At both November City Council meetings, the council held several hearings regarding L.T. Land Development’s request for the rezoning of several properties to “light industrial.” According to Wilmington’s Code of Ordinance, light industrial zoning should “provide for appropriate areas within the city for light industrial manufacturing and warehouse uses with limited objectionable external effects.” This land totals over 600 acres and includes farmland around Nelson Avenue to US-68.
During the public hearings, Mary Moyer, an attorney speaking on behalf of L.T. Land Development, issued a similar explanation for each request. She stated that the company is not currently proposing builds and would like to change the zoning in order to make the property more marketable. Mary mentioned that developments on the property would be addressed at a later date. To ease community concerns, she emphasized that any business on the property would have to follow city codes.
Throughout the public hearings, many citizens shared their confusion and opposition to the rezoning of the acreage, with many citing similar concerns. Several individuals cited the ‘Clinton County 2040 Comprehensive Plan’, emphasizing the work that went into that plan and arguing that this would negate that. Residents also argued that an industrial presence would cause traffic issues, increase noise, and lower property values. Homeowners and landowners shared their concerns about rain flow and water drainage on their properties. Tim Inwood, State Central Committeeman and local farmer, expressed his concerns about wildlife displacement negatively affecting neighboring properties and farms.
In response to the rezoning of certain lots, residents argued that they do not want industrial buildings close to their children, the schools, and community centers. One resident suggested that the potential development would prevent Cape May from expanding.
Community members also mentioned the scarcity of residential land and housing in Wilmington. They argued that if the proposed development brought jobs and people into the county, the county would not have enough housing for additional people.
Several residents questioned why land on the other side of town, already zoned “light industrial”, could not be used for this project. They argued that rezoning the land benefits the developers, rather than local residents. David Raizk, adjacent property owner and former mayor, argued that the city statute requires undeveloped land to come into the city in the most restrictive zone to protect citizens and allowing this change would create a dangerous precedent. Overall, residents were frustrated with the lack of information provided.
In response to concerns, Council Member Jamie Knowles stated, “within those confidentiality agreements, we will never know what’s coming until it’s here.” He continued to mention that not allowing the rezoning of land without knowledge of its expected use could lead to never rezoning land at all.
Drew DeMarsh, Executive Director of CCRPC, also attempted to ease concerns by citing Wilmington’s Code of Ordinance. The code of ordinance mentions that operations from light industrial properties should be within the buildings and should not negatively impact the surrounding properties. He also stated that there should be a physical buffer on those properties, whether that be vegetation, mounds, or space. Drew emphasized that the city engineer would ensure water would not be pushed onto neighboring properties. He also noted that if those properties remained zoned for residential use, a developer would be required to invest a significant amount of money to ensure adequate infrastructure.
Toward the end of the hearing, Bill Peelle, an attorney representing L.T. Land Development, shared that they were contacted by a buyer, who requested the entirety of the acreage be rezoned “light industrial”. He argued that the opportunity is “fairly substantial” for the community and will go away unless the land is rezoned. However, there is a non-disclosure agreement prohibiting them from disclosing any details. Bill stated that the potential buyer would be reviewed when the building permit and site plan were brought to the city.
Larry Roberts also spoke in support of his company’s request to rezone the land. He stated that the opportunity was a “once-in-a-lifetime thing.” Both Bill and Larry mentioned Larry’s positive impact on the community, arguing that he would not harm the community. Larry mentioned that the infrastructure costs associated with the development of the property would be passed on to the potential developer. He also mentioned that he would not sacrifice 600 acres of his farmland unless he believed in the opportunity.
In response to community suggestions, the two claimed that the airpark is full and that the acreage on the other side of town is “not near big enough for this.”
Alex Beres, Executive Director of the Port Authority, also responded to community concerns. He stated that there is a significant amount of development interest in Clinton County that would require “light industrial” zoned land. In response to community concerns about the 2040 plan, he argued that technology advancements were not present then for proper plan-making. Alex also claimed that growth opportunities have been “choked off” because of inadequate infrastructure.
Originally, City Council planned to have both the second and third readings of the rezoning requests on November 21, 2024; however, in order to allow more public input, they have moved the third reading to the December 5 City Council meeting. If you have any questions or concerns about the issue, reach out to City Council or attend their next meeting. Learn more at wilmingtonohio.gov.