Plans for 712-home development revealed

Jerome Township officials are considering whether to approve the rezoning of 356 acres east of Currier Road and south of U.S. 42, illustrated above, from Rural Residential District to Planned Development District. If approved, developers intend to create a 712-home community for empty nesters called Del-Webb.

(Graphic submitted)

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Jerome Township officials will soon decide whether more than 350 acres along Currier Road become an empty nester community.

On Tuesday, the Board of Trustees held a public hearing regarding the rezoning of 356 acres east of Currier Road and south of U.S. 42 from Rural Residential District (RU) to Planned Development District (PD).

If approved, developers intend to create a 712-home development.

The neighborhood would be the first Del-Webb “active adult” community in central Ohio. The first opened in 1960 and they have since been built in 21 states.

“We just think this plan is better than what could develop here,” Tom Hart, with developer Pulte Homes, said.

Jim Hiltz, also with Pulte Homes, described the proposed Del-Webb in Jerome as an “active adult, owner occupied” neighborhood of detached homes.

The average Del-Webb resident age nationwide is 62 years old, Hiltz said.

He said the number of individuals per household is approximately 1.8.

Likewise, he said there would be “very few school-age children living in the community,” estimating about 0.15 students per home, based on a study of a condo community in the Olentangy School District.

Hiltz said that would mean, in total, Del-Webb would generate about 107 additional students in the Jonathan Alder and Tolles districts.

Mark Ingles, the JA treasurer/CFO, sent a letter in support of the development on behalf of the Board of Education.

Hiltz said traffic impact studies also show that an older adult community like Del-Webb will generate about 60% of the traffic that a conventional, single-family development would.

He explained that one of the key features of a Del-Webb community is being built around indoor and outdoor amenities. The proposed development on Currier Road would have a clubhouse, fitness center, dog park, community garden, bocce ball and pickleball courts and indoor and outdoor pools.

There will also be multi-use paths throughout the development.

Every access point – from Currier Road, U.S. 42 and the Brock Road extension – will lead to the amenities facility at the center of the development.

Greg Chillog, with The Edge Group, said the facility is “meant to be the heart of the community.”

He emphasized that the development is designed with clusters or “pods” of residences, which allows engineers to reduce setbacks and use that for public green space.

The development will have 50% green space.

The site is surrounded by other residential developments, including Pioneer Crossing, Mitchell Highlands and Curry Farm.

Chillog said developers of Del-Webb hope to build on the design patterns established by those communities in order to achieve a “more cohesive” developed area.

The patio homes will range in size from 1,500 square-feet to 2,700 square-feet. According to information from Pulte Homes, the estimated average sales price is $542,000.

A presentation from Pulte also indicated developers have worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and ODNR in an effort to minimize the impact on the natural features of the site.

Chillog said developers will aim to preserve as many trees as possible, but will replant enough trees that “we’ll be adding to the canopy coverage in this area.”

While the project is not in the Big Darby Accord, Hart said developers are using it as a guide to protect local watersheds.

Hart said developing the entire area as a Del-Webb community would prevent it from “getting chopped up” in a more piecemeal fashion.

“The key is limiting the amount of development footprint overall, and that’s what we’re going for,” he said.

Some residents, though, said they are concerned about the impact on the Big Darby and the removal of woodlands on the site.

Tara Kunzelman said her grandparents lived in a Del-Webb community and “I actually love Del-Webb.”

Still, she said she feels many developments in the township have issues with adherence to final development plans when it comes to protecting natural features.

She said she does not feel the replacement of trees is adequate and would like to instead see the “preservation of contiguous woodlands” and ensure all tributaries are identified in the developer’s plans.

“It looks to me like maybe 712 homes is excessive to preserve the natural features,” Kunzelman said.

Aside from natural features, other residents asked the trustees to consider the potential impact on local schools beyond just Pulte’s projections.

Marilyn Valois said empty nesters are largely grandparents and she feels “they often end up with grandchildren living with them.”

Trustee Wezlynn Davis said she understands that the neighborhood will be marketed to older adults but is concerned that the plan included no actual age restriction.

“If we don’t have a guarantee… it may not happen that way,” Davis said.

Hart ultimately said the developers will agree to add a legal age restriction to the community in accordance with Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requirements.

Other residents simply questioned the pace of development in Jerome.

Michael Madry, an adjacent property owner, said he understands the constraints the township faces and that some projects are under Union County’s purview, but worries that development is moving too fast.

He said he feels Jerome is lacking necessary infrastructure for such large neighborhoods, specifically questioning when residents would see a plan for the Brock Road extension.

“We have all this development coming and we don’t have the infrastructure for it,” Madry said.

Don Baumann, another adjacent property owner, agreed, adding, “It’s not far enough along to be making some of these decisions in zoning.”

Madry, Baumann and Phyllis Calle, whose property will be within the development, also asked representatives from Pulte to work with them toward Good Neighbor Agreements detailing the buffering that will be added around their land.

Each person said they have spoken with representatives from Pulte and feel confident they will come to agreements. Even so, Trustee Wezlynn Davis asked Hart to publicly agree to working toward written agreements with each property owner, which he did.

Davis and Trustee Megan Sloat each said they would like to see age restrictions and buffering worked into the application before voting on the rezoning.

Trustee Barry Adler recused himself from the hearing, as he owns adjacent property.

The remaining trustees voted unanimously to continue the hearing to Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.