Reynoldsburg council schedules DORA hearing, forwards industrial project and street contracts and approves consent items

The Reynoldsburg City Council on April 14 scheduled a public hearing for May 12 on an application to create a designated outdoor refreshment area, approved tabling a planning-and‑zoning appeal to the April 28 meeting and forwarded several major ordinances and contracts to the full council for first reading.

Attorney Turney Shook told council the DORA application — submitted by Mayor Joe Beggin’s office — covers about 57.55 acres in the Old Reynoldsburg commercial district and includes public-safety and sanitation plans. Shook said the Reynoldsburg Police Department would provide law enforcement within the DORA and that officers could be assigned to patrol the area during events. The council voted in committee to schedule the DORA public hearing for 6:30 p.m. on May 12.

Council also moved and approved a request from the applicant’s attorney to table a planning-and‑zoning appeal (application 2024-077046008-60, East Livingston Avenue) to the council’s April 28 meeting.

Committee reports and votes sent multiple ordinances to council for formal consideration, including a proposed community reinvestment area (CRA) tax-exemption agreement with Core5 Industrial Partners LLC for a roughly 52-acre logistics project off Taylor Road (projected investment cited in committee materials: approximately $78.5 million and about 411 jobs if fully developed) and several street and infrastructure contracts for 2025 improvements. Staff noted the Core5 project would include a one‑time $50,000 contribution to the city’s tomato festival and a 75% property‑tax abatement over 15 years as proposed in the packet.

Other items forwarded for first reading included contracts for street-improvement and pavement‑maintenance work and an engineering design agreement for Summit Road improvements near Summit High School. The city also forwarded an ordinance to accept a completed public-infrastructure package for the Central Ohio Primary Care Project and several departmental equipment and personnel measures tied to union contract updates.

Council approved a suite of resolutions and emergency orders during the meeting. Several budgeted equipment purchases and service contracts — including a fireworks contract for July 4, a Bobcat trailer and a pickup truck for public works, and an MOU with Reynoldsburg City School District to fund school resource officers for the coming year — were advanced. Consent and emergency items recorded in the clerk’s roll call passed unanimously (8–0) where votes were taken.

Votes at a glance - DORA: Motion to schedule a public hearing on May 12, 2025 — scheduled (committee vote recorded in committee: unanimous by voice). - Planning/Zoning appeal (App. 2024‑077046008‑60, East Livingston Ave): Motion to table to April 28, 2025 — tabled (motion moved and seconded; voice vote). - Ordinance: CRA agreement with Core5 Industrial Partners LLC (Taylor Road, ~52 acres; proposed 75%/15‑year abatement) — forwarded to council for first reading (committee vote). - Ordinance: 2025 Street Improvement Project contract (Law General Contracting) — forwarded for first reading (committee vote). - Ordinance: 2025 Street Maintenance Program (Pavement Technology Inc.) — forwarded for first reading (committee vote). - Ordinance: Summit Road engineering design services with EMH&T — forwarded for first reading (committee vote). - Resolution: Purchase and equipment disposals for Police, Street, Water/Wastewater departments; fireworks contract; and SRO MOU with Reynoldsburg City School District — approved on consent (roll call recorded 8–0). - Ordinance amendments related to employee compensation and a tentative steelworkers union contract — forwarded for first reading and emergency consideration (committee action).

What council asked staff to do next: multiple council members requested cost and operational details for items that will require implementation funding (for example, staffing implications for enforcement related to the DORA and for other programs). Staff said some positions are already authorized but may not be funded and that additional staff or use of Columbus Public Health (for other matters such as permitting discussed elsewhere in the meeting) could be explored. The council did not adopt final ordinances on any of the forwardings at this meeting; most items were sent to the regular legislative process for formal readings and votes.

Speakers quoted in this article are included in the speaker list below.