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Union Township switches it up to revitalize stalled condo project Jeanne Houck
Milford may have new tenants for 3M property
jhouck@communitypress.com
Developers hope to get a stalled condominium project off the ground in Union Township by switching to construction of single-family homes. Zoning for 84 condominiums was approved in 2005 for the Villas at Waterford Glen at 3801 Waterford Parkway off Ohio Pike. But the Union Township Board of Trustees recently agreed to rezone some of the undeveloped land there for construction of 10 detached single-family homes by Epcon Communities of Dublin, Ohio. The number of condos planned for Villas at Waterford Glen will drop to 60. “This is quite simply just kind of the evolution of the Waterford Glen subdivision development,” said Cory Wright, assistant Union Township administrator. “This development has been fairly successful – albeit the market has changed slightly for residential with the advent of new, larger patio homes spaced closely together. “This (zone change will) allow modifications to that plan to allow for the substitution of patio homes in lieu of the traditional quad-unit condos that are in place there ... and the overall density will be reduced from 84 to 70 but it will have a little bit different feel on the back street because they’ll all be detached structures very closely spaced together,” Wright said. “This will build out a great portion of the development for the completion of the subdivision and bring some permanency to that in the existing residences that already have investment in there.” John McGraw, chairman of the Union Township Board of Trustees, said the board agreed it needed to be flexible with the proposed housing switch at the Villas at Waterford Glen. “This is an example of how Union Township works with developers to adjust to changing markets and conditions, all for the benefit of our residents,” McGraw said. “This change will allow Waterford Glen to finish the project in the best manner possible. “It will be great to see this project on the move again and we look forward to more progress and more home options for our residents,” McGraw said. McGraw noted that there’s been a flurry
Jeanne Houck jhouck@communitypress.com
THE COMMUNITY PRESS/JEANNE HOUCK
Developers hope adding houses at the Villas at Waterford Glen in Union Township will kick-start lagging sales at the previous condominium-only project.
“This is an example of how Union Township works with developers to adjust to changing markets and conditions, all for the benefit of our residents.” JOHN MCGRAW Chairman, Union Township Board of Trustees
of other development in the area. “The Ohio Pike area has been very busy recently with new restaurants like Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Arby’s, Taco Bell, Discount Tire, Buffalo Wings & Rings, Laszlo’s Iron Skillet and RightWay Auto Sales – just some of the recent construction projects in the Ohio Pike area,” McGraw said. Epcon Communities’ website says the homes it plans to build at the Villas at Waterford Glen are two-bedroom, 1,810square-foot ranch-style houses with a room that can be used as an office, den or third bedroom. Prices start at $199,900.
Ron Roberts of Roberts Engineering in Milford said the new plan for the second phase of the Villas at Waterford Glen shifts the buildings further south of the north property line than was initially envisioned. “Part of that is the result of the time lag from the development of the first phase to the second phase,” Roberts said. “The first phase required permits from the Army Corps of Engineers to construct a little bit closer to the north property line. Those permits have expired. They are no longer available. “By shifting the development a little bit to the south, it provides a much larger green space between the back of the units and the north property line and it eliminates the need for retaining walls along the creek,” Roberts said. “So even though the developer lost some units out of that, the overall construction costs will be reduced and the impacts to the northern properties will be substantially less.” Want to know more about what is happening in Union Township? Follow me on Twitter @jeannehouck.
Two businesses could be moving into the soon-to-be vacant 3M Co. complex in Milford – and another building also could be constructed on the property. Hopes are that the city has found new businesses that will go a long way toward making up for the 135 Doss jobs leaving Milford with the departure of 3M from 910 Lila Ave., which will go dark Friday, March 31. Milford City Manager Michael Doss said the city recently got an email from a planning and architectural firm saying the property has been sold. “We’re not really quite sure who the owner is at this point,” Doss said. According to the email, “The new owners are actually looking to subdivide the property,” Doss said. “They have two potential tenants for the main complex and they’re thinking about possibly constructing a new building towards the back end of a newly created parking lot.” No such sale has been recorded with the Clermont County auditor’s office. The last sale documented was in January 2007 when Mark Andy Inc. sold the Lila Avenue property to Naples Milfield Venture and Westport Investment, both of Chesterfield, Missouri, for about $4.5 million. The property, which inSee MILFORD, Page 2A
Loveland transient vendor ordinance still causing problems Marika Lee mlee1@communitypress.com
Despite concerns from the minority on council, Loveland’s transient and temporary businesses and vendor ordinance is moving forward. Under the ordinance, temporary or transient businesses operators and special event coordinators would have to apply for a permit from the Loveland Building and Zoning Department and clear a background check. Though the ordinance for the fee structure was approved by council in February, the temporary and transient business and vendor ordinance has been tabled since January. “It was tabled because there
was a lot of confusion and a lot of issues within this ordinance that needed to be addressed,” Councilman Rob Weisgerber said, adding council had tabled the ordinance so it could be reviewed and revised by staff. The ordinance was brought back before council as a new ordinance because it had been on the table for so long, said City Solicitor Joe Braun. The ordinance was tabled during the discussion of the fee structure. Numerous vendors and special event coordinators said the initial $1,500 fee for special events and $100 for four one-day visits or $500 for 25 one-day visits for vendors was much too expansive. The application fee for special events was lowered to $150.
The fees for transient businesses and vendors were lowered to $20 for a one-day visit and $50 for an annual permit. Multiple members of council voiced concerns about the transient and temporary businesses and vendors ordinance. “I have a couple points on the insurance. Maybe having $1 million in insurance is standard in the industry, but if it is not are we putting a hardship on these small vendors because they are not going to have that?” Councilwoman Kathy Bailey said. The newest version of the ordinance requires the applicant to prove they have an insurance policy of no less than $1 million for property damage and injuries caused by the operation of a vendor business, on which the
city will be additionally named. Councilman Ted Phelps said the ordinance was still not clear on what would be considered a special event. “I think we learned a lesson from how the fee ordinance went and we need to do it right,” he said. The newest version does have exemptions for students selling items to benefit their school, religious or political organizations and city of Loveland events. Weisgerber made a motion to table the ordinance, which failed with a vote of 3-4. He, Bailey and Phelps voted for it and Mayor Mark Fitzgerald, Vice Mayor Angie Settell, Councilwoman Pam Gross and Councilman Steve Zamagias voted
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against it. “We had this ordinance on several meetings ago and why don’t you come up with these suggestions then? We go another two months down the road and then everybody has these suggestions,” Settell said. Fitzgerald asked everyone to compile their concerns, questions and problems with the ordinance and bring it to the next council meeting on March 28. “It seems to me very important flushing out the devils in the details but our job here is to protect health, safety and welfare of the community,” Fitzgerald said. Want to know more about what is happening in Loveland? Follow Marika Lee on Twitter: @ReporterMarika
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