Grove City Council members are seeking more information before approving a preliminary plan for a proposed condominium and apartment development that would target a senior market.
A resolution to approve the preliminary plan was on the April 16 agenda but was tabled until May 7 to give the developer, Wilcox Communities, more time to address concerns, especially those relating to the proposed access points from the project and the impact of increased traffic from the development.
Wilcox is proposing The Residences at Brown's Farm/The Cottages at Brown's Farm on 68.45 acres at 5273 Haughn Road.
The Residences, on the west side of Haughn and adjacent to Fryer Park, would include up to 239 luxury rental apartments.
The Cottages, on the east side of the road, would include 110 detached condominiums.
Two access points, one off Orders Road and a second off the west side of Haughn Road, are proposed for the apartment development.
The condo development also would have two access points, one off Orders and the second off the east side of Haughn.
"We've received a lot of push back" about the access points onto Orders Road, said Jonathan Wilcox, a partner with Wilcox Communities.
"We completely understand that," he said.
The developer hopes to work through a resolution based on the feedback received from city officials and residents, Wilcox added.
The engineer working on a traffic study of the project is "basically on a holding pattern" because of the uncertainty about the access points, he said.
The city has suggested a potential alternate option of removing the proposed Orders Road access and extending a private road west, connecting to Discovery Drive at Fryer Park, and using the existing traffic light at its intersection with Orders.
Wilcox said his company has met individually with residents, scheduled a public meeting with neighbors to discuss their concerns and also has been working with the city staff.
"We've made a lot of adjustments, lost density and added bike paths," he said. "We've agreed to redesign our apartment homes to have rear-loaded garages to add more diversity."
The planning commission voted earlier this month to recommend approval of the preliminary plan -- with several stipulations.
Those conditions included: that the developer work with the city regarding roadway improvements around the site's access points along Haughn Road; that the applicant investigate the feasibility of reconfiguring the access points to Orders Road; and that appropriate screening be added where the development is adjacent to existing single-family homes.
"This preliminary plan is too preliminary until we have those access roads (finalized) and have more of an idea of where (traffic from the development) is going to empty onto the roadways," Councilman Roby Schottke said.
Delaying the vote on the preliminary plan gives the developer more time to "nail down" those issues before council reviews and votes on the plan, he said.
Councilman Ted Berry said by his count, residents have raised 11 issues "and all of them are valid issues."
The proposed development "is a decent plan that would serve Grove City's aging population," Berry said.
"As it is now, I would not vote for it," he said. "The devil is always in the details."
His vote is not a guaranteed "yes" yet, but Councilman Jeff Davis said the concept of a senior housing development surrounding the Story Point assisted-living facility makes sense.
The concerns about traffic and access points would still need to be addressed before the project could go forward, Davis said.
"But I also know that there will be development on this property sooner or later," he said.
Councilwoman Christine Houk said her major concerns relate to whether sufficient infrastructure is in place to handle a large-scale development.
The roadways currently in place "leave a lot to be desired" considering the amount of traffic the project would generate, she said.
Houk said she is not convinced those issues "won't just be a challenge but will be insurmountable."
Most residents who live near the development oppose the project, said David Hellard, who lives on Orders Road.
The developer's plan calls for an "ill-conceived" project that "will totally change the character of the neighborhood and further impair traffic flow on roads that are currently inadequate and dangerous," Hellard said.
Council should repeat history and reject this proposal as it did in 2001, when a similar development was presented for the same site, he said.
Anyone who denies such a project would require the widening of the roadway has not driven on Orders Road, Hellard said.
The project would be built at a site that is a gateway into the city, said Ken Kober, an Eastern Court resident.
A development this large would not be an appropriate way to greet people driving into the community, he said.
"Would this show Grove City's best face? I don't think so," Kober said.
The Orders Road access for the condominiums would have a direct and negative impact on two adjacent homes, Haughn Road resident Mike Absten said.
"We don't want that access road there," he said. "We don't want those neighbors' homes ruined."
Approving the preliminary plan before addressing the traffic concerns "would be putting the cart before the horse," Orders Road resident Ann Fowble said.
"If you're adding that much density, the city and Jackson Township need to come up with a plan to make Orders Road safe."
Wilcox said his company has traditionally focused on developing projects with condos for sale, but seniors increasingly prefer to rent as they downsize.
Renting an apartment gives seniors more flexibility in their living arrangements as they age, he said.
His firm will use what it has learned from its condominium projects to create an apartment project at The Residences that will draw seniors residents, Wilcox said.
That includes detached garages, single-story buildings with no apartments above or below each unit and a monthly rental rate of about $1,500, he said.
The Residences would include a clubhouse with cardio-oriented fitness equipment, a coffee bar and space for social activities.
A family with children likely would look for more appropriate options at that price, that would include more bedrooms and a yard, Wilcox said.
If council ultimately gives its approval to the preliminary plan, it still would have to approve rezoning and a final development plan before The Residences/The Cottages would have a green light.
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