The freeze on new projects had been set to expire Jan. 14, but Franklin City Council voted 6-0 Monday night to lengthen the temporary ban until April 14.
Specifically, the moratorium is on issuing zoning permits and new development on those roads. The vote followed a public hearing on the issue.
“We are not ready with all of the improvements,” City Manager Jonathan Westendorf said. “We are close. But we are not ready.
“The challenge that we have is we did this map rather than by a particular use or a particular address,” he added.
Taylor Miller, a New Lebanon barber who said she wants to open a business in the moratorium area, said her concern is how long the extension will be in place.
“It’s more of a timing issue,” Miller told council.
Westendorf told Miller “I don’t expect this to have an impact on (Miller’s plans) other than the timing.”
Westendorf said the freeze could be lifted earlier depending on how quickly the administration, planning commission and council are able to make changes to Franklin development guidelines.
“There’s nothing to prevent this council to lift this moratorium in advance” of the new expiration date, he said.
The extension is needed “to study and evaluate the types of public infrastructure, building improvements and land uses that are best-suited for the targeted corridors, and potentially develop and adopt amendments … to facilitate such improvements and uses, to fulfill the city’s objectives of enhancing and promoting its economic development efforts,” Franklin documents state.
Franklin has seen significant redevelopment planning the past few years, including the $13 million streetscape project on Main Street, new school district construction, and planning for a new riverfront project, which would be dependent on state and federal funding.
“Given the importance of the targeted corridors to the Franklin community, and limited remaining developable real estate located in the targeted corridors, city council finds it necessary to extend the current moratorium,” the document added.
The affected section of Ohio 73 runs from Interstate 75 west to about Riley Boulevard, including both the north and south sides of the state route, city records show.
It also will include both sides Ohio 123 from Sunnybrook Drive northwest of I-75 to near Evergreen Court southeast of the interstate, according to documents.
Dixie Highway will be affected from just north of Pennyroyal to about Ethel Avenue to the south, Franklin records state.
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