LEWIS CENTER — Here’s a roundup of some recent Orange Township Board of Trustees meetings.
• The meeting agenda listed the Delaware County Board of Developmental Disabilities on April 17. The agenda also listed reports from the Development and Zoning, Operations, Administration, Fire departments and Fiscal Officer.
In the Zoning Hearings/Meetings Report, it was said the Board of Zoning Appeals will hear three variance cases on April 18, and the Zoning Commission will handle two rezoning cases on April 23. The trustees will hear two development plan applications in the Route 23 Corridor Overlay District at a date to be determined.
• The trustees passed “a resolution approving settlement agreement with John Hodges filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio captioned John Hodges v. Orange Township Fire Department,” said the journals for the May 1 meeting.
• The trustees held a public hearing on May 15 to rezone 1.36 acres from Farm Residential District to a Planned Commercial and Office District “to allow for the expansion of Pickups Plus Cars with a new commercial building, for automobile sales and service” at 7950 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center, the legal notice said.
• Another legal notice said the trustees held a meeting on May 22. Lewis Center Self Storage requested approval of a development plan in the Route 23 Corridor Overlay District. “The plan proposed includes a single-story storage facility and a three-story storage facility,” the notice said.
• The trustees adopted on June 4 “a resolution of necessity to levy a renewal tax in excess of the ten-mill limitation for the purpose of providing fire and EMS services.” They also changed the job title of zoning inspector to zoning compliance officer. They enacted a moratorium on all new applications under the Route 23 Corridor Overlay District. They requested assistance from the Delaware County Engineer’s office regarding Ohio Public Works Commission funding for phase 3 of the Bale Kenyon project. A Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area was approved for Evans Farm.
• The agenda for the June 18 meeting included in the Operations Report a Request for Engineering Assistance “for design assistance with shared-use path East Orange Road.”
• The trustees held a special meeting on June 25 to discuss the Community Development Block Grant (CBDG) in regular session and reviewing candidates for the vacant fiscal officer position in executive session.
• The trustees held a public hearing on June 26. The legal notice said there were two development plan amendments for Marigold on 696 Lewis Center Road, Lewis Center; and Slate Ridge amenities by Pulte Homes at Columbus Pike and Home Road, Lewis Center.
• At a special meeting July 3, the fiscal officer position was declared vacant. The term commenced April 1, 2024, and expires March 31, 2028. Lia Lofreso was appointed Deputy Fiscal Officer.
• At the July 10 meeting, trustees recognized July as Park and Recreation Month.
• Candidates for the fiscal officer position were interviewed at a special meeting on July 12. Another special meeting was held on July 15 to appoint the new fiscal officer. The township website said Donna Batten is the new fiscal officer.
• The CBDG Urban County Program was listed on the agenda for the July 24 trustees meeting.
• The Board of Trustees were part of a special meeting July 29 at the Byxbe Campus. A legal notice said the meeting was held in regular session “To participate in a public hearing with the Delaware County Budget Commission, other Delaware County, Ohio boards of township trustees (“Other Townships”), Delaware County, Ohio officials (“Delaware County Officials”), and community members. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss and take action regarding fair local government funding.”
• Two meetings took place on Aug. 7. At the first meeting, a purchase order for $73,025 in blacktop improvements to paths on Graphics Way and Owenfield was listed on the agenda, as was an Energy Special Improvement District, and an intergovernmental agreement with Delaware Township regarding fire services. Later, a zoning hearing took place to allow temporary banners at Evans Farm.
The trustees are Chair Lisa Knapp, Vice Chair Michael Ringle and Erica Fouss. Also present were former Fiscal Officer Lisa Kraft (who resigned on July 2), Township Administrator Michele Boni, Director of Operations Silas Bowers, Administrative Manager Valerie Bunting, Development and Zoning Director Robin Duffee, Events and Communications Coordinator Sydney Herbert, Senior Human Resources Manager Mike Kremnitzer, Fire Chief Nathan McNeil and Assistant Chief A.J. Miller.
Assistant Editor Gary Budzak photographs and reports on stories in eastern Delaware County and surrounding areas. He can be reached at 740-413-0906.
