Strategic planning committee backs sale of Carlin Street parcels for residential development

The City of Findlay Strategic Planning Committee voted to support moving forward with terms to sell two City‑owned parcels on Carlin (Collins) Street for residential development, including proposed rezoning steps and development safeguards.

Committee members and nearby residents discussed price, auction method, infrastructure costs and neighborhood impacts before the panel approved a motion expressing committee support to sell the property and to return with more detailed bid and selection procedures.

The two parcels were described in the meeting as a smaller northern parcel of about 5.7 acres (zoned R-2) and a larger southern parcel of about 20 acres (zoned R-3). The City purchased the land in 2008 for $150,000 and has been leasing it for roughly $4,500 per year, according to the presentation. Staff recommended rezoning the smaller parcel to match the larger (R-3) and packaging the land for sale with restrictions intended to prioritize single‑family, owner‑occupied housing.

Staff said the sale package under discussion would include a reverter clause that would allow undeveloped parcels to revert to the City in 2050, a minimum development requirement of 20 homes…