CENTERBURG — Centerburg Village Council members started 2024 off with two significant discussions. Both related to development.
Council gave the first reading on Tuesday to an ordinance repealing a moratorium on properties outside the village connecting to village sanitary sewer facilities.
The moratorium dates back to 1987.
The new ordinance allows properties outside the corporation limit to connect to village sewer without requiring them to annex into the village.
Village Solicitor Kyle Stroh said the village loses control over growth and zoning by adopting the ordinance. Additionally, the village would receive no income tax from the properties.
“Real estate is our value,” he said.
Sewer hook-up and service fees are restricted to the sewer fund; the money cannot go into the village general fund.
Stroh noted that the village would incur the cost of running sewer lines to the properties, and potentially the cost of safety services, yet receive no income tax for the general fund.
Mayor Greg Sands disagrees.
“We have a $9 million facility to pay for. They did not have that in 1987,” he said.
“The [sewer] plant will need maintenance, and the more people we have, they can help pay.”
Table Rock Estates
The catalyst for repealing the 1987 moratorium is the new Table Rock development on Wilson Road.
“That’s 27 raised bed septic systems, and because of an inability to work with Del-co, 27 new wells,” the mayor said. “As long as the health department has control over who can issue septic tank permits, they [developers] will continue to apply for these, and we can’t reject them because we want annexation.”
He noted the village controls the rates and hook-up fees charged for properties outside the village. The village’s leverage is that sewer fees could outweigh what is owed in income tax.
Acknowledging that Stroh believes the new ordinance stymies development and growth, the mayor said, “It forces a developer to say ‘what can I do to work with you.’”
Sands said he met multiple times with Knox Public Health, and KPH supports repealing the moratorium.
“With us lifting the moratorium, if someone requests to put in a private sewer system, the health department would not permit that to happen if we have annexation opportunities,” he said. “The health department can tell people to get service from the village and not have their own.”
Councilman Daniel Hardwick said he spoke with Hilliar Township trustees, and they are “on board” with lifting the moratorium.
Councilwoman Ronda Seligman said she has spoken with several people who bought Table Rock lots, and they assumed they would get water and sewer services.
Sands asked for a motion to waive the required three readings of the ordinance. Council members declined to suspend the rules by a 3-2 vote, so it received a first reading.
A two-thirds majority is required to suspend the rules. Council members Seligman and Saundra Dove cast the no votes.
Regional Planning Commission
The sole item under old business was renewing membership in the Regional Planning Commission.
The village previously had two votes on the commission. Due to census changes, it now has one.
Councilman Greg Myers recommended discontinuing membership.
“I’ve been going for four or five years. We get no respect from regional planning; none at all,” he said.
He cited the village’s opposition to Mount Olive Farms, a proposed subdivision at Ohio 314 and Updike Road, and Table Rock Estates.
Relating to 314, Myers said, “We made public comments to no avail.” About the golf course, he said, “our requests fell on deaf ears.”
“I get the feeling that all we are to Knox County and Mount Vernon is a road to Columbus,” he told council members.
Mayor Sands agreed, noting that many times RPC votes are 17-2 or 17-1 against the village’s recommendations.
He said that many of the items that come before RPC are not relevant to the village’s part of the county and the traffic and development the village faces.
“In trying to present a building code, we got shot completely out of the water,” Sands said. “Anything about expansion falls on deaf ears.”
Both men believe developments are approved before RPC members actually vote and that withdrawing membership sends a message to the commission.
Responding to a question about Hilliar Township’s feelings, Sands said the township seldom attends and typically votes with the village.
The resolution was up for a third reading. Council members voted 4-1 to table the motion indefinitely. Councilman Hardwick cast the no vote.
Vacant council seat
Council members heard from four residents interested in filling the vacant council seat.
Dave Beck, Ron Dennis, Ron Roberts, and Don Wallace spoke briefly about their history, experience, and why they were interested in sitting on council.
Council members will meet in a special session on Monday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. to fill the seat.
