Residents concerned about how the new homes would affect their community added the referendum to the ballot after the Clark County Board of Commissioners approved a request to rezone the tract of land on the corner of Stine and Enon-Xenia roads, at the request of Hillside Creek Farms LLC, a development company. Under the agreement, the land would have been rezoned from an agricultural district and a rural residence district to a planned district residential, a necessary step for the creation of the housing development.
Kathleen Baber, who spearheaded the movement to file petitions for the referendum in Mad River Twp., said a few major concerns that community members had in regard to the project deal with stormwater drainage, the overall density of the proposed development and increased traffic to the area that would result from the new housing. Drainage issues in particular created from previous developments have been ongoing for years, she said.
Baber and other Mad River Twp. residents gathered in early July to discuss the development project, with more than 60 people attending the meeting. Out of the pool, Baber said, 42 people said they would like to see a referendum on the rezoning on the ballot this fall, while five opposed the inclusion of a referendum, with the remaining portion of attendees being unsure.
In under a week’s time, Baber and other volunteers gathered more than 600 signatures by setting up petition stations and canvassing the area.
The referendum was challenged by the development company, stating language for the referendum petition failed to include the proper title and summary details, requirements by state law for a referendum to appear on an Ohio ballot.
The Clark County Board of Elections denied the protest on Sept. 2 following a lengthy hearing.
About the Author
