ThisWeek CW 08/13/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/08/10/contractor-eyes-expansion-if-rezoning-is-approved.html

Rezoning property at 410 W. Waterloo St. could result in additional commercial development and increased operations for M.G. Abbott Electrical Contractors.

A public hearing was held Aug. 3 prior to the first reading of legislation which would, if approved, authorize changing the zoning designation on the nearly 2.5-acre property from neighborhood commercial to limited manufacturing.

The change is required because the company is hoping to expand.

Before M.G. Abbott bought the current building and an adjacent vacant lot earlier this year, a metal fabrication business had operated there for nearly 30 years, according to Canal Winchester Development Director Lucas Haire.

“Until earlier this year, the property was operated by Vlack Enterprises as a metal fabrication shop, so it’s really been used as manufacturing for about the last 30 years, even though it was zoned neighborhood commercial,” he said.

“Prior to Vlack, this was operated as a dog kennel and since M.G. Abbott acquired the building, they’ve been operating as a nonconforming use,” Haire said.

According to Haire, as long as M.G. Abbott Electrical Contractors uses the current structure and only maintains it with limited updates, the firm may continue to operate as a nonconforming use; however, if Abbott chooses to construct a new facility, the land must be rezoned to conform to the desired use.

“The only concerns we’ve heard were from two residents across the street in Cherry Landing and one owner just north of the property, which was asking what the use would be and how it would impact traffic,” Haire said.

“Since the business is electrical contracting, the traffic impact would mostly be in the morning when the contractors are picking up materials and job assignments.

“Very little work actually takes place on-site,” he said. “When the neighbors heard this, they said they didn’t have any more concerns.”

Councilman Joe Abbott is vice president of M.G. Abbott Electrical Contractors and must abstain from any votes involving the project. If the rezoning is approved, the company will be required to submit construction plans to the Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission for approval before any work can begin.

Council is expected to hear three full readings of the zoning change request prior to voting at the Sept. 7 meeting.

ThisWeek CW 08/13/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/08/10/city-negotiates-lower-price-for-new-building.html

Canal Winchester officials found more than $100,000 in cost savings during final contract negotiations for the city’s new Public Works facility.

Canal Winchester City Council voted unanimously Aug. 3 to approve contract changes removing more than $100,000 in work initially proposed by the Ferguson Construction Co., the project contractor, that city officials considered “redundant,” according to Public Works Director Matt Peoples.

He said the initial contract included several services the city had already completed prior to the bid process.

Additionally, negotiations altered the payment schedule to allow the city to make a significantly smaller up-front investment, retaining interest-bearing funds longer before transferring them to the builder.

“We’re going to be saving about $120,000 total as part of this deal,” Peoples said.

Contract documents show that the overall contract price has been lowered and the guaranteed maximum price for the preliminary services agreement has decreased from $345,000 to $330,000.

Originally the guaranteed maximum price in the preliminary services agreement was due at the beginning of the contract, but the negotiated change means the city will only be responsible for $15,000 up front with the potential remaining maximum funds of $315,000 due at the end of the preliminary services completion.

“Ferguson was in the middle of the three proposals we received in terms of price, but they were the most responsive to our needs so this change puts them that much better overall,” Peoples said.

“When they put in their final bid, there was a lot we thought was redundant so we kept talking to them about it,” he added. “So now, instead of paying $345,000 up front we’re only paying $15,000 up front, so we’ll get to keep our money a little longer as well as saving money.”

Council agreed to approve the contract change as an emergency measure, thus waiving the usual three readings of the ordinance so construction could start immediately. Peoples said the building should be ready to move into this fall.

ThisWeek CW 08/13/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/08/10/saltzgaber-and-groveport-roads-rezoning-needed-for-proposed-new-warehouse.html

Groveport officials continue to see growth in warehousing business with another new project proposed for the corner ofSaltzgaber and Groveport roads.

Becknell Industrial’s plan for a new warehouse at 5770 Saltzgaber Road was presented to Groveport City Council July 27. The project will require a zoning change for the 21.4-acre site from agricultural to a planned industrial park.

Currently, the property is owned by DMH Farms LLC.

In a letter to the city, Assistant Vice President Terry Levin said his company would like to build a 300,000-square-foot warehouse on the property.

“Becknell Industrial is a national industrial warehouse developer, and we are interested in bringing a new development to your community,” Levin wrote. “Groveport has a proven history of successful industrial development that benefits from the local transportation capabilities.”

Levin wrote that the company believes utilities are already appropriately sized for the development, but a traffic study would be required in regard to Saltzgaber Road.

“The market is really active right now,” city Finance Director Jeff Green said. “We have four buildings under construction and two of those are already filled, with deals being worked on the other two.”

Green said he doesn’t see the trend slowing any time soon.

“It’s been a good couple of years. Even though we lost Kmart, for example, we replaced it with two more businesses and that momentum is still going,” he said.

Becknell Industrial is based in Lyons, Ill. Its proposed plan is expected to receive a public hearing and two more readings before council makes a decision on the zoning change, potentially at the Aug. 24 meeting.

ThisWeek CW 08/13/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/08/10/canal-winchester-haire-incentives-paying-off-with-1615-new-jobs.html

Development Director Lucas Haire credits tax-incentive programs with bringing 1,615 new jobs to Canal Winchester.

Haire gave Canal Winchester City Council members a report on the annual Tax Incentive Review Council business tour at the Aug. 3 meeting, explaining that the tax-incentive investments have been paying off.

“We have two different CRAs (community reinvestment areas) and two different TIFs (tax increment financing agreements) in place right now — one CRA in Fairfield County and the other in Franklin County, along with the TIFs,” Haire said.

The Fairfield County CRA includes agreements with 15 different companies and allows for 100 percent of the property taxes to be abated for a total of 15 years. The abatements are given based on employment commitments and in Fairfield County, this represents an addition of 650 employees, according to the report.

The Franklin County CRA includes agreements with 11 different companies, the majority of which receive 100-percent property tax abatements for 10 years. Four of the companies receive the abatements for 15 years.

According to the report, the abatement agreements in Franklin County have resulted in a total addition of 965 employees.

Haire said these incentives have saved the companies a total of nearly $800,000 to date. Canal Winchester still collects its 2-percent payroll taxes on company employees, he said.

Olan Industries, the Panoquin Co. and TS Trim Industries Inc. — one of the largest employers in Canal Winchester — are all scheduled to roll off their tax incentives this year, he said, which will mean an increase in property tax revenues going to the city.

Haire also reported that groundbreakings were held recently for a new Primrose School, Buckeye Powerand Goodwill store in the city and that a building expansion at manufacturer Manifold & Phalor is underway.

Residential investment has returned to the city as well, he reported, with construction starting on the second phase of the Winchester Ridge Apartment Complex beginning this fall for additional 104 units. Canal Westport Homes has also submitted development plans for The Cove sections three and four adjoining downtown, he said.

ThisWeek 08/06/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/07/27/blues–ribfest-cool-music-hot-food-draw-ever-larger-crowds.html

For the sixth year, Destination Canal Winchester will once again transform the city’s downtown into Ohio’s capital of rockin’ roots music and smokin’ hot barbecue with the Blues & Ribfest.

On Aug. 7 and 8, the air around historic Canal Winchester will fill with barbecue smoke and the sounds of some of the nation’s best blues acts. The free festival will take place from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of High and Waterloo streets. Both roads will be closed to vehicle traffic in the historic downtown area.

Parking will be available in the areas adjacent to festival grounds with additional handicapped-accessible parking in designated areas on West Waterloo and North High streets.

Last year, more than 33,000 people turned out for the weekend and event organizers believe this year’s lineup of food and music is bound to bring larger crowds.

Destination Canal Winchester Executive Director Bruce Jarvis said the growth has been surprising but that the event resonated with audiences.

“Nobody was more shocked than we were when our goal of drawing 5,000 visitors was exceeded with an estimated total of more than 20,000 visitors the very first year; that’s when we realized that we had struck a chord with the public,” Jarvis said.

Jarvis said he believes the continued growth is due to everyone involved — not just the musicians and food vendors, but the volunteers and sponsors as well.

“This year marks the strongest blues lineup we’ve ever assembled. On the barbecue side, we’re honored to welcome several rib masters from the national barbeque circuit back to Canal Winchester. They will be competing fiercely against each other for trophies and bragging rights,” Jarvis said.

“And if ribs aren’t your thing, there is a solid roster of over 20 other specialty food vendors, including the famous Schmidt’s Sausage Truck, to satisfy almost any taste or budget. Maybe the best part of all this is that there is no charge for getting in to experience some of the finest live blues and barbecue to be found anywhere at any price,” he said.

At this year’s event, there will be continuous live blues music from 20 acts performing on two stages, in addition to children’s activities, fan-cooled dining tents and the popular beer and wine garden. Jarvis said the $1 pony rides are back this year, too.

“Friday’s stage headliner is the Ori Naftaly Band, hailing from Memphis, while closing Saturday night will be master guitarist Chris Duarte, who will be laying down some crowd-pleasing electric blues,” Jarvis said.

“On the solo-duo stage, Rip Lee Pryor, son of blues harp master Snooky Pryor, and the Inner Vision Band, an amazing group of talented blind musicians, will perform,” he said.

“I don’t think you can beat the combination of classic live American blues, barbecue wood smoke and the beautiful backdrop of downtown Canal Winchester. It is clean, fun and offers something for everyone in the family.”

For more information and a full entertainment schedule, go to bluesandribfest.com.