Apartment complex considered

CELINA - The new owner of 10.072 acres of land in northeast Celina says plans are in the works to build a new apartment complex with 30 to 50 units to help meet a growing demand for housing in the city.

Such a project, however, must first go before the city planning commission for approval, city officials say.

City council members at this week's regular meeting heard from a citizen concerned about the potential development of the land at the corner of Meadowview Drive and Myers Road.

The property at 1111 Meyers Road was purchased on Oct. 19 for $262,500 by D&L Property Management of West Central Ohio LLC, according to the Mercer County Auditor's online GIS viewer.

When contacted by the newspaper, a filing agent for the property referred the newspaper to Drew Charlson. Charlson said he purchased the tract of land under the D&L Property Management name. He said tentative plans call for the development of "nice" open-market apartments on five acres of the parcel owned by his family's business, Mid America Properties Inc., which he said is based in Celina. Charlson said he plans to sell the remaining five acres.

Mid America owns a nearby 6.027-acre tract of land at 1400 Meadowview Drive that abuts D&L Property's L-shaped property at 1111 Meyers Road. Sitting on that location is Meadows at Grand Lake Apartment Complex.

The land at 1111 Meyers Road is zoned R-O, a residence-office district, city safety service director Tom Hitchcock confirmed to the newspaper this morning. This classification's principally permitted uses are multifamily dwellings, efficiency apartments, personal services and offices.

"My concern is primarily regarding the second potential use, efficiency apartments," Meadowview Drive resident Heather Willis told councilors, adding that D&L Properties also owns Farmview Estates Apartments at 800 Touvelle St. and shares an address with Mid America Properties.

"Members of council, I am concerned about the effect that additional housing developments of this type would have on our community and its tax base," she said.

The apartments envisioned for the property would be available to anyone, including seniors, Charlson asserted to the newspaper, adding the development would help meet a rising demand for dwellings. Contrary to some people's perspectives, Meadows at Grand Lake Apartments is not low-income housing, he said.

"We don't do low-income housing," he said.

Design work for the apartments is underway, he said.

Willis on Monday had asked if council members were aware of any plans to develop the land in question.

"From a city standpoint, no one's approached the city about any type of project yet," Hitchcock replied. "We've had no communications with the new owners."

She then asked what kind of role does council play in regard to potential housing developments.

"Once we establish these rules, our hands are tied in terms of what can go in there if it meets the regulations within the zoning code," councilman Mike Sovinski said.

"As long as it meets the zoning code, it would go through the planning commission, and council really wouldn't have a role in that," Hitchcock said. "If there is a project, all surrounding property owners are notified of the planning commission meeting so they can come (and) speak their opinion."

Planning commission meetings are open to the public, officials said.

"That's where you want to rally the troops," councilman Jeff Larmore said.