Schacht land to stay in Canal Winchester; citizens group considers next move

Land for a multimillion-dollar warehouse project at Bixby and Rager roads will remain in Canal Winchester after City Council passed an emergency ordinance May 16 to rezone the property for a second time.

The move leaves a citizens group opposed to the project reviewing its next steps.

Canal Winchester municipal building
Canal Winchester municipal building

If council had not approved the emergency ordinance to rezone the 70 acres owned by Teresa and Dale Schacht, it would have needed to consider legislation allowing the Schachts to de-annex their land from Canal Winchester.

The Schachts had given a May 16 deadline for council, NorthPoint Development Inc. and a citizens group opposed to the warehouses to work out a deal or they were prepared to pursue an annexation agreement with Columbus that would have moved the warehouse project to that city.

Canal Winchester and the Canal Winchester school district, which also supports the project, stood to lose millions in potential revenue.

NorthPoint representatives have said the $90 million investment for two industrial buildings, each more than 500,000 square feet, would create 300 jobs and $14 million in payroll.

“That would be pretty embarrassing for you to allow that to happen, for us to lose that property,” Tom Obert told City Council prior to the vote.

Obert was among many residents who crowded into council chambers to speak for and against the warehouse project during a nearly four-hour meeting.

“Columbus does not give two (expletive) about what happens down on this end of town,” Obert said. “They don’t care about Canal Winchester. It’s up to us to take the property … and make it the best that we can.”

The 6-1 vote, with Councilwoman Ashley Ward opposed, was a setback for the citizens group CW for Smart Growth-No More Warehouses!, which had collected enough signatures for a referendum on the November ballot that would have let the voters decide if council’s January decision to rezone the property would stand.

The emergency ordinance passed May 16 rescinded the January legislation approved by council, effectively eliminating the referendum.

The city’s legal advisers have said that an emergency ordinance is not subject to a referendum.

“This is the nuclear option you are all pulling out,” CW for Smart Growth organizer Angie Halstead said prior to the vote. “Do we really want to push that button? Do we really want to set this precedent?”

Halstead said in a text message after the meeting that CW for Smart Growth is working on a second referendum “and are weighing all legal options on behalf of the community.”

“We are taken back on how far this council went and they have set a dangerous precedent,” she wrote. “We expected more out of our elected officials.”

Some on council, including Councilman Patrick Shea, who sponsored the emergency legislation, have said the city didn’t have a choice because the pre-annexation agreement with Canal Winchester permitted the Schachts to detach from the city if zoning approvals were the subject of a referendum.

If council were to deny the Schachts’ request, the city would be open to litigation, its legal advisers have said.

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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Schacht land to stay in Canal Winchester; citizens group considers next move