Three parcels of land in East of Africa have reached the completion stage, with the ground leveled to accommodate construction by a developer. This also means that the fields can be planted with hay to preserve the Current Agricultural Use Valuation (CAUV) tax status.
The Current Agricultural Use Valuation (CAUV) program lets Ohio farmland be taxed based on its value as farmland, not its potential development value. This usually lowers property taxes for qualifying farms. To qualify, land must be at least 10 acres used for commercial agriculture, or smaller plots that generate at least $2,500 in annual farm income. The tax break applies only to the land, not to buildings or the area around a home. Farmers must renew annually with the county auditor between early January and early March. If the land is converted to non-farm use, the owner may have to repay up to three years of tax savings.
The three parcels being farmed are the three sections east of the new north-south roadway that divides the property. All have been planted in hay and will be harvested next spring.
The southernmost land, next to Yarnell Farm, had not been planted before it was graded for development. It was mainly an overgrown wooded area. The center and the northernmost parcels, previously used for hay cultivation, have been replanted.
The two westernmost parcels are still under construction, with the roadway expected to be nearly finished by late November. Underground utilities are also still being installed in those areas. Once construction is complete, the two sections will be planted with hay or winter wheat to maintain the CAUV until they are purchased by a developer who will cover the CAUV recoupment costs.
New Roads
The new roads are better defined this week as the contractor begins to prepare the soil for stabilization using a concrete powder that hardens the soil before asphalt is laid. Curbs and gutters are the next step in the process, with their own drainage system installed at the same time. A layer of finishing asphalt will be the final layer to be laid just before the road is striped and opened to traffic. No date is set for the opening.
Dusty Roads
Dump trucks and earthmovers were followed on Monday afternoon by water trucks, which tried to control the dust blowing toward the southwest during the day.
Starkey House Set For Demolition After Fire Training
The Starkey house on Africa Road will be torn down to make way for a connecting road to Weststar Blvd., now that the fire department has finished rescue training in the building. While the exact date hasn’t been determined, inspectors say the building will be demolished as soon as possible.
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Not improvements. Again, who is benefitting from this spec development?