By Rick Palsgrove
Southeast Editor
Groveport Madison Schools officials asked Groveport City Council to help streamline the zoning process and to waive some fees on two of the district’s projects.
Groveport Madison Superintendent Bruce Hoover asked council on Sept. 28 to place emergency language into an ordinance for a zoning variance to allow the district to relocate the district administration office, Cruiser Academy, the Innovation Center, and the bus garage to 4400 Marketing Place. District officials want to consolidate their facilities as a cost saving measure.
Hoover said the emergency language would enable the district to stay within the timeline restrictions for the real estate transaction for the property.
In August, the Groveport Madison Board of Education approved the sale of $9.5 million in bonds to fund the purchase and remodeling of the 30-year-old, 109,000 square foot building at 4400 Marketing Place in Groveport. The $9.5 million in bond sales will cover the building’s purchase price of $2.8 million with the balance of the money to be used to remodel the building for the district’s uses. The building is currently unoccupied.
He said the plan is to have the remodeling of 4400 Marketing Place done by June of 2016, which would enable the district to move into the building later in the summer of 2016 before the 2016-17 school year. He said the bus garage can move in sooner.
If the city does not approve the variance, the district is not obligated to complete the purchase of the building, according to Hoover.
There will be a public hearing about the variance request on Oct. 13 and council is scheduled to hear the second reading of the variance ordinance at its Oct. 13 meeting and could decide at that time to approve it as an emergency measure.
Hoover also requested the city consider waiving some internal fees in connection with the construction of the district’s 247,879 square foot new high school on South Hamilton Road. He said money saved from waiving the fees could then be put back into the project itself.
Groveport City Administrator Marsha Hall said the city cannot waive water and sewer tap fees and some inspections fees, but the city could consider waiving some other kinds of internal fees.
She said the school district can bring in requests to waive fees to the city as they arise.
“City staff is committed to do what we can to help build the best possible school,” added Hall.
Other Groveport news
•Council approved a zoning variance to allow the Greater Groveport Food Pantry to occupy the 76-year-old, 1,024 square foot, one story, brick building located at 595 Cherry St. on the southwest corner of Oak and Cherry streets.
•Council heard the first reading of an ordinance to amend the zoning at 5090 Hendron Road to allow for the construction of 50 single story units of senior housing. The property neighbors the existing Groveport Senior Village senior housing development.
