Vandalia City Council Study Session - October 19, 2026

The Vandalia City Council held a study session on October 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The session included a presentation from the Dayton International Airport director, discussion of proposed ordinances and resolutions, and consideration of two zoning variances. No final votes were taken; items were discussed for placement on the upcoming council meeting agenda.

Presentation: Dayton International Airport Update

• Gil Turner, Director of Aviation, provided an update on the airport. He announced a rebranding with the tagline "Happy Travels," highlighted the addition of Breeze Airways as a low-cost carrier, and discussed challenges including rising fuel prices and reduced capacity. He reported that the airport is a small hub, the third largest in Ohio, with an economic impact of over $1 billion. Turner also noted a 40% increase in fuel prices and a projected flat to 1% growth in enplanements for 2026 due to government shutdown impacts. He outlined plans for a solar farm to reduce operating costs.
• Chris Kirshner from the Dayton Air Chamber of Commerce presented on the Minimum Revenue Guarantee program, which provides risk mitigation for airlines. He requested the City of Vandalia reconsider a $25,000 contribution to support local fundraising efforts, noting that other communities such as Montgomery County and the City of Dayton have already contributed.

Discussion Items

• Ordinance for Assessments (July-September 2026): Ms. Carnes presented an emergency ordinance to assess properties for delinquent accounts related to stormwater fees, trash collection, delinquent sewer and water, weed cutting, and property maintenance. No questions were raised.
• Resolution for EMS Billing Fee Adjustment: Chief Follett proposed adopting a fee structure set at 2.5 times the Medicare minimum, which would auto-adjust with Medicare rates. The change is intended to stabilize revenue and reduce write-offs. Residents will not see a change or be billed; non-residents will be subject to a collection process. The resolution is scheduled for the November 2, 2026 council meeting.
• Record Plan for 3310 Benchwood: Mr. Cron reported that Perkart Engineering requested subdivision approval to dedicate 0.074 acres of public right-of-way for utility extensions to serve a Take 5 Oil Change facility at 3320 Benchwood. The Planning Commission recommended approval 3-0 on October 13, 2026.
• Variance at 165 North Dixie Drive (Sign): A variance request for a freestanding sign that exceeds code limits in height (7 ft vs. 6 ft allowed), size (38.67 sq ft vs. 35 sq ft), and setback (~1 ft vs. 5 ft required). The applicant, Colby Harris of Advantage Plumbing, acknowledged not obtaining a permit. The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 3-1 to recommend approval on October 14, 2026. Council discussed potential modifications, including reducing the sign size, but took no action.
• Variance at Dayton International Airport – Solar Field: A variance to allow an accessory solar array on airport property without a principal use, located on a sliver of land within Vandalia city limits. The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 3-1 to recommend approval on October 14, 2026, with conditions: screening consistent with residential adjacency (6 ft, 75% opacity) and a setback for a future shared-use path. Council members expressed concerns that the proposed landscaping may not effectively screen the panels from National Road. Airport staff stated they are open to working with the city on acceptable screening solutions, subject to FAA and lead-impact constraints.

Key Outcomes

• All discussed items are slated for the November 2, 2026 council meeting for formal consideration.
• For the solar field variance, council requested further details on effective screening before granting final approval.
• The EMS billing resolution will proceed to the next meeting as introduced.
• No actions were taken on the financial reports, which showed general fund revenues exceeding budget but expenses affected by timing of CRA payments.