CENTERBURG — Plans for an 85-acre Johnsville Road subdivision are still very much in early discussions, but the developer has reduced the density in response to residents’ feedback.
David Sahr of Hondros Family of Companies said early ideas called for a density of 4 units per acre.
“Over the past year, we’ve gone through lots of iterations trying to get feedback of what we’re looking for,” he said at Monday night’s village planning commission meeting.
“A lot of it was disturbing as less farm ground as we could, kind of condensing it for some of the infrastructure.”
The new plan is a 3-to-1 density, or around 250-255 homes, with about 30% green space.
Gary Smith of G2 Planning & Design said the higher density was based on last year’s conversation, which was geared toward providing affordable housing options.
“That conversation has kind of changed, and now we’re looking at more traditional single-family,” he said.
Additionally, Hondros increased the setbacks based on landowners’ feedback.
The company also set aside land at the intersection of Updike Road and Route 314 (Johnsville Road) for a future potential roundabout or intersection improvement.
Sahr noted that if everything is approved, the planning, design, and onsite development work would not be complete until sometime next year. That’s before Hondros sells a lot.
“So you’re talking probably 50 homes a year is all that’s coming in with this development for the next five years,” he said.
Hondros has not asked to rezone the property, nor has it submitted a preliminary plan to the zoning commission.
Councilman Dave Beck noted that the village cannot act until it receives a preliminary plan.
Smith said that after Monday night’s discussion, it might be several months before Hondros has a completed plan.
Target demographic: People already living in Centerburg
The subdivision would have two entrances off of Route 314 and one on Updike Road. It includes a 100-foot setback from the road.
“Actually, by the time you get to the houses, it’ll be more than that because you have the rear yard setback,” Smith said. “But a 100-foot setback gives us the ability to create a lot of landscaping and buffering along the road.”
The buffer features 4- or 5-foot mounding and a mix of ornamental evergreen and shade trees.
The houses have front- and rear-yard setbacks of 25 feet. Side yard setbacks are usually 5 or 6 feet.
Retention ponds at the southern end of the parcel will handle most stormwater runoff, along with two smaller ponds along Route 314.
“We’re going to pull into the stormwater ponds, so we should be able to reduce some of those flooding concerns,” Smith said.
Drew Miller of Arbor Homes said that while new people want to move to Centerburg, the target market is people who already live in the area who want to downsize or have a newer home with less maintenance.
He said one-third of Arbor’s customers are first-time home buyers. Another one-third are people looking to downsize.
Arbor Homes offers 13 floor plans ranging from 1,200 to 3,200 square feet with different elevation options.
“We don’t build anything spec, either, so none of these homes would be built until a customer comes to us and says they want to pick out their lot and they want to pick out their floor plan,” he said.
Residents aren’t convinced
The nearly 40 people crowded into Centerburg Town Hall were not receptive to the modified plans.
“We don’t want it, period,” Cameron James said. “…This is where I live, where I raised my family, so I am here to protect it and speak against it as much as I can.”
Residents cited safety concerns at Route 314 and Updike Road, the impact of development on the schools, and increased costs to maintain roads and sewer.
Barnes Road resident David Weade suggested a conservation subdivision model where Hondros would cluster 85 homes on the southern 60% of the land.
“Everybody keeps talking about agriculture. There’s no reason to have any traffic up off Updike Road,” he said. “This [northern portion] can remain as deed restricted farm ground, passive ground, soccer fields, or something else.”
Daniel Compton and his wife moved to Updike Road because Johnstown was overtaken by subdivisions.
“I love that field that sits across from me. … Now I’m going to see a bunch of cookie-cutter packed houses on that lot,” he said. “The intersection is not a joke. It’s wrecks there all the time. It’s a dangerous intersection that cannot support this kind of traffic.”
Village Administrator Richard Dzik agreed that village sewer rates are high, but he said 250 new customers would generate $450,000 in new sewer revenue annually. Additionally, a $5,000 tap fee would generate another $1.275 million, which the village could use for expansion.
A 1% income tax would generate an additional $255,000 in annual revenue.
Also, the village hopes to establish a New Community Authority (NCA), which would allow it to levy additional millage on new residents to pay for the infrastructure needed for growth.
NCA revenue can also pay for additional fire and EMS services.
‘We’re not leaving’
Sahr said Hondros farms 2,500 acres in Knox and Delaware counties, with about 600 around Centerburg.
“We didn’t even have plans for this right away until we talked to the village and they said it was a need. So that’s really why we’re doing it,” he said.
Sahr said Hondros stayed involved in the process as the developer “because we are local, and we don’t plan on leaving.”
“We’re continuing to farm in Centerburg like we have for the last several years. A lot of our home farms are all within 25 minutes of Centerburg, so we’re not going anywhere.”
Smith of G2 Planning & Design said the Hondros team received good feedback on Monday.
“We’re going to take that back. We’ve got a lot of thinking to do, and you’ve got work with the village to do,” he said. “I realize that these are difficult discussions. … But one of the things that I can tell you is if you don’t grow at all, you’re going to die.”
Noting the village’s costs continue to increase, firefighters want a pay raise, and asphalt costs more, he said, “If the village doesn’t add any new residents, their only option for absorbing that cost is to continue to come back to you. At some point, there has to be some growth.”
The right amount of growth, he said, is up to the village to determine.
