The site of the Morgan Fields, which is currently home to a number of local soccer programs, is being considered because it scores very high on the opportunity index as outlined by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, or OHFA — the same agency that could award $15 million in federal low-income housing tax credits for the proposed development. (Photo by Reilly Dixon)
School board approves soccer fields resolution
- Published: July 22, 2024
At its Thursday, July 11, regular meeting, the YS school board approved a resolution that could help bring a proposed 50-unit affordable housing development closer to fruition — provided several further hurdles are cleared.
As the News has reported since early May, the Morgan soccer fields on East Enon Road have been identified as the possible site of a development that could house 50 families of low income in the village. The site of the Morgan Fields, which is currently home to a number of local soccer programs, is being considered because it scores very high on the opportunity index as outlined by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, or OHFA — the same agency that could award $15 million in federal low-income housing tax credits for the proposed development.
The resolution approved by the school board outlines three courses of action:
• To submit an application to Village Planning Commission to subdivide 3.6 acres of the Morgan Fields from the rest of the land it abuts, and to rezone the land from low-density R-A to high-density R-C in order to accommodate the 50 units of the proposed development;
• To facilitate the removal of collateral and financial encumbrances on the property;
• To identify and potentially purchase a suitable property onto which the existing soccer programs that use the Morgan Fields could be relocated.
If all three of the above outlined actions are successful, Morgan Fields would need to be sold to the Village of Yellow Springs in order for the proposed 50-unit affordable housing development to move forward.
Before voting on the resolution, the school board’s discussion reflected the largest community concern about the proposed development: If the school district sells Morgan Fields, how will the athletic programs that currently use the land be affected?
“It’s not a question of either a possible affordable, 50-unit family apartment building or robust soccer [programs],” Board President Judith Hempfling said in opening remarks regarding the proposed resolution. “The question is, is it possible to have both?”
Board member Dorothée Bouquet summarized public concerns as a worry that the sale of the land might constitute a “bait and switch” — that the Morgan Fields might be replaced by the purchase of land not suitable for athletics, or that it might not be replaced at all.
Citing the school board’s discussion at a regular meeting last month that indicated an ideal situation in which the district would not only be “made whole” if it sold the land — that is, find an equal replacement that could be purchased with funds received from the sale of Morgan Fields — but “whole-plus,” Bouquet asked: “What does it look like to make the school district whole-plus in this project?”
Board Vice President Rebecca Potter — who, with Hempfling, has spearheaded the effort to work with Village Council on the possible rezoning and sale of Morgan Fields — responded that suitable replacement land for Morgan Fields would constitute “athletic fields that would meet or increase what [the district offers] currently.”
“That could be a larger area, or the same area with better quality,” Potter said.
Bouquet and board member Amy Magnus also brought forth concerns over replacement land meeting standards for Title IX requirements, which are federal regulations intended to enforce the equal treatment of female and male student-athletes, as well as adequate drainage and parking.
“I have concerns, and I want those addressed — but we’re not at a point where I can see whether those issues will be addressed,” Magnus said. “I also feel like this [proposed development] is extremely important to try.”
District Treasurer Jacob McGrath also spoke to perhaps the largest road-block for siting the proposed development on the Morgan Fields at this stage: The existence of a lien, which is being used as collateral against the financing for district facilities improvement project, and other encumbrances on the land.
“While there is a possibility of removing part of that lien, it is only a possibility,” McGrath said. “There can be no sale until that hurdle is cleared.”
As the News has reported in past issues, Village Council approved a resolution in June to pay $7,500 from the Village’s Affordable Housing Fund for a bond attorney to determine if financial restrictions can be removed from the Morgan Fields. Initial findings by that bond attorney were presented at a July 15 Council meeting, and indicate that removing encumbrances on the land would be difficult, but possible; read more in this week’s page 1 Council report by Reilly Dixon.
In addition to an opinion from the bond attorney hired by the Village, Superintendent Terri Holden advised that the school board seek the counsel of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office on the question of the financial restrictions on the land.
Board member Amy Bailey suggested the board take the superintendent’s advice, and that no district funds be spent on any exploration related to the sale of the Morgan Fields without counsel from the attorney general. She also reiterated the concerns summarized by Bouquet earlier in the meeting, as well as some who spoke during the community comments portion of the board meeting.
“If we don’t have land in hand and the money to get that land up to the standard for soccer fields, this [development project] doesn’t happen,” Bailey said.
“We’re not going to be selling land if we haven’t identified a suitable replacement,” Hempfling said.
“I just want to reiterate a commitment … that we can have this be a way of offering affordable housing without negatively impacting soccer in Yellow Springs, “ Potter added.
Bouquet said she was “very glad” to have that commitment reiterated by fellow board members.
“I will probably ask you to reconfirm that every time we discuss this, to hear your commitment again,” Bouquet said. “I think it’s one of those things that really would bring a lot of relief to this community, if you can keep voicing that every time we come to the next step.”
Bailey also suggested the board consider holding a joint public meeting with Village Council in order to bring the public up to speed on the conversation surrounding the potential sale of the Morgan Fields as that conversation continues to change. Other board members were receptive, and Hempfling said that, as the board’s liaison to Village Council, she would bring the suggestion to Council members.
The board voted 4–1 to move ahead with working to subdivide and rezone Morgan Fields; to explore removing collateral liens from the land; and find suitable replacement land; with Bailey voting against.
In other school board business:
• The board approved breakfast and lunch prices for the 2024–25 school year, which are now $1.35 for breakfast at all schools, up from $1.25 last school year; and $3.25 for lunch at Mills Lawn and $3.50 for lunch at the middle and high schools, an increase of 25 cents from last school year.
Bouquet pointed out that, though some school meal costs are increasing, the school district continues not to “break even” on its student nutrition expenses. At the same time, she noted that in August, the board will discuss the distribution of donated funds to address student lunch debt.
• The board had initially planned for the July 11 meeting to include further discussion of the possible conservation of greenspace at Mills Lawn, which was brought before the board by local advocacy group Citizens to Preserve Mills Lawn Greenspace in March, but decided to postpone discussion until a July 31 work session.
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