OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Committee of the Whole Meeting – November 4, 2025 (Date Discrepancy Note: Agenda and minutes indicate October 27, 2025)

City Council & Commissions — Tuesday, November 4, 2025
BodyGahanna, Ohio
SessionCity Council & Commissions
DateTuesday, November 4, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:02:19

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Good evening, everyone.

0:02

Today is Monday, October 27th, 2025.

0:06

I've got 710, so we will go ahead and call this meeting of the committee of the whole to order.

0:10

Appreciate everyone's patience as we wrapped up our executive session.

0:14

We will get started first with items from the Department of Administrative Services.

0:19

Am I looking at you, Director?

0:32

Bailey and I are happy to answer any questions that anyone has for our Gehanna.

0:37

There's no there was no thank you very much, Director.

0:43

There's been some discussion over the last several weeks on this item, so just uh we're circling back for any lingering questions.

0:52

Any discussion from my colleagues, Ms.

0:54

Bowers.

0:55

Yeah, thank you.

0:56

Um Director Vollmer, I very much appreciated the email that you sent on October 22nd regarding the process and engagement for the economic development strategy.

1:08

Um would you mind sharing that with um with the public and with council this evening in terms of the process for the economic development strategy?

1:20

Sure.

1:26

Economic development experts, the steering committee, and the public engagement in tandem with the strategic plan process.

1:32

Planning next engaged with Niagara Partners and Julie Collie to provide expertise on the economic development strategy.

1:38

Kevin Hively of Niagara Partners has been working in the Columbus region and did an assessment of the current economic landscape in Gehana.

1:46

That assessment is found in our Gehana under the economic development strategy section.

1:50

Ms.

1:50

Cauley attended CIC meetings to discuss the plan and work with Director Godkey and I on the strategy.

1:57

The steering committee and public engagement were a vital part in the development of the economic development strategy.

2:02

Planning next conducted business round tables during the first round of engagement in addition to the table talks.

2:08

In the second round of engagement, we had a specific economic development question and associated board of economic development facts for the public to comment on.

2:16

The economic development goals and strategies had their own table at the joint steering committee with directors in June.

2:23

Finally, the strategies had two dedicated boards in the third round of engagement and were on the online survey for all participants to review, including council.

2:31

The economic development strategy had engagement at the annual Economic Development Day event that featured Josiah Brown.

2:37

Following that event, Josiah hosted round tables made above community partners from the CVB, schools, and the chamber.

2:44

In addition, local developers and partners participated.

2:47

The economic development strategy was intentionally integrated throughout the entire strategic planning process.

2:57

Thank you very much, Director.

3:01

Any other discussion on this item?

3:04

Ms.

3:04

Badova.

3:05

Thank you.

3:07

Sorry, I'm trying to get to the page here.

3:10

Thank you so much for all of your work on this.

3:16

There's been a lot going into this for the last year.

3:21

And also thank you to everybody in the administration because we've uh myself and a lot of my colleagues have gone to the engagement sessions.

3:28

I know that they were late nights, early mornings, um, getting community input.

3:33

So I appreciate everything that you guys have put into this.

3:36

Um especially like that it is happening now.

3:42

Um because we are getting the um we are getting fresh data and we're not operating off of something, you know, a survey that happened four or five years ago, as we're um you know, later in this evening, we're gonna be talking about Creekside and free development and um this gives us fresh data to work with and um people's perspectives on that.

4:04

Um but ultimately it can help us with you know how we how we vote on that.

4:10

But um there was one part that um in the appendix A that we received um page 11.

4:22

So I'm gonna I think this would probably be a um question for planning next to answer, but so it was um the majority of homes are uh is this the right one?

4:36

Yeah, um are single family detached and it's nine percent of um large multifamily homes and some apart it says some apartment complexes have been built but more needed to diversify the housing stock.

5:00

Um, and I was just hoping that you might be able to expand on that a little bit on um kind of why we needed a more diverse housing stock and um also why why that's needed specifically for Gehanna, if you can.

5:10

Sure.

5:10

So I actually think that that data point goes hand in hand with your vacancy rate um statistic that's on another slide.

5:18

And I do want to remind you all that this data was pulled um as of the United States Census 2023 because we were pulling it in fall of 2024.

5:27

So there may, as of now, fall of 2025, be some updated data.

5:31

Um, but as of 2023, your vacancy rate was a low below the healthy recommended vacancy rate of four percent.

5:39

So we looked at all of your um housing stock, which included the single family, multifamily, you know, duplexes townhome type things, and determined that you do have a very low vacancy rate, which while some people think that's a good thing, um, it just means that there's not very much available housing stock in Gehana.

5:57

We also looked at some of the um age groups that decreased in the 10 years between um 2010 and 2020, and um kind of determined that there wasn't very much housing stock for you know age in place or younger professionals who might want some of that um more um flexible housing type, like apartments and multifamily.

6:22

So it is recommended that you kind of increase the housing stock just so that you have more diverse housing stock.

6:28

It's always recommended to have more diversity in your housing stock so that you can reach a variety of different types of people, different lifestyles, different ages, um, you know, the whole spectrum.

6:40

Thank you.

6:40

I appreciate that.

6:42

I think that will um uh that pairs well with some of the discussions we're having later this evening.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development███████████████████████████████████████39%
Planning And Development███████████████████19%
Procedural██████████10%
Public Engagement█████████9%
Parking Management███████7%
Affordable Housing█████5%
Zoning And Land Use████4%
Transportation Safety████4%
Historic Preservation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Committee of the Whole Meeting – November 4, 2025

Note: The agenda, minutes, and transcript for this meeting all list the date as Monday, October 27, 2025. The meeting was called to order at 7:10 PM and adjourned at 8:12 PM. The instruction to use November 4, 2025 appears to conflict with the source materials; the date below is used per instruction, but the actual meeting date was October 27, 2025.

The Gahanna City Council Committee of the Whole met to discuss four agenda items: adoption of the "Our Gahanna" Strategic Plan and Economic Development Strategy, a resolution concerning services for a proposed annexation, a development agreement for redevelopment in the Creekside District, and a supplemental agreement with the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC). All council members were present.

Consent Calendar

  • RES-0052-2025 (Annexation services) and RES-0051-2025 (CIC supplemental agreement) were recommended for placement on the consent agenda for introduction/adoption on November 3, 2025. No objections were raised.

Discussion Items

RES-0046-2025 – Our Gahanna Strategic Plan and Economic Development Strategy

  • Senior Director of Administrative Services Miranda Vollmer and Bailey Morlan of Planning NEXT presented the plan. Councilmember Padova asked about the need for more diverse housing stock, referencing appendix data showing only 9% multifamily housing and a vacancy rate below the recommended 4%. Ms. Morlan explained that low vacancy and limited flexible housing options (apartments, multifamily) hinder attracting younger professionals and aging-in-place residents.
  • Councilmember Padova also noted that 29% of all housing units are renter-occupied, and questioned whether short-term rentals are counted in the 2% unoccupied figure. Ms. Morlan indicated it depends on how the owner classifies the property in the census.
  • Vice President Weaver thanked all participants. The resolution was slated for a vote on the regular agenda on November 3, 2025.

RES-0052-2025 – Annexation Services (7.6+/- acres, Jefferson Township)

  • City Attorney Tamilarasan explained that this is the second step after a pre-annexation agreement. The petition has been formally filed, and the city must adopt a services resolution within 20 days. She confirmed the petition meets statutory requirements, so no objection is needed.
  • Councilmember Renner asked about zoning after annexation. Monica Fuster (Kephart Fisher LLC), agent for the annexation, clarified that Section 3 deals with a buffer zone per ORC 709.023(C), while zoning will be a separate process determined by Council. Mayor Jadwin noted the administration is available to answer questions.
  • Vice President Weaver emphasized this step only confirms available services; further discussion on annexation itself will occur later. The resolution was recommended for consent agenda on November 3.

ORD-0042-2025 – Development Agreement for Creekside District Redevelopment

  • Director of Economic Development Jeff Gottke addressed five issues submitted by Council: (1) development agreement review process and city liabilities, (2) parking usage and solutions, (3) public engagement extent and results, (4) fiscal impact analysis, and (5) traffic impact study process.
  • Liabilities: Director Gottke stated there are no unexpected public infrastructure costs, no existing environmental or infrastructure liabilities for the city (developer bears those), no caps on remediation costs, no lingering CIC liabilities, and no revenue guarantees from TIF or NCA. The only committed city cost is the value of conveyed parcels (no money changing hands). The city may commit to reduced inspection fees and TIF/NCA revenue sharing, but amounts are unknown.
  • Parking: A district-wide parking study (excluding the garage) showed 28% average daily usage. Heat maps indicated highest demand on Town Street and west Mill Street. The city-owned High Street lot showed average demand. Special events were excluded from the analysis. Parking solutions will be developed later.
  • Public Engagement: Four events engaged ~200 people. Feedback rated 4.1/5 for mixed-use development and 4.6/5 for plaza revitalization. Top sentiments: “exciting,” “stunning/impressive,” “visually appealing,” “fresh/modern,” and “unsure/apprehensive.” Concerns included number of units, impact on services, traffic, and parking. The public praised the outreach process.
  • Fiscal Impact: Two models were presented. Method 1 (local data) showed break-even during the first 15 years (property tax abatement period) and positive impact thereafter. Method 2 (national data) showed similar results. Induced effects (e.g., new resident spending) were not included but noted as likely positive.
  • Traffic: The developer will conduct a traffic impact study per city specifications, reviewed and approved before construction permits. Multiple rounds of review are expected.
  • Clarifications: Councilmember McGregor noted private lots may not be available for public parking, and expressed concern that eliminating the city lot could harm existing businesses. Councilmember Padova believed the underused parking garage could accommodate demand.
  • President Bowers asked about the use of city property during construction (Section 12.4.9). City Attorney Tamilarasan explained that the CIC-controlled lot would be fully used for parking, while the city-controlled phase two lot would have restrictions (75% between 7 AM-4 PM, 33% after 4 PM). Bob Lamb (Connect Realty) agreed to amend language to swap the percentage restrictions to the city-controlled lot. He also noted that the northern parcel on High Street has historical significance; its use will be determined during a 180-day due diligence period after the agreement is signed. Construction is likely at least 1.5 years from approval.
  • Councilmember McGregor asked about Mifflin Township TIF discussions. Director Gottke said a meeting occurred and follow-up is expected. Mayor Jadwin noted a TIF can only be negotiated after the development agreement is passed.

RES-0051-2025 – CIC Supplemental Agreement

  • City Attorney Tamilarasan presented a redline version of the supplemental agreement for the Community Improvement Corporation (CIC). It includes a repayment provision if the CIC draws appropriated funds and later receives reimbursement from the state or Central Ohio CIC.
  • Director Gottke suggested adding “for demolition” after the dollar amount in Section 2, and a clause in Section 3 stating the CIC agrees if funds are used for demolition. The city attorney noted demolition is already an eligible expense. These changes will be made.
  • The resolution was recommended for consent agenda on November 3.

Key Outcomes

  • RES-0046-2025: Slated for introduction/adoption on the regular agenda on November 3, 2025.
  • RES-0052-2025: Slated for introduction/adoption on the consent agenda on November 3, 2025.
  • ORD-0042-2025: Public hearing scheduled for November 3, 2025; further Committee of the Whole discussion on November 10, 2025; anticipated second reading and adoption (with amendments) on November 17, 2025. Minor changes to the development agreement (parking lot usage percentages and staging area details) will be made and circulated.
  • RES-0051-2025: Slated for introduction/adoption on the consent agenda on November 3, 2025, with minor clarifying language to be added.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everyone. Today is Monday, October 27th, 2025. I've got 710, so we will go ahead and call this meeting of the committee of the whole to order. Appreciate everyone's patience as we wrapped up our executive session. We will get started first with items from the Department of Administrative Services. Am I looking at you, Director? Bailey and I are happy to answer any questions that anyone has for our Gehanna. There's no there was no thank you very much, Director. There's been some discussion over the last several weeks on this item, so just uh we're circling back for any lingering questions. Any discussion from my colleagues, Ms. Bowers. Yeah, thank you. Um Director Vollmer, I very much appreciated the email that you sent on October 22nd regarding the process and engagement for the economic development strategy. Um would you mind sharing that with um with the public and with council this evening in terms of the process for the economic development strategy? Sure. Economic development experts, the steering committee, and the public engagement in tandem with the strategic plan process. Planning next engaged with Niagara Partners and Julie Collie to provide expertise on the economic development strategy. Kevin Hively of Niagara Partners has been working in the Columbus region and did an assessment of the current economic landscape in Gehana. That assessment is found in our Gehana under the economic development strategy section. Ms. Cauley attended CIC meetings to discuss the plan and work with Director Godkey and I on the strategy. The steering committee and public engagement were a vital part in the development of the economic development strategy. Planning next conducted business round tables during the first round of engagement in addition to the table talks. In the second round of engagement, we had a specific economic development question and associated board of economic development facts for the public to comment on. The economic development goals and strategies had their own table at the joint steering committee with directors in June. Finally, the strategies had two dedicated boards in the third round of engagement and were on the online survey for all participants to review, including council. The economic development strategy had engagement at the annual Economic Development Day event that featured Josiah Brown. Following that event, Josiah hosted round tables made above community partners from the CVB, schools, and the chamber. In addition, local developers and partners participated. The economic development strategy was intentionally integrated throughout the entire strategic planning process. Thank you very much, Director. Any other discussion on this item? Ms. Badova. Thank you. Sorry, I'm trying to get to the page here. Thank you so much for all of your work on this. There's been a lot going into this for the last year. And also thank you to everybody in the administration because we've uh myself and a lot of my colleagues have gone to the engagement sessions. I know that they were late nights, early mornings, um, getting community input. So I appreciate everything that you guys have put into this. Um especially like that it is happening now. Um because we are getting the um we are getting fresh data and we're not operating off of something, you know, a survey that happened four or five years ago, as we're um you know, later in this evening, we're gonna be talking about Creekside and free development and um this gives us fresh data to work with and um people's perspectives on that. Um but ultimately it can help us with you know how we how we vote on that. But um there was one part that um in the appendix A that we received um page 11. So I'm gonna I think this would probably be a um question for planning next to answer, but so it was um the majority of homes are uh is this the right one? Yeah, um are single family detached and it's nine percent of um large multifamily homes and some apart it says some apartment complexes have been built but more needed to diversify the housing stock. Um, and I was just hoping that you might be able to expand on that a little bit on um kind of why we needed a more diverse housing stock and um also why why that's needed specifically for Gehanna, if you can. Sure. So I actually think that that data point goes hand in hand with your vacancy rate um statistic that's on another slide.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com