Delaware City Council Regular Meeting - October 12, 2026

The Delaware City Council met in regular session at 7:00 PM on October 12, 2026, in Council Chambers. Council first met in executive session at 6:00 PM under Ohio Revised Code Section 121.22(G)(1) to consider the appointment or employment of a public official. Members present were Ms. Griffith, Mr. Haynes, Mr. Ryder, Vice Mayor Fraser, and Mayor Riggle. All roll-call votes later in the meeting were unanimous among those present; Vice Mayor Fraser was briefly out of the chamber during the first vote on the September 28 motion summary. The council approved consent items, conducted public hearings, and took final action on multiple ordinances and a resolution, adjourning at 8:02 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Council approved the Motion Summary from the September 28, 2026 City Council meeting.
• Council voted to strike item G from the consent calendar. That item would have rescheduled the October 12 public hearing and second reading of Ordinance 26-53 (Northwood non-school TIF for Byxbe Corridor Improvements) to October 26, 2026 at 7:25 PM. No further action on that rescheduling item occurred during the meeting.
• Council unanimously approved the remaining consent items: acceptance of the Shade Tree Commission meeting summary from July 28, 2026, the Civil Service Commission meeting summary from September 2, 2026, and the Planning Commission meeting summary from September 2, 2026.
• The consent calendar also set October 26, 2026 public hearing and second reading dates for Resolution 26-71 at 7:10 PM (Flats at Boulder Park development plan, 252 multi-family units), Ordinance 26-55 at 7:15 PM (C-PUD expansion; listed in the consent calendar as 22.046 acres), Ordinance 26-56 at 7:20 PM (A-1 to R-PUD on 12.417 acres, south side of Bowtown Road and Byxbe Parkway), and Ordinance 26-59 at 7:25 PM (Vernon Avenue Right-of-Way annexation, 0.427 acres).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Deborah Giebert, 265 West Fountain Avenue, spoke. She argued that cold weather kills about 20 times as many people as heat and presented charts she said show wildfire activity has declined over the past century if an earlier baseline is used. She expressed concern that climate risks can be made to look worse by choosing a favorable starting point.
• No other members of the public came forward during the general public comment period, and no one testified during the individual public hearings.

Staff Introduction and Presentation

• The new GIS Coordinator, Corey Staver, was introduced. Staver is a Delaware resident of about seven years, previously served on the Planning Commission, and has city/county GIS and planning experience in western states.
• Scott Brown, Central Ohio liaison for Auditor of State Keith Faber, presented the 2025 Auditor of State Award with Distinction to the City of Delaware Finance Department. Brown said his office oversees nearly 6,000 clients and performs about 4,200 audits annually, and the award places the city in the top 10 in the top 4% of those engagements. He cited the city's clean audit, timely GAP-basis financial reporting, comprehensive annual financial report, and absence of findings for recovery, material weaknesses, and significant deficiencies. He specifically recognized Finance Director Alicia for leadership.

Public Hearings and Second Readings

• Ordinance 26-50 (ADA Policy and Transition Plan): Staff stated the city, as an employer of more than 50 people, is required by federal law to have an ADA transition plan and policy. The existing Chapter 163 framework dates to 1992, but the five-member ADA compliance committee has never been appointed. The ordinance activates the process, designates Kim Gepper as Title II coordinator, and authorizes recruitment of the committee, with at least two members from the disability community. Recreation staff described a successful summer camp accommodation this year. No public comment was offered. Council suspended the three-reading rule and approved the ordinance unanimously.
• Ordinance 26-51 (renaming Vergon Drive to Rainstone Drive): Staff explained the requested change because the existing name may be inappropriate in another language; the street is private and currently has no addresses. No public comment was offered. Council suspended the three-reading rule and approved unanimously.
• Ordinance 26-52 (Delaware Community Reinvestment Area): Staff presented the annual re-establishment of the CRA and expansion of its boundaries to align with the city's corporate limits to capture newly annexed territory, including the Curtis Street Industrial Park area tied to the Guild project term sheet. Staff emphasized there are no automatic abatements, every CRA project agreement still requires council approval, and the mixed-income housing incentive is unchanged (20% of units at 60% area median income can qualify for a 10-year, 70% abatement). Staff requested a third reading rather than immediate action; council agreed.

Consideration Items - First Readings

• Ordinance 26-55 (zoning map amendment to expand C-PUD 25-15 for a large-box retail site near U.S. 36/S.R. 37/Sunbury Road and Sky View Lane) was read/heard without final action. The consent calendar listed the expansion as 22.046 additional acres, while agenda item 14 and the mayor's reading stated 11.746 additional acres; the transcript does not show the council or staff addressing this discrepancy.
• Ordinance 26-56 (rezoning 12.417 acres on the south side of Bowtown Road and Byxbe Parkway from A-1 to R-PUD for newly annexed land allowing multi-family uses) was read/heard without final action.
• Ordinance 26-59 (accepting the annexation of 0.427 acres for the Vernon Avenue Right-of-Way annexation, agent Ryan D. Crossley) was read/heard without final action.
• Public hearings and second readings for Ordinances 26-55, 26-56, and 26-59 are scheduled for October 26, 2026, per the consent calendar.

Other Ordinances and Resolution

• Ordinance 26-47 (third reading): Council unanimously approved the Ex Flax, LLC rezoning request for approximately 1.75 acres on the west side of Lake Street and Flax Street to R-PUD for new duplex/townhomes to become part of The Mill on Flax Apartment complex. Staff reported the Chief Building Official inspected the site and issued a demolition order because the existing buildings are unsafe and blighted and cannot be saved.
• Resolution 26-72: Council unanimously approved, with an emergency clause, the resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a cooperative agreement with Delaware County and submit an Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) State Capital Improvement and/or Local Transportation Improvement Programs round 41 application for the East Central Avenue reconstruction project. The project is estimated at $7.4 million, construction is planned for 2028, and the OPWC application is due in the first week of November.
• Ordinance 26-57: Council unanimously approved, with an emergency clause, the Management Pay Plan amendment moving the Fleet and Traffic Division Supervisor position from M7 to M8. Staff said the change corrects pay compression after labor negotiations and allows the city to post the vacant position.
• Ordinance 26-58: Council unanimously approved, with an emergency clause, the ordinance appointing Andy Baer as interim city manager. The ordinance preserves his assistant city manager position and provides compensation for the added responsibilities during the anticipated search process.

City Manager's Report and Council Comments

• Interim City Manager Andy Baer reported that London Road waterline work will require a westbound lane closure October 19-23, 7 a.m.-5 p.m., and a full closure of London Road west of Sandusky Street October 26-30, 7 a.m.-5 p.m., with detours posted.
• He noted the Point project reached a milestone with removal of the temporary bridge beams on Friday, using only brief 4-5 minute closures and causing no major traffic delays.
• He also thanked staff for hosting an Ohio State University ICMA student group on Friday and praised the Saturday downtown car show.
• Committee/council comments included: BCA has no meeting this month; next meeting November 11 at 6:30 PM. Historic Preservation Commission meets October 21; Airport Commission is scheduled for October 15.
• Council praised the car show's record 519 cars and its role as a fundraiser for Impact 60, promoted the Wednesday night final Movies Across Ohio 250th anniversary event in Delaware showing 42 with a panel, and noted a new mural near the Strand building.

Key Outcomes

• The consent calendar was approved as amended, with item G stricken.
• Ordinance 26-50 and Ordinance 26-51 were approved after suspension of the three-reading rule.
• Ordinance 26-52 was advanced to a third reading; no final vote was taken.
• Ordinance 26-47 was approved on its third reading.
• Resolution 26-72, Ordinance 26-57, and Ordinance 26-58 were each approved with emergency clauses.
• Ordinances 26-55, 26-56, and 26-59 were left for future action, with public hearings/second readings scheduled on October 26, 2026.
• The meeting adjourned at 8:02 PM.