St. Albans Township hires consultant to prepare zoning for Intel operation
After learning that zoning and economic development tools could be the best way to protect their area as the Intel Corporation prepares to move into Licking County, the St. Albans Township trustees took a step toward that May 10.
Trustees voted 2-1 to contract with Holly Mattei, president of Crossroads Community Planning, on an hourly, as-needed basis to update the township’s zoning. Mattei will charge $100, but only when she works on behalf of the township. Trustee Bruce Lane, who has been researching a possible merging with the Village of Alexandria , voted against the contract.
Mattei, who has also worked with Jersey Township, shared during a special meeting on April 26 and again May 10 that zoning overlay districts and joint economic development districts could prevent annexation without merging the two entities.
“Most likely you’re going to need some kind of other zoning districts to help you move forward with whatever option you go with,” she said.
The township is updating its comprehensive plan with Jim Lenner, the former Johnstown city manager who has his own a local government consulting firm. The comprehensive plan process will allow the township to plan where future businesses, homes and other development can locate in the township. Then Mattei can create the zoning needed for each of those areas.
“This would be a partnership between the two consultants to move the township forward and get you where you need to be when you need to be there, so that we’re not starting after the comp plan is done, we’re doing it in conjunction and moving you at the same rate of speed,” Mattei said.
Mattei said she has 25 years of planning experience as well as serving as the fiscal officer for Bloom Township in Fairfield County.
Lane said he wanted more time before voting on Mattei’s contract because he was still gathering information about the impact of a merger, including an estimate from Ohio’s Regional Income Tax Agency on how much money would be collected once the village’s 1% income tax applied to an expanded village.
Because New Albany is annexing thousands of neighboring Jersey Township acres for the Intel Corporation’s computer chip manufacturing operation, Lane and Alexandria Mayor Jim Jasper have spent weeks researching a possible merger, thereby incorporating the entire area of the township.
Lane has previously said he wants the township to take action to put the merger on the November ballot. He also said the trustees can remove it from the ballot by the end of October if they learn more information and decide a merger is not in the area’s best interest. mdevito@gannett.com 740-607-2175
Twitter: @Mariadevito13