DELAWARE — From a proposed Chick-fil-A to new housing developments, Delaware City Council moved several high-profile projects forward Monday.
Council approved or advanced six agenda items, including development plans, infrastructure projects and other initiatives that will shape the city’s continued growth.
It was their first meeting since an hours-long Strategic Action Plan work session on July 20.
Here’s a look at the six projects council discussed during their Monday meeting, along with links to previous Delaware Source coverage for additional background.
Howald Industrial Building
Council approved the development plan for a 40,000 square-foot industrial building at 378 London Road, in the southwest corner of the Howald Industrial Park.
The property was rezoned to a planned mixed-use (PMU) overlay in 2016, according to Director of Planning and Community Development Sandra Pereira.
“At that time the property was just designated as manufacturing, but with that PMU that was put into place, it allowed for light and heavy industrial as well as office and commercial uses,” Pereira said.
“Since that time the applicant has made significant improvements to the site and at this time would like to move forward with developing one of those two front out lots.”
A total of 14 tenant spaces will be available in the building, but Pereira said it is possible for one tenant to take up more than one space. The site will also have 87 parking spaces, with four ADA spaces.
The site does not have an access point along London Road — motorists would have to enter the industrial park from Toledo Street and then make a left into the site’s driveway.
The building itself will be 32.5-feet tall tilt-up concrete units with canopies over each tenant’s doorway and a sign above the canopy on the wall. The approved signage is in lieu of another ground sign along London Road.
Both Councilman Adam Haynes and Mayor Carolyn Kay Riggle commended the applicant for revitalizing the site after it was “trashed” for so long.
Delaware’s first Chick-fil-A
The city’s planning commission approved a development plan for a Chick-fil-A restaurant at Trailhead Crossings West on July 1, which sent the project to council for final approval.
Monday’s meeting included a public hearing on the proposed Chick-fil-A development before council unanimously approved the plan, following public comments and discussion about traffic and fire access.
Delaware resident Scott McVicker expressed his concerns with the site being “right in, right out” for motorists and first responders entering the site via Sky View Lane, claiming the current layout is a fire hazard.
City Engineer Jonathan Owen clarified the development plan has the proper amount of entry and exit points via an internal road to be built, as well as emergency routes not only for the Chick-fil-A, but all of Trailhead Crossing West.
“The internal road network will go east from Sky View Lane and then up north adjacent to Lot F to Biltmore Drive,” Owen said. “That provides the second point in and out of all of those out lots, and that’s how Chick-fil-A traffic would go and turn left and get out.”
The internal road will come before or along with Chick-fil-A’s construction, Owen said.
As to the the entire area, Owen explained that all the traffic from the west and north of Trailhead Crossing West does come down Sky View Lane and stops at the stoplight just before State Route 37, posing an emergency services issue.
“[But this is why] we have an emergency-only access off the north side of the apartments [behind Biltmore Drive] off of Bowtown Road,” he said.
The city’s Thoroughfare Plan also has connections in mind for Biltmore Drive to the east and west down the road, but in the meantime Owen said the site has proper emergency access.
Terra Alta Section 14 ready for construction
Construction on the final remaining section of the Terra Alta development is expected to begin next month after Delaware City Council approved development plans for Section 14 on Monday.
Section 14 includes 80 fee-simple townhomes all along private streets in the development. Although there are 15 sections in the overall development, Section 15 received approval before Section 14.
The Rockford Homes and Romanelli & Hughes community is now officially approaching 869 total units after the approval. The first home went up in 2018 — a “remarkable pace,” said representative Jim Ohlin.
Ohlin told council the project’s pre-construction meeting is scheduled for Friday, with construction expected to begin in mid-August. He said all roads throughout Terra Alta are expected to be paved by the end of 2026.
He also thanked council and city staff for their work on what he called the largest project he’s ever been a part of.
Hartman’s downtown Sandusky project
Steve Hartman has been revitalizing three levels of 4 North Sandusky Street, the former location of the Green Door Salon, and city council approved a tax abatement for the project on Monday.
Council previously said they did not wish to support a tax abatement for a project that could turn into a luxury apartment(s).
The approved resolution includes an amendment that states Hartman will not receive the abatement if the project becomes apartments. However, a boutique hotel is still a form of residential that is allowed under the amendment.
“My vision is for 50 years, so whether I’m happy or not, I want to make sure the next owner has options also because I’m pretty old and not going to own it for a long time,” Hartman said.
“If I make it an apartment, I will spend more money and it’ll be really cool. If I make it a business, it’ll be a little less cool but I don’t mind.”
