Powell to install three outdoor warning sirens; council weighs placement and notice to nearby residents

City staff told the Powell City Council on April 15 that the city will install three outdoor warning sirens to provide outdoor tornado and severe-weather alerts across most of the city’s jurisdiction.

Andy Merritt, the city manager, said the council previously authorized procurement and that materials have been ordered. Steel poles are the remaining required delivery, expected in May. Staff presented three proposed locations intended to maximize coverage: a northwest location, a south-central location and a central location. Staff identified the proposed sites in meeting materials as (in staff slides) a central site, Bennett Farm and the site at the side/entrance of Glen Park (referred to in discussion as Scioto Glen Park). Merritt said the overall project budget is “around $200,000” and that some funds are already encumbered.

Merritt said the units will be primarily for outdoor warning and that the city worked with Delaware County and the manufacturer (Federal Signal) on specifications. Aaron (city engineer/staff) said the system will be migrated to three pole-mounted sirens roughly in the 30-to-40-foot range; staff said they were awaiting final pole-height specifications from the manufacturer and would pass those details to council once verified.

Staff showed maps with concentric coverage rings and said the primary gaps would be a small area south of Home Road in the Redwood vicinity. Proposed placements were chosen to maximize audible coverage while also minimizing new utility work by using existing power pedestals and transformers. Staff said they will produce an address list for directly impacted residences and send a mailed notice; they also plan to notify multifamily property managers so the management company can distribute information to tenants.

Council members and residents raised concerns about the proposed Scioto Glen Park placement because of its proximity to nearby homes. A resident who identified themselves as living in the neighborhood said the monthly daylight test “is going to be noticeable for those residences” and asked whether testing would occur midday; staff confirmed the monthly test is planned for mid-afternoon. Council members suggested looking at alternate sites (including library/strip-center property, Kinsale turf-maintenance property east of Sawmill Parkway, and moving the unit farther into park land) to reduce residential impact even if that required additional utility work or a delayed installation of the third siren.

Aaron said two constraints guided placement: available existing power service (to avoid long new electrical runs) and maintenance access for bucket/bucket-truck servicing. For the Scioto Glen Park location staff said the nearest existing transformer provided accessible power and road-side maintenance access, factors that supported the proposed location despite its proximity to homes. Aaron also said locating farther north would still be in proximity to homes and could increase the number impacted while lacking easy service access.

Merritt said staff will further investigate alternate placements and bring options back to council if changes are recommended, but that the first two sirens’ placements and material orders are already in motion. He reiterated staff will prepare and send notices to potentially impacted property owners and management companies prior to testing and installation.

No formal council vote authorizing changes to site locations was taken on April 15; the council provided feedback and asked staff to explore alternatives and return with recommendations.