They refused to approve the creation of a New Community Authority to help finance the project for a variety of reasons. Residents packed the commission chamber protesting the development. Retired Township Administrator Bob Bass, who the trustees contracted with to work on this development, said they are exploring trying to get the law changed so townships don’t need commissioner approval.
They are also looking at using a special improvement district, which would be an assessment on the property taxes, and some other options.
“The answer to whether the project is dead, it is not dead,” Bass said. “It’s dead when the developer says we’ve done everything we can do or the township says with the loss of the NCA, we can find no other way of supporting the project in the manner it’s being presented, we’re not at that point in either way.”
Developer Ron Coffman asked the commissioners to create a community authority to help finance $46.6 million for infrastructure improvements. He told the commissioners without the funding source he could not afford to build the project.
Coffman said it is essential for the development to proceed, because he is not going to “commit financial suicide” to build it without the new community authority.
“It won’t work financially at the current price the seller is asking for the property,” Coffman said. “If it’s not going to have the NCA I’m sorry I’m out, I can’t make it work.”
Coffman couldn’t be reached for comment.
Bass said they have been discussing changing the law with all the local leaders in the state legislature so townships can have their own ability to form NCAs, but it is a long process.
“What we’re looking at here is the fact that townships are the only form of local government in the state of Ohio that cannot create an NCA by the elected officials of that organization...,” Bass said. “If you are a township you have to ask permission of the county commission. All we’re asking is for that same ability.”
State Rep. Thomas Hall was at the December commission meeting and said he would look into it. He told the Journal-News the issue is being discussed among Butler County legislators but no bills have been introduced, “we’re just in the prelim stages I guess.” He doesn’t represent Ross Twp. so wouldn’t likely introduce his own bill. State Rep. Jennifer Gross, Ross’ new representative under realigned legislative districts, couldn’t be reached for comment.
Trustee Ellen Yordy said she hopes residents will reserve judgement until they learn all aspects of the plan. A meeting will be held April 20 at Ross High School for that purpose. Last year people were angry because they felt they were blindsided, but township officials explained the request to commissioners was just part of doing their due diligence and they never would have pushed it through without public input.
“You can’t come out and say things unless you have done your due diligence and know that you have all your i’s dotted and t’s crossed,” Yordy said. “I think they just jumped the gun on us and didn’t let us get everything done before we did a presentation. There will be a presentation in April and hopefully people will see the benefit of developing this with an NCA. We have a TIF in place, we have a JEDD in place, the city of Hamilton is on board with this. It’s just the best way to develop this piece of property for Ross Twp.”
The township has already established a tax increment financing district (TIF), in preparation for collecting the 10-mill levy and a 120-acre joint economic development district to prepare for the 1.3 million-square-foot Spooky Nook complex under construction in Hamilton, that is expected to draw crowds from around the region. Bass said if the new development is approved it will be added to the JEDD.
Creating a special improvement district is another option under consideration. Financial advisor Andy Brossart, who was the architect of the Liberty Center Community Authority and has been working with Ross officials, said it is important to note the funds being sought are to improve the congested major roads — namely Ohio 128 and Layhigh Road — around the proposed development not within it, “it wasn’t developer roads it was major thoroughfare roads.”
He said there are a couple key difference between the two funding vehicles. A community authority has the ability to levy both property and sales taxes and issue their own debt.
He said if the NCA were approved the 10-mill charge could go on indefinitely to pay for other public improvements, with a SID “that stops once the bonds are paid off.”
“Ross was going to levy a 10-mill property tax charge that was going to go on for a period of time to pay for public improvements...,” Brossart said. “A special improvement district has to identify the amount and term upfront, for example, let’s say there was $30 million of improvements, you then would issue a bond of $30 million and levy that assessment on those affected properties the developer owns.”
After Coffman and Ross officials presented the NCA request to the commissioners dozens of residents took to social media protesting the development, most saying they want the township to remain rural.
When the Journal-News posted the story, the development isn’t necessarily doomed, people on both sides commented. Some say they are worried about how the development will impact the schools and traffic. Ross Schools Superintendent Chad Konkle said previously they wholeheartedly support the project because the senior living aspect and higher end homes mean they likely won’t be flooded with more kids they can’t handle.
Others just want Ross to remain unchanged. Several, however, recognize the Burns family has the right to sell their property and this proposal might be best.
“The taxes would come from the development and not the current homeowners, if this development fails good old boy with a gravel pit will buy it and put 900 house in there and all we get are the problems without the money to solve them,” one commenter wrote.
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