June 26, 2003

Council business—
Final approval for Hull Court development
Village Council gave final approval last week for plans for the Hull Court Community, a 10-unit development presented by Axis Architecture, a local development and architecture firm.

At its meeting June 16, Council approved 4–0 the second reading of an ordinance endorsing the company’s request to build the development through the Village’s site plan review process. Council member Joan Horn was absent.

Council’s approval means that Axis Architecture can move forward on the project’s next steps, which Ted Donnell, the company’s president, said last week includes more design work, a legal review and applications for additional permits. Donnell said that he should break ground on construction in mid-winter, and, depending on sales, all 10 units should be built in two years.

The development will include 10 homes on three acres on Hull Court, off Xenia Avenue between Herman and Allen Streets. It will also have a common area and a private road. A homeowners association will maintain the road and a lift station. The association will assess each homeowner an annual fee to pay for maintenance.

Under the site plan review process, the Village Planning Commission first reviewed the development plans and recommended in April that Council approve Axis’s plans. Council held two public readings on the proposal.

During the meeting last week, Council member George Pitstick, Council’s representative on plan board, said that he was pleased with the review process, noting that the commission and Council received “a lot of sincere questions,” which allowed Village Manager Rob Hillard “to react in a proactive way.”

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In other Council business:
• Council president Tony Arnett reiterated a statement he made a year ago that the community should determine, through a vote, any plans on the dispensation of the Glass Farm, which the Village owns, except for farming purposes or stormwater management. “I’ll give you that commitment right now,” he said during a long discussion on stormwater management for the west and north ends of Yellow Springs.

The discussion was sparked by requests from local residents Sue Abendroth and Peggy Erskine for Council to address stormwater management, including building a retention basin on the Glass Farm. Abendroth also suggested Council prohibit any use of the farm, except for stormwater management, farming or conservation, until the Village can conduct a stormwater management plan.

Council did not endorse Abendroth’s suggestion, but Arnett and Pitstick said that the Village should include a stormwater management study on its list of capital improvement projects.

• Council held the first of two public hearings on the Village’s plan to manage a natural gas aggregation program. Under the program, the Village will negotiate natural gas prices with suppliers on behalf of local residents.

Council will hold a second hearing on the plan on Monday, July 7, 6 p.m., in Council chambers, Bryan Community Center, before Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting. After that hearing, Council will be asked to adopt the management plan.

• During a discussion on its 2003 goals, Council indicated that it was still interested in organizing a community visioning process. It has been many months since Council last discussed the project, which is still in the planning stages.

“I still think there’s some fundamental things we as a community need to answer” and verify as “common values,” Arnett said. Council will discuss the process at its next meeting.

• Council approved 4–0 a resolution accepting a $15,000 grant from the State to improve two ball fields at Gaunt Park. The Village is obligated to spend $5,000 on the project, which will upgrade the Minor League youth baseball field and the softball field.

—Robert Mihalek