large format events. Everything from intercolgate tournaments and regional championships to multi-day disc golf festivals that brings players, spectators, and vendors from across Ohio and beyond. With the right investment, this site could support sanctioned league play, proam competitions, skills clinics, youth camps, and special weekend events that activate the entire park. And with demand for outdoor recreation continuing to rise, this
course could generate meaningful economic impact. A converted farmhouse could serve as a pro shop and souvenir center. It would create new revenue streams through disc golf sales, tournament merch, concessions, equipment rentals, and even event-based vendor partnerships. Tournament weekends could draw visitors to the Great Miami River Trail. People will undoubtedly stay longer in the area and support local hospitality, food, and retail business, which brings real dollars into the region. The addition of primitive camping could add a whole new dimension by creating an overnight adventure hub for disc golfers, trail cyclists, and outdoor enthusiasts. This transforms Cranes Run Park into a place where players can stay, play, and experience the riverfront landscape in an entirely new way. This concept is big. It's exciting and achievable with the right partners. I would also like to proudly recognize Carl Chillis, Ohio's own Daytonbased disc golf course designer for developing this impressive and inspiring vision. Carl, thank you. So, another concept and board, I am winding down on this presentation. This concept brings a whole new level of energy to Miami View Park. A true all-in-one aesthetic athletic destination. Imagine a vibrant hub where you can jump into a fast-paced pickle ball match, rally on a tennis court, shoot hoops at a full basketball court, and then crush a workout in an outdoor fitness zone all in one place. This isn't just an upgrade. It would be a full-blown recreational experience. This concept envisions modern courts, outdoor workout equipment, a shelter with restrooms, drinking fountains, and lighting that keeps the action going into the evening. It creates a space where families, athletes, and weekend warriors can gather, play, train, and connect. Whether you're chasing a pickle
ball winning streak, practicing your tennis serve, or squeezing in a quick outdoor workout, Miami View becomes a go-to community hot spot. This is an exciting multiport vision that would transform Miami View Park into a true athletic hub. One that brings energy, activity, and yearround fun to the community. Here's a little more data that supports adding another full-time member, which is an important step in closing our staffing gap. Our parks and trails system continue to grow. Our amenities continue to expand and community expectations keep rising. Moving closer to the NRPA median will help us maintain high-quality parks, support new capital projects, and deliver the level of service residents expect. This request isn't about adding staff. It is an investment in safe, well-maintained parks and trails that can meet the needs of a growing community. And lastly, for this was an overview of where we were, what was completed, and projects and a vision to address moving forward. I want to take a moment and thank Alex and your staff for your exceptional partnership and dedication throughout the parks and trails plan. Your guidance, collaboration, and expertise were essential in shaping its success. Sincere appreciation goes to the public works staff whose hard work, commitment, and daily support made these improvements possible and helped bring each project from concept to completion. I also extend gratitude to administration whose leadership and strategic direction ensured that these efforts aligned with our long-term community vision. Thank you to the board of trustees for your continued support, trust, and advocacy for enhancing our parks and trails system.
Finally, thank you to the community whose input, enthusiasm, and engagement inspired every step of this process. Together, these contributions have transformed ideas into meaningful, lasting improvements for all of Miami Township. Together, we build a stronger Miami Township. Happy to answer any questions if you have any board.
Any questions, Mr. Schwer? Uh, you know, a lot of what you do comes in fits and starts and we approved the master trail plan and we knew the effort that went into it. But when you both create the retrospective selection of highlighting everything that's been achieved and what you want to achieve, it's truly amazing what you, your team, the rest of the staff has all put together. And from somebody who sits up here and votes yes or no, I just want to express some appreciation for the level of thought effort you put into this. Not only through the quality and diversity of the township funds that you put forward, but the thoughtfulness and the intent with which you do the work you do. Thank you. Thank you.
The next item on the agenda is the consent agenda. Matters listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion and one vote of consent. There'll be no for discussion of these items. If discussion is desired, those that item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered separately. I move we approve the consent agenda. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey. I. Mr. Barry. I. Mr. Cole. I. Next item on the agenda is new business. The first item is resolution 20-2026. A resolution to authorize the township administrator to engage Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone PLC for legal services. Administrator Snider.
Good evening board. Uh resolution 2020 20226 is a resolution to engage Miller Canfield, a legal firm that has a particular expertise that's desired for analysis of current and future legal matters. So there's any questions I'd be happy to go over it. Thank you. The next resolution is 21-2026, a resolution to authorize the township administrator to execute a development agreement. Mr. Carlson, you also have resolution 226, a resolution to authorize the township administrator to execute an easement purchase agreement.
Yes, thank you. Good evening, board. Uh first resolution before you tonight uh is a resolution to allow the execution of a development agreement with RG Properties for the Austin Crossing development. Uh this is a project that has uh required many many many hours from our township staff and from RG Properties to bring together a very complicated project. Uh and we've created a I think very uh creative framework to work in a public private partnership to bring this agreement together. Uh so just wanted to highlight some of the uh high level u sort of areas of uh what is being covered by this de development agreement to allow this project to proceed. So again at the highest level uh this is a public private project that aims to improve regional safety and connectivity uh in this area through a couple of ways. uh one full signalization of an interchange that is a very busy interchange landing way and state rout 741 adjacent to new development. See if I can flip over. I've arranged the uh north facing the right side of the screen in this case just to show the best view. Um but I think everyone knows this is a very busy interchange on 741 near Austin Boulevard. Uh so it's required very thoughtful planning to put together a road network that will uh both improve flow in the area and provide safe access to all of the uh residents in the neighboring apartment buildings uh and not conflict or compete with Austin Landing traffic uh while also bringing in uh new restaurants and land uses that are uh highly desirable in this area of the township. Another uh key component here is uh a multi-use pathway project that is being uh directly integrated into the new plan that again uh directly bridges all of these residents who currently have uh two unsalized full access uh routes on
the state route 741 which are uh objectively unsafe access points. So again cleaning up a lot of infrastructure in this area while also facilitating new development in the area. Uh secondly, uh we've created a model for uh financial incentivization of this private development uh specifically in the knowledge that the amount of infrastructure being developed in this relatively small area is very substantial. Uh ordinarily uh the work that's being done here would be done gradually over time as these developments came in. that uh again all of the uh the new signalized improvement were placed on this one project where Austin Springs Apartments, Austin Commons Apartments, CVY run uh were sort of gradually installed. Uh the burden of providing safe access is now being placed on this. So, uh, the developer working with the township has developed a model to, uh, help reimburse, uh, what the developer is fronting in public infrastructure by, uh, utilizing tax increment financing funds, Jed funds, and new community authority funds to help reimburse for public costs. Uh, the township does not have to bear under this, and the developer is doing that. So uh it is a again very creative way to incentivize private development and improve safety all in one fell swoop. Uh finally uh developer and township responsibilities uh for design and construction inspection property exchange was uh very uh detailed spelled out in this agreement. uh you have full copy of this agreement. Again, working with RG Properties, both of our legal councils to uh ensure an equitable split of uh responsibilities and uh construction uh management. Uh we feel that this project is a benefit to the township. Uh and this development agreement would facilitate the framework to complete this project. If you have any questions, be happy to discuss.
Any questions on this resolution?
Thank you, Mr. Crossing. We also have resolution Yes. The second piece uh is related to an item within the larger development agreement uh working with the developer. Uh there has been a very express attempt to maximize the developable land within the uh Austin Crossing development project. Um so rather than placing uh on on-site storm infrastructure, we have developed a strategy to use off-site storm infrastructure uh using the regional basin uh located in the city of Springboro. Uh so specifically this easement agreement uh is an agreement between Miami Township and the city of Springboro to uh allow water rights uh for the site to flow down to an existing regional basin rather than utilizing valuable land on the Austin Crossing site. Here's a quick view. This is not the exact path the water is flowing, but generally wanted to show you this is where it's winding up. So from the Austin Crossing development to the east of Austin Landing, the water will flow down to the regional basin. So again, this is a purchase agreement to allow uh the perpetual rights of the water to flow here uh instead of using on-site detention. There any questions?
Any questions? Thank you, Mr. Carlson. Mr. McCord, you have resolution 23-2026. Good evening, board. Resolution 23 is an appropriations amendment for fiscal year 2026 involving the general fund uh for legal expenses anticipated as well as an edge grant um transaction that was approved uh and that is now ready to um make good on. And the second part of that is an appropriation out of the police levy fund for window replacement to the second floor of the police department to stop some leaking and some internal water intrusion. Happy to answer any questions.
Any questions? Thank you. Moving on to public comments. This is the portion of the meeting where you, the residents of Miami Township, we're invited to share your thoughts with the board. Please note that this time has been set aside for the board to listen to you. Your comments are valued and will be taken into careful consideration, but the board will not engage in dialogue at this time. Presentations are limited to five minutes each. Is anyone wishing to come forward? Good evening board. Bob Matthews, 2230 Cross Village Drive. I just wanted to say another great job on the uh snow removal this week. And I had uh it's always been good, but it was so so deep this time that I was thinking they can't possibly do it. But sure enough, when I got up, street was already cleared and I was out there at nine o'clock at night doing my second uh pass and snowplow came by. So, just appreciate you on your your work. I hope you guys survived it. Okay. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Matthews. Anyone else? I would just like to note with approval that the parks are being improved as I've used them before and they were quite pleasant even before any of the upgrades. I can only imagine afterwards that they'll be even better. Uh I will also note that it sometimes feels as if my local government is better than others and I wonder if perhaps they could be relied upon for more than just uh parks. But that's just my thinking.
Thank you. Anyone else wishing to come forward? Moving on to consideration of resolutions and motions. I move we adopt resolution 20-2026, a resolution to authorize the township administrator to engage Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone PLC for legal services. Is there a second? Second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey. I Mr. Barry. I. Mr. C. I. I move we adopt resolution 21-2026, a resolution to authorize the township administrator to execute a development agreement. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey. I. Mr. Barry. I. Mr. Cole.
I. I move we adopt resolution 22-2026, a resolution to authorize the township administrator to execute an easement purchase agreement. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey. I. Mr. Barry I, Mr. Co. I I move we adopt resolution 23-2026, a resolution to approve amendments to the appropriation of funds for 2026. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey, I. Mr. Barry, I. Mr. Cole, I.
Moving on. We have a couple zoning cases today. I move to open the public hearing for 452-22 FDP roadway 2026. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey, I. Mr. Barry, I. Mr. Cole,
I zoning case 452-22 FDP roadway 2026 is now open. The following will be the order in which this public hearing will proceed. Staff will give a report. The applicant will have the opportunity to speak. Anyone in favor or opposed to the case will have an opportunity to speak. The trustees will then close the public hearing and make a final decision via resolution. The board will now hear a report from staff. Mr. Carlson, have all the legal requirements this for this hearing been met and will you present your report at this time?
Yes, board. Thank you. Legal requirements for the hearing have been met and I do have a report recommendation from the township zoning commission. U before we get into three cases tonight. Uh all three are related for the same development. Uh just kind of getting out ahead of it. This roadway project is sort of step one. uh we happen to be hearing multiple projects but uh the second two are certainly reliant upon the final placement of this roadway. So two of the conditions are that all the final approvals for the other two cases um are are subsequent to approval of this first case. So just wanted to state that first. Uh the zoning commission has already sort of dealt with that in their stipulations. So uh no additional discussion as long as the board is comfortable with all of those uh developments will need to be made. But I want to clarify potential future modifications should any uh recommendations come back from ODOT and their final final permitting. Uh could be done potentially administrative level, but if not, the zoning commission would likely deal with that through a modification process. So uh wanted to reiterate that it's an extremely complicated project and uh most developments we review uh there's a public roadway already built and they're just stubbing off of that. This is a very complicated project involving new roadway and then subsequent development. So, um, again, here's a view of the overall property, uh, the roadway will encompass. A couple high level items. Uh, this is the beginning of our all of our staff reports. Uh, the development schedule, uh, working with the developer over the last several months. Um, again, a lot of, uh, administrative hurdles, not just here, but with ODOT, McGomery County, uh, county transportation improvement district. Uh, we have, uh, fortunately gotten to the the final development plan at the same night that we got to the development agreement, which is very timely. Um, with that being said, uh, the developer is is hoping to get moving basically as soon as possible. Uh they're doing some initial work on site
already through a SWIP storm water pollution prevention plan uh filed with McGomery County Engineers Office but again hope to start formal construction on the road as soon as possible. Uh this proposed roadway has been reviewed by um all applicable agencies. Um some final uh comments are are trickling in from the Department of Transportation. Um but at a very high level uh staff believes that there are no substantial modifications coming out of those recommendations. uh that cannot be handled through smaller modifications in the future but uh allowing this pro project to proceed uh certainly staff is comfortable with that. Uh public service again we have uh worked very closely with the fire district, police department and public works uh to ensure that this project is not creating undue burden on any of their agencies. Uh the only large comment to come back from the fire district uh is related to again public infrastructure. there will be a a short-term disconnection of some water in the area. So, ensuring that all fire safety uh standards are met in that process. There is a process the fire department is ready to work with the developer through. And then we'll jump into the arrangement compatibility of structures. Uh again, one more way to show that this project has evolved. Uh this was the site plan back in October of 2025 that we were working off of uh when a uh modification came through that led to more efficient uh development of the site as well as improved connection back to the CVY run apartments. Uh and one more uh modification came as a result of zoning commission hearing which recommended additional multimodal connectivity through the site. I'll show a better slide in a minute, but this is the current uh final development plan that we're working on. Uh site lighting again, as this is a public roadway, uh staff has worked closely with public works department to ensure that all of our townshipwide
standards are met as well as township zoning standards. Uh we're very comfortable with the lighting plan that's been proposed at this time. Uh one other complication of this site is that it is uh very steeply graded today. So there's a lot of grading work that the developer will be doing and as such there are a number of retaining walls on this site. Personally, I think that heading down the hill and some of the vantage points in the Austin area will actually end up being very very attractive. I think you'll have some plateau development that sort of builds up to the back of the site. Uh so we worked with the developer and they provided examples of what the retaining wall would look like. again hoping to have high quality design uh which we believe has been integrated throughout all of their site uh architecture. Another recommendation that came out of the zoning commission was a review of how the mo multimodal connectivity uh works between Austin Commons, Austin Landing, and the surrounding system. The developer put together this exhibit to better illustrate uh how this project will fit into the larger network. And it's been a a clear goal of ours to connect all of our trails throughout our township. Uh this site will actually wind up with great connectivity over to Austin Landing through an expansion of the uh trail within the development. But you can see here how the larger 741 Walry Park and Austin Boulevard trail connects to the site. Uh here's a closer view. Uh, one comment came out of the zoning commission meeting was how to better connect the residents to the rear of Austin Crossing to the main road network. Uh, this path that you can see here between Austin Commons, uh, the proposed Flying Ace site and then between the proposed Flying Ace and Austin Springs in the rear, uh, this is a new addition. The developer was was very creative in trying to find a way to create a dedicated space to get people access not only to these developments, but also across the street to Austin Landing. I
think it's a a very elegant solution that creates some new uh sort of quasi public park space in the rear that all these people can utilize to get through this development. And here's just a drawing they put together to show kind of that vision looking from the apartments in the rear out to the new development a way to get people through this site. Uh so again, several uh recommendations came out of the zoning commission meeting. Um certainly mostly due to the uh again substantial complexity of this site but want to quickly read through these uh again the first being the availability or ability of the developer to obtain a zoning certificate is dependent on final approval by ODOT and then any uh resulting modifications could be done by either mo minor modification by staff. Uh second priority issuance of zoning certificate all platting approvals must be done. Uh this is standard process uh copy of the execute agreement between the city of Springboro and Miami Township for a storm water solution. This is the document we just discussed. So once it's executed uh the zoning certificate could then be filed but would need to be on record first. Fourth, developer must provide a spec sheet showing the style of lighting fixtures. We got all of these uh documented and and are agreement with the design. Fifth, through the platting process, the developer must change proposed names of the public roadways to match criteria indicated by director Schwikert. Uh this has been discussed with the applicant that um you know the platting process is where formal roadways are named. We just want to have an opportunity to be able to sign off on road names. Uh so those will be submitted to the township uh for review through the platting process. Uh future final development plans for lot two and three must include multi-use pathway. Uh this has been met already through the inclusion of the new multi-use pathway coming behind the uh flying ACE along Austin Commons. We're
we're happy with this uh solution. And then finally, all multi-use pathways will align with recommendations multimodal design guide. Uh we've worked uh diligently with the developer to ensure that uh we have maximized the widths and availability of all bike paths within the development wherever we can fit them. So certainly appreciate their work with us to achieve this. Uh those are the stipulations I have. If there are any questions at this time, I would be happy to discuss. Any questions? Thank you. Thank you. The board will now hear from the applicant.
Uh David Marshall 10,50 Sweet 100 Innovation Drive, Minsburg, Ohio. Um, and yes, as Alex said, this has been a very complex and uh creative solution to a lot of problems out there. Uh, as far as the road names go, Alex, I think uh um I don't know if you know this, but Larry Weisman called me today and and said the the names that that Alec that Alex, you and and Max had come up with were acceptable to the county. So, I think we're we're good on road names. Um and the elegant solution interconnecting of the the the multimodal path through our site over to Austin Landing. I think we're we're kind of proud of of that. Um it took a lot of effort and a lot of thinking uh to get there but we did um any comments ODOT would have as far as the the final approval of the TIS what ODOT says ODOT gets. So you know we'll we'll do what they want. Um with that if you have any questions I'm here to answer.
Any questions? Uh we know this has been a lot of work for all the parties involved. We thank you for your participation and engagement. We we thank you and staff and everybody. Uh you know, this is what the third run, the third developer at it. And I think we're going to finally push it over the goal line and you know, improve the those critical access points at on Thank you, Boardman. I'll hear from anyone in favor or opposed to this case. No one coming forward. I move to close public hearing and move this into deliberation. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey. I. Mr. Barry. I.
Mr. Cole. I. This time I move we adopt resolution 24-2026, a resolution to adopt a final development plan under zoning case 452-22, FDP roadway 2026. Therefore, be it resolved the Miami Township Board of Trustees approves the final development plan under zoning case 452-22 FDP roadway 2026 and upholds the zoning commission recommendation. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey I. Mr. Barry I. Mr. C. I.
Moving on. I move motion to open the public hearing for zoning case 452-22 FTP flying ace 2026. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey. I. Mr. Barry. I. Mr. Cult. I.
Zoning case number 452-22 FDP Flying Ace 2026 is now open. The following will be the order in which this public hearing will proceed. Staff will give a report. The applicant will have an opportunity to speak. Anyone in favor of or opposed to the case will have an opportunity to speak. The commission will the trustees will then close the public hearing and make a final decision via resolution. The board will now hear a report from staff. Mr. Carlson, have all the legal requirements for this hearing been met? And will you present your report at this time?
Yes, board. Legal requirements for this case have been met. Be happy to discuss my report concerning commission recommendation. Uh this is the final development plan for the Flying Ace car wash located within the Austin Crossing plan development. Uh here is a look at the overall site plan where the Flying Ace is located toward the southern side of the site. Uh construction is planned to begin as quickly as April 2026 and finish but hopefully by the end of this year is a uh very quick development timeline, but the developer is is pushing as hard as they can to meet some of their goals. Uh public health, safety, morals, and welfare. This is an item that I'll get into a little bit more a little bit later and and talk through the conversations that were had. Um, again, a car wash is being proposed in an area that is surrounded by residents. It was something that uh staff made very clear uh with the developer and through meetings with surrounding apartment uh owners and and project manage site managers uh that potential sound, noise, you know, any type of impact on these residents needs to be very carefully considered. and what do we do to mitigate that as best as possible. So, I'll get into that in more detail in a moment. Uh traffic control access, again, this is being accessed from newly created public roadway uh and will ultimately be contingent upon all final approvals and permitting of the roadway. Public service burden uh there is no uh undue impact on public service uh and and imagined from this site. arrangement compatibility of structures. Again, we'll get into through the report here. Uh here's a quick view of the proposed site. It is horizontally built uh and very sort of narrow lot which works well for stacking distance and maximizing the amount of stacking that can be uh placed
on this site. uh all uh items that are are required within article 7 and the Austin Crossing development standards have been met by the developer at this time as far as setbacks, impervious surface coverage, building size, so on and so forth. Uh the lighting plan, uh this lighting plan has I believe met all of our standards from the start. Um good low-level lighting particularly near residents we feel felt was very important. So again, these are softer lights that are uh a little bit uh lower in intensity. So we feel it's a great uh match to go next to an apartment building. Uh here's a couple uh another way to illustrate that um again falls below the maximum uh foot candle values across the board. Uh the landscape plan uh this is something staff worked with the uh developer on. Uh we feel we wound up in a great spot fitting quite a few site trees on a relatively narrow site without a ton of pvious surface. Certainly have met all sort of quantitative requirements of our code. Uh the one area I wanted to call out sort of highlighted yellow there. Um that is the actual location of the multi-use path uh originally for flying aces individuals to middle. That was not uh part of the plan at the time. This was pre-zoning commission, but working with the developer, we're confident that there is more than enough room for both all of those site trees and the multi-use path uh to again uh help amenitize that area. And in talking with the surrounding apartment developers, uh they're very excited about the path and feel that it's a good amenity. Uh here's a view at the elevations of Flying Ace. Again, this is an area that staff worked very closely with the developer to uh really push the boundaries of our site design. We feel that we wound up uh I will say subjectively one of the better looking car washes that I think I've seen. Uh I
think it's a it's a great design. They worked really uh you know closely with our staff to to pull together a great site. Here's another view at sort of the building elevations. Uh you know their typical model has a sort of hanger style roof. That's something that we were trying to push away from particularly in a higherend development potentially up against residents. We're afraid of any potential glare, reflection. Uh so they have actually uh again brought their brick wall up to the to the peak and then are using sort of facade method to uh you know lean back toward their their typical model of having a hanger uh without actually having a metal roof throughout the the uh entire length of the building. So again, really appreciate their their work uh with us to bring together, I think, a great looking design. Again, here's some of the numerical uh quantitative values to show that they have in fact met our standards. Uh their sign package originally uh the side was a little larger than what was uh standard for the site. They have modified that and we are now in compliance. There you go. Couple numbers. Then they're proposing a mural as well that we feel is actually a very positive decorative addition to the development. Uh so again, noise generation was a a running theme meeting with all of the surrounding parties just saying, "Hey, we're not against in general a, you know, car wash here. We just want to be sure that there's no uh impact against our residents." So, uh the developer actually hired Kimley Horn, a wellrespected engineering firm, to review their original plan and create a sound study to see what would the impacts be of this facility. Uh Kimley Horn came back and said, "We do not feel that the original proposal will meet township standards uh as it was originally proposed." And they recommended treatments uh to be installed such as lengthening of the building uh sound enclosures of certain
brick material that have uh you know a certain sound absorption coefficient. It was a very advanced study. Uh subsequently uh the developer put together a new plan uh that implemented these standards and Kimley Horn issued a second letter saying yes we feel that this has met all of our recommendations to ensure the township uh sound standards have been met. Uh so we feel very confident that again this is a um it was an iterative process to advance the site. I'll show you in a minute where the building was extended uh to pull the fan the blowers further into the building to help reduce sound. Um again, we feel that given this study that um we're in a place where we're very confident that the sound levels can be met. But we want to also say uh that approval of the plan does not uh constitute future uh relief from the noise standards. And I think that again talking with a developer just because we believe in an engineering study that everything will be met, it still has to. So if additional implements are required, that may have to happen in the future to make sure that our noise standards are met. But again, appreciate the the iterative work that went into this. Let me go back to the site plan to show. Again, there uh typically the blowers, you know, are sort of inset. Everybody's been through a car wash, you know, sort of down at the end as you drive out that the blowers are blowing your car off. They've actually lengthened the building now so that the blowers can be placed further inside of the building to help reduce the amount of sound generated by those blowers. Uh and then additionally uh traditionally all of these car washes have your standard vacuum enclosure. Uh working with the developer uh you know we found that the actual vacuums on the end not the individual hoses are really what are generating the the vast majority of the noise and they've created now enclosures that that surround these bricks to help of a brick material to help absorb that. Again specifically selecting materials that
have a high coefficient of sound absorption. So again, a lot of work went into this. Uh we really appreciate their efforts to to put something together that was very mindful of their surroundings. Uh but again, wanted to reinforce that still going forward, we have to make sure that we're meeting all of our noise requirements. Here's more materials showing the specific enclosures of the vacuums. again getting into an STC sound transmission class uh showing the materials they've selected have actually exceeded the recommended uh number and that they have reduced uh per this study their decibel levels at the property line to meet all the township standards which uh we believe are are pretty stringent. Uh so finally the recommendations of the zoning commission and a four to zero vote uh recommended approval. Uh their final approval is dependent upon approval of the previous zoning case the roadway as we discussed. Uh applicant must provide an updated signage plan. They have done this and have met all standards. Applicant must provide updated photoometric. They've done this meet all standards. Provide an updated landscape plan. Same thing. Meet all standards. And then finally landscape plan which included a parking island which meets the requirements of the Austin Crossing development. Uh they have done this as well.
Are there any questions of staff at this time? Any questions? Thank you, Mr. Carlson. Board will now hear from the applicant. Anyone wishing to come forward? The board will not hear from anyone in favor or opposed to this case. Let the record show no one came forward. I move we close the public hearing for this case and move into deliberation. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey. I. Mr. Barry. I. Mr. C.
I. Zoning case is now closed. I move we adopt resolution 25-20226, a resolution to adopt a final development plan under zoning case 452-22, FDP Flying Ace 2026. Therefore, be it resolved, the Miami Township Board of Trustees approves the final development plan under zoning case 452-22 FDP Flying Ace 2026 and adopts the zoning commission recommendation. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey, I. Mr. I Mr. Cole I this time my motion to open the public hearing for case number 452-22 FDP Chase Bank January 2026. Is there a second?
I'll second. Case 452-22 FDP Chase Bank January 2026 is now open. The following will be the order in which this public hearing will proceed. Staff will give a report. The applicant will have the opportunity to speak. Anyone in favor of or opposed to this case will have an opportunity to speak. The board will then close the public hearing and make a final decision via resolution. The board will now hear a report from staff. Mr. Carlson, have all the legal requirements for this hearing been met and would you present your report at this time?
Yes, board. All legal requirements have been met. I'd be happy to present my report and zoning commission recommendation. Uh again, another development within the larger Austin Crossing development, the Chase Bank located at the northwestern portion of the site. Uh again, the applicant is hoping to begin construction very soon with the hopes of being completed later this year. Uh that so far this plan has met all county standards for storm water regulation. Uh as far as traffic control and access goes, again uh being built off of a proposed roadway that is pending final approvals. Uh taking a look at the site plan, uh the Chase Bank uh has been uh located sort of centrally to the site to get some distance off of State Route 741 uh off of the newly proposed roundabout and maintaining some distance away from the residential development to the north. So again, the site is sort of very centrally located nearly 5,000 foot bank with an ATM drive-through lane. Uh again thinking sort of context, this is one of those sites that is built up in the front with a retaining wall and then a retaining wall sort of comes up along the back. So this site will actually sit a little bit lower than the apartments uh adjacent. Uh we'll get into the kind of landscape plan and how we worked the applicant to put that together, but for context again this sits a little bit lower than sort of the the properties to the north. Uh here's a view of the building elevations. Uh feel the developer did a great job. uh again worked with us to make a couple of small tweaks like putting a base treatment around the entirety of the building to add some uh human scale to the architecture but uh from the start it was a good design uh all you know brick material substantial amounts of glass I think it'll be a great uh great view as you enter the site as one of the first buildings that you see again working with us to put together a very thorough landscape plan uh really
maximizing the amount of trees that we're able to fit on this site And then along the north you can see that there is a row of evergreen trees and then evergreen trees and alternating shrubbery spee particularly in the area where there's an existing retaining wall uh to help ensure that between the retaining wall and as these trees grow up create a really nice hedge line to help buffer this development from the apartments to the north. Uh lighting plan uh all requirements have been met at this time. Uh there was originally a proposal to have uh lighting even brighter beyond our sort of elevated amounts for the drive-through lane. Chase has now come back and said that they're okay with the 10-ft candles around the drive-thru uh where it's a maximum of six everywhere else. So all lighting standards have also been met. Uh recommendations of approval stipulation again a four zero vote of approval. uh first being approval of the roadway. Second being uh the applicant must provide elevis uh revised elevation plan showing the addition of screening for mechanicals. They have met this stipulation. Uh any rooftop mount of mechanicals they've confirmed there will be none. And the revised site plan must show the addition of a base treatment. They have done this and we feel it certainly elevated the building design. Third, revised sign package. They have done at this stipulation. Fourth revised landscape plan meeting the standards and the screening intent. Again, a lot of work to put that together, but we feel turned out to be a great great landscape plan. And lastly, revised phototric showing reduction. Again, they now have have sort of backed down the light levels to meet all of our stipulations. Uh that was the end of my uh stipulations. Uh, and as I wrap that one up, want to thank uh my planning staff, Max McConnell, uh, and Zach Brerison. A ton of work went into this. Uh, between these applications and the ones on the next meeting, uh, we had eight submitts
for one zoning commission meeting. So, we actually broke it up into two. Um, we go a little bit quicker here, but at the zoning commission level, each FTP is 45 minutes to an hour. Uh so also thank you to our zoning commission for hanging in there with us and we've had a couple of late nights working through these cases, but uh our staff and zoning commission I feel have done a great job working through these plans and uh ensuring that they meet all of our standards and uh drive our community forward. So wanted to throw that out there, but if there are any questions be happy to discuss. Any questions?
Thank you, Mr. Carlson. The board will now hear from the applicant. Good evening. My name is Mike Douly, principal with Barbecker. We were the engineer for the project representing Chase Bank. Um 1404 Race Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Um just really here um want to echo the comments about working with staff. They've been great um collaborating with us to get this to address all of uh commission's comments, but really just here to answer any questions you might have.
Any questions? Yeah. Thank you for coming in today. The board will now hear from anyone in favor or opposed to this case. Showing none, I move that we close the public hearing for this case and move into deliberation. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey. I. Mr. Barry. I. Mr. Cole. Hi.
Zoning case is now closed. I move we adopt resolution 26-2026, a resolution to adopt a final development plan under zoning case number 452-22, FTP Chase Bank, January 2026. Therefore, be it resolved, the Miami Township Board of Trustees approves the final development plan under zoning case number 452-22, FDP Chase Bank, January 2026, and adopts the zoning commission recommendation. Is there a second? I'll second. Any discussion, Mr. Posey. Hi, Mr. Barry. Hi, Mr. Cult. I Department Ed comments. Chief Nielsson. I don't have anything tonight. Thank you, board.
Thank you, Mr. Schwer.
Good evening, board. You know, just recently, we had significant snowfall that impacted our region. And in my almost 20 years of being here at the township, I've never seen sustained low temperatures following that amount of snowfall. So, just want to take a moment, thank the public works staff and the community. We spent uh several days out battling the storm. We worked round the clock, but we did it with two shifts. So, that was uh a fantastic approach. And then on the back end, after some much neededed rest, uh we got together and we did a debrief and we discussed what went well and what we can improve on. So, again, we're always just thinking about our community and how we can improve our services. And again, just thanks to uh to our staff. Thank you, Mr. Carlson,
uh, just a quick comment on the, uh, parks plan presentation that Director Schwhiker just gave. Uh, you know, as a planning professional, it's one of the the biggest nightmares that you work, uh, so long on putting a plan together, and it sits on the shelf. Uh, it's something I talk about with planners all the time. So, just want to express my gratitude to John and his team for uh, working so hard to uh, one, collaborate with us on the development of the plan, of course, but two, taking it and owning it and running with it. Uh, it's been awesome to see the work that's been done in the parks, and we've received great comments. so far and really look forward to the work that they're doing. So, I just want to say my appreciation for putting the presentation together. Like Trusty Posie said, it's great to see it all in one place. You see it sort of gradually trickle in, but seeing it all at once is kind of a amazing experience. So, thanks for doing that.
Thank you, Mr. Carlson. Mr. McCord, I don't have anything further tonight,
Mr. Schneider. Um, again, I just wanted to reiterate how proud I am of all of our staff and particularly these last couple of weeks is again really demonstrated that this is a call to service to serve our community and the jobs that we do. um from officer Macintosh who I was recently uh told by a stranded motorist how he assisted them on a very cold Tuesday night and getting back on the road to Mel King who was out today uh trying to shovel our way out of some of the snow piles so residents uh can get up and down the sidewalks in front of our building. um to again all of the work that community development has done and providing um these projects and working on all of these efforts um and working towards uh both with public works and parks to provide greater access to our residents um greater accessibility for our residents uh to be able to utilize these services and these amenities in the community and all the uh support personnel who often times go unnoticed behind the scenes that uh make everything function in the background. So again, just appreciate all the work that uh has been demonstrated, not just tonight, but over the last couple of weeks when it's uh been under some very difficult conditions. So thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Schneider. Board comments, Mr. Clingerman. Uh no comment this evening, Mr. Barry.
Kind of just want to echo everything that Mr. Schneider said. Kind of stole my all my thunder there, but uh thank you to the public works. I drive through a lot of different communities and I don't think there's another community that plowed the streets as well or as fast as you guys did. And then also same with all the parks and then the police. I've heard great things that happened. That was the first level three emergency we've had since I can remember. So, thank you to all you guys do all the time. And then the uh community development team. Just everything you guys are doing with getting all this stuff done. It's ton of work and you're so great at getting everything concise and presenting it to us in a great way. And then Mr. Schneider for just overseeing everything, everyone else on the staff that isn't here tonight, I thank them as well.
Mr. Cole.
Yeah. On parks, you know, I love you. So, someday you'll get those eight people. I promise they if I still if I'm still here. Um, community development, uh, the Gunlock Group. I really appreciate the magic you've done with that little piece of property. I mean, just looking at it, I can't imagine how you can uh you know, figure that all out. So, everyone, the township and uh the developers have done a good job um sorting that out. So, I appreciate that. And the police department, you know, you're always there uh rain or shine. Uh two shifts. Uh you're there doing is it two, three shifts every day of the year. So, uh we appreciate um we appreciate what you do. Thank you. Uh since all the congratulations have been given out, I will uh reserve some of my comments to what I said before, but uh we've been in unprecedented times for last 60 to 90 days at least in terms of pretty much every function in every department and everybody has been performing exemplary. So I echo everyone else's comments. Uh the township was in the news recently regarding some litigation matters and we did issue a press release to that effect. Uh I would ask that that press release be appended to the minutes of this meeting. With that, I move that we move into executive session for the conferences with attorneys for the public body concerning disputes involving the public body that are the subject of pending or imminent court action in accordance with Ohio Revised Code section 121.22G3. Is there a second?
I'll second. Any discussion? Mr. Posey. I. Mr. Barry. I. Mr. Cole. I. We will be uh journeying into executive session and not returning for any more work. To the extent we do return from more public work, we'll be returning to this room. Thank you.
This transcript was automatically generated from the official public meeting video and is presented unedited. It reflects remarks made on the public record by elected officials, staff, and public commenters. Transcript accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.