ThisWeek CW 12/23/2014

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2014/12/19/cota-lobbying-continues-for-park–ride.html

The Central Ohio Transit Authority tried again Dec. 15 to convince Canal Winchester officials and residents to support plans for a Park & Ride off Winchester Pike.

A few supporters and about a dozen opponents of the project attended last week’s city council meeting; previous meetings of council and the Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission were similarly attended.

The planning commission has denied a rezoning request that would allow COTA to build a new, permanent Park & Ride on land bordered by Gender Road, Winchester Pike and the exit ramp of U.S. Route 33.

The issue is now before Canal Winchester City Council and is scheduled for a Jan. 5 vote.

Residents who oppose the project cite concerns about traffic, noise, pollution, crime and decreased property values.

“I’m not against COTA putting in a Park & Ride; it’s the place they’re putting it, across the street from my property,” Damon Pfeifer said. “It’s going to be a big problem and will decrease the property values 50 percent.”

Glen Faught and his family object to having the Park & Ride built directly next door to his Winchester Pike property.

“I’m the victim right next to that parking area and I’m 100 percent against the bus terminal,” Faught said. “But if it has to be there, I’d like that street moved over 25 feet more away from my property line. It invades on my privacy and sleeping area and patio. I think they need to find a new location.”

COTA representative Mike Bradley said the transit authority currently operates Park & Ride locations in similar residential areas, and has conducted studies to make sure they have mitigated residents’ concerns.

“We put together some documentation to try and answer some questions from the last meeting,” Bradley said.

The document provided to city council covers “criminal activity, noise disturbances, lighting disturbances, air pollution, property value, tax revenue, litter, traffic design, and potential location change,” he said.

Over the last two years, Bradley said, there have been no reported incidents of theft or vandalism at any of the 29 current Park & Ride locations.

Regarding noise and light disturbances, he said COTA completed an impact study for its Westview turnaround on High Street in Clintonville, which adjoins a residential neighborhood.

“We look at lighting and how it casts, and lighting at the Faught property line would be less than one foot-candle,” Bradley said.

According to current plans, the new Trillium Avenue that would replace the current dirt drive running along Faught’s property line would be 43 feet from his house and 60 feet from where the buses would run.

Bradley added that COTA has agreed to additional fencing and landscaping to buffer light and noise from vehicles. He said COTA’s diesel buses produce about 60 decibels of sound; vehicles that use compressed natural gas (CNG) are being phased in and those are quieter, he said.

In regard to traffic, Bradley provided design documents showing that the road is suitable for bus-size vehicles and said COTA would complete a traffic study to see if changes are necessary at the Winchester Pike and Gender Road intersection.

“As to the potential decline in property value, we actually think this is going to improve the area and raise property values,” Bradley said, noting the properties owned by COTA currently have vacant buildings on them.

“Finally, there was a comment, too, that there was free property offered to us elsewhere, so I included the letter we had received about that,” he said. “It was never offered for free — it was at $175,000 per acre.”

According to a letter of intent dated July 3, 2012, included in the COTA documents, the Pfeifer family had offered to sell COTA four acres northwest of Gender Road on Winchester Pike.

The final reading of the rezoning ordinance and a vote are scheduled at council’s 7 p.m. Jan. 5 meeting at Town Hall, 10 N. High St. If rezoning is approved, COTA would still have to have its development plans reviewed and approved.