The Beavercreek Planning Commission voted 3-0 on Aug. 6 to recommend rezoning roughly 54.3 acres at 816 Grange Hall Road to an RPUD and approved a specific site plan for Wrightwood Springs (PUD25-4), a 121‑lot single‑family subdivision that the applicant, Rockford Homes, said will be built in multiple phases over about four years.

The commission’s approval sends both the rezoning and the site plan to Beavercreek City Council for final action. Staff recommended approval with nine conditions for the rezoning and 34 conditions for the site plan; commissioners amended the site‑plan conditions to add a walking path and approved the package as amended (35 conditions total).

Rockford Homes’ director of land, Jim Lipnos, told commissioners the company plans 121 homes on about 54.29 acres with an overall density of 2.23 dwelling units per acre—below the land‑use plan cap of three units per acre—and roughly 11 acres of open space. Lipnos said the developer expects to phase work so a connection to Southbrook Drive will be built in phase 2, estimated for late 2026, and projected sales prices starting around $550,000 and averaging about $650,000 fully optioned. He said Rockford agreed to the rezoning and site‑plan conditions and that the homeowners association will own and maintain the open space and ponds once it takes control.

That ownership pledge drew repeated questions from nearby residents, who pressed the commission and staff about pond operation and maintenance during construction and afterward. Planning staff and the city engineer said whoever owns the underlying property is responsible for pond maintenance; because the Beavercreek Development Corporation currently owns the land, it remains responsible until the developer takes title and eventually until the HOA assumes maintenance. Staff noted the city retains a stormwater easement and authority to repair a pond and bill the owner if maintenance is neglected.

Residents also raised traffic and safety concerns tied to a proposed Southbrook connection and smaller interior lot sizes. Multiple speakers said their neighborhoods—including Southbrook and Autumn Springs—could see more cut‑through traffic and tight street conditions near schools and during peak hours. The city engineer explained the traffic study reviewed major intersections on Grange Hall Road and concluded additional trips would not change intersection level of service appreciably; staff and legal counsel reiterated that school capacity is not a standard that may legally be used to deny a zoning change.

Commissioners and staff identified several planning controls in the approval: a maximum density of 2.3 dwelling units per acre in the rezoning resolution (the site plan is at 2.23); minimum lot sizes ranging from 60‑ to 80‑foot widths depending on location; minimum single‑story living area of 1,400 square feet (excluding garage and porches); limits on construction hours (Mon–Sat, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. for exterior work); a grading‑limit buffer along the north, east and portions of the south property lines (25 feet in most places, 20 feet in a steep southwest corner); a requirement that no more than 10 homes may be built in phase 2 before the Southbrook connection is open; and submission of HOA documents and stormwater operation/maintenance language before the record plat will be accepted.

Commissioners and staff also discussed the benefits of the PUD approach compared with a straight R‑1A rezoning: under the PUD the city can set building materials, lot‑size mixes, architectural consistency and grading limits that would not be enforceable under a simple R‑1A zoning. Commissioner discussion produced one condition added by the commission requiring a walking path connection between River Hills and the new neighborhood (connecting near Lots 8–9); the applicant indicated the path could be accommodated across stormwater easements.

Motion and vote: a motion to recommend approval of PUD25‑4 (rezoning) with nine conditions carried 3–0 (Commissioners present: Meyer, Fountain, Self; one commissioner absent). The commission then approved PUD25‑4 specific site plan number 1 with the 35 conditions as amended, 3–0. Both items will be scheduled for Beavercreek City Council consideration; staff indicated an anticipated council hearing date of Aug. 25.

The developer provided contact information and offered follow‑up meetings for neighbors; Jim Lipnos gave an email (jlipnos@rockfordhomes.com) and said he would meet with residents. The commission closed the public hearing after receiving seven written letters from residents and hearing more than a dozen public comments.

Why it matters: The rezoning and site plan set the legal framework for how about 54 acres bordering existing neighborhoods will be developed, including lot sizes, open‑space obligations and who will operate stormwater infrastructure. The commission emphasized conditions that require construction‑period controls, an HOA maintenance framework and specific roadway improvements tied to phasing.

What’s next: The Planning Commission recommendation and the specific site plan will go to Beavercreek City Council for final action; notices will be mailed to nearby residents ahead of council review.