Planning Commission Tables East Of Africa
Planning Commission Tables East Of Africa
The Westerville Planning Commission voted to table plans for developing the 88-acre plot of land known as East of Africa, which the city purchased last year. The commission felt that the proposal lacked sufficient information to create a substantive development plan.
Several commission members expressed their disapproval of the plan's lack of specifics. They were concerned that the proposal was designated as a master plan for the site without a thorough understanding of how it would differ from Westar, its neighboring development across Africa Road.
The proposed project includes new roadways that divide the 88 acres into four separate sections, with a wooded ravine dividing the northeast section into two pieces. The main contribution provided in the plan is the roadways that connect adjacent roads to the property. However, the Master Plan does not provide any specifics regarding the development of each of the five parcels.
Commissioner Kim Sharpe emphasized the need for more detailed information about land uses and site planning, as these aspects significantly impact the development. She stated, "This is an intense development focused on job growth and amenities. Then, when you look at the existing Westar area, around 30 acres more or less, there are around eight buildings, one of which is an eight-story hotel, and it really sets off the development in a wonderful way. But it's also a lot of parking lots, and there's also one commercial strip center and two commercial buildings coming."
Commissioner Jill Murphey echoed Sharpe's concerns, emphasizing the importance of aligning the long-term vision for job growth with the needs of the current workforce. She stressed the need to attract young professionals who desire a walkable community that integrates work and living spaces.
Given that the current Westar development has deviated from the original mixed-use plan to include residences, commission members questioned the possibility of more office buildings with large parking lots that would not contribute to a vibrant neighborhood.
Commissioner Steven Munger, referencing his involvement in the "Imagine Westerville" community planning program, expressed disappointment with the lack of innovation in the proposed plan. He emphasized the need to create a unique and balanced development that meets the community's economic and citizen needs, rather than replicating existing developments.
The commission also raised concerns about the lack of street parking to access the proposed small parks built around retention ponds adjacent to roadways. Additionally, residents in the residential neighborhood east of the development expressed concerns about traffic when Hoff Road is extended. One landowner questioned the lack of a buffer along the undeveloped property behind her house, wondering why the plans didn’t include a buffer there.
The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for October 23, 2024.
Westar History
In the late 1990s, the city invested over $30 million to extend Polaris Parkway, Cleveland Avenue, and County Line Road. These extensions provided access to the Polaris interchange with Interstate 71 and opened former farmland for development. In June 2013, the City Council approved purchasing the 62-acre Westar Place tract from Jerome Solove, finalizing the deal in mid-2014. The Council authorized issuing nearly $17 million in bonds: $6.8 million to pay for the land and $10 million to reimburse payments made into a Tax-Increment Financing district designated for infrastructure improvements within the parcel.
Work on the Westar Place project in Westerville, Ohio, began in 2014. The development includes office buildings, retail shops, and restaurants. The top ten employers in Westar include DHL, JP Morgan Chase, Nationwide Children's, Central Ohio Primary Care, Century Insurance Group, Vertiv, Syneos Health, Bank of America, Ohio Health, and T. Marzetti.
Westar has a taxable market value of $316 million and supports a workforce of 8,564 jobs with an average salary of $81,000. The area provides 2.8 million square feet of office and medical space, contributing $13.9 million in income taxes. Within a 20-minute drive from Westar, there are currently 281,000 jobs, a number expected to rise to 300,000 by 2024.
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