Champion Farm study thorough and insightful

The Champion Farm occupies a special place in Perry area history, having once served as the base for a well-known horticultural nursery owned by a prominent family.

But the storied past of this 232-acre property in Perry Township and Village won’t be enough to fulfill the future hopes of Perry leaders who hope to see new types of economic development blossom on this land.

Based on that reality, we believe that the recently unveiled Champion Farm Joint Land Study will serve as a useful resource in future efforts to revitalize this pivotal parcel.

The 33-page planning study, presented at a community meeting on June 27, was commissioned by the Perry Economic Development Council. Funding for the initiative was provided by the Perry Joint Economic Development District board.

While the study was prepared with the expertise and analysis of professional planning consultants, we also like the fact that local input went into completing this initiative.

Recommendations in the study were shaped by input from an eight-member steering committee consisting of two representatives each from Perry Township, Perry Village, North Perry Village and Perry Schools. This panel met three times between January and April, leading up to the overall study being developed by the team of consultants.

We commend the consultants for producing a study that was not only thorough, but also balanced, as the assets and liabilities of the Champion Farm as a site for future economic development were highlighted.

For example, potential strengths that could encourage development at Champion Farm include affordable land prices, competitive tax rates, and future improvements planned for Route 20. Champion Farm stretches from Route 20 on the north in Perry Township to Main Street on the south in Perry Village.

On the flip side, a potential barrier to future development of Champion Farm is that the primary market area surrounding the property is marked by a lack of population density — also referred to as a “lack of rooftops” by business analysts.

The site itself comprises about 80 acres in Perry Township and 150 acres in Perry Village, according to the study. Champion Farm stretches from Route 20 on the north in the township to Main Street in the village for its southern border.

For anyone wondering about specific ideas of how the Champion Farm could be developed, the study presented three different development scenarios, based on varying levels of future market demand.

Some specific recommendations of future uses for the Champion Farms site mentioned in the study include: concentration of smaller, locally owned retail stores along the Route 20; an agricultural campus that could be developed through a partnership with a community college or the Ohio State University Agricultural Extension; and opportunities for senior living and services.

Finally, we commend the Perry Economic Development Council on how it presented the study during a community meeting. The consultants used visuals to make the study easier to follow and explained the findings in a clear manner.

We also like that the consultants gave meeting spectators a chance to speak and responded to questions, even when comments on the study weren’t favorable.

In fact, the first person to speak during the public comment portion, former County Commissioner and Perry resident Ray Sines, voiced his opposition to Champion Farm redevelopment plans because it involved local government purchasing the land. Sines said Perry Schools bought the property in 2017 without input from taxpayers. He said the wiser approach would have been to simply zone the property in the way that local government officials want to see it developed.

“This community could have done this exact same plan through zoning versus buying ... I am just opposed to government buying property that should be in the private sector,” Sines said.

In response, study consultant Jennifer Syx of inSITE Advisory Group said that a local government entity owning the site should enhance prospects for development.

“’When you don’t own it, you don’t control it,” Syx said. “If you own it, now you can do a planned unit development, and get a larger master developer or two to make it work.”

Although Sines’ wasn’t swayed by Syx’s reasoning, it still was nice to see an open, honest exchange like this at a community meeting.

We’ll conclude by saying that study will provide valuable guidance for Perry government officials as they look at taking future action to spur economic development at the former Champion Farm.