Hilliard council approves TIF-style service-payment agreement, accepts sewer work and OKs school weight-room addition

Hilliard City Council on April 28 approved an ordinance to authorize service payments in lieu of taxes for improvements at a development and established a public improvement tax increment equivalent fund; it also accepted sanitary sewer public improvements for the Edwards Farms Innovation Center and granted conditional-use approval for a 4,400-square-foot accessory weight room at Hilliard Darby High School.

The council voted 4-0 on Ordinance 25-08, which declares certain real-property improvements to be a public purpose, exempts those improvements from real property taxation and authorizes execution of a service-payment agreement with the developer and a compensation agreement with Brown Township. The council approved the consent agenda item 25R30, accepting sanitary sewer public improvements from EFIC Partners, LLC for Edwards Farms Innovation Center. Resolution 25R31, authorizing the conditional use for the Hilliard Darby High School accessory weight room at 4200 Leopard Road in the S-1 Supportive Services District, also passed by roll call vote.

Nut graf: The measures affect planned development financing and school campus facilities. The ordinance creates an account for service payments tied to the developer’s public improvements and signals the council’s assent to the specific development and school-campus work presented at the meeting.

Ordinance 25-08 The ordinance’s title describes several elements: declaring improvements a public purpose, exempting them from real property taxation, requiring service payments in lieu of taxes, identifying public infrastructure improvements that will benefit the property, authorizing a service payment agreement with the developer, authorizing a compensation agreement with Brown Township, and establishing a public improvement tax increment equivalent fund for deposit of service payments. A staff member said projected amounts that will go to the school district and the township were provided to council in advance and that staff could answer further questions.

Council members recorded as voting yes were Ms. Hale, Mr. Carrier, Ms. Vermillion and President Tina Catone (roll call recorded in the transcript). The ordinance “has passed and will be in effect at the earliest date allowable by law,” the clerk said.

Consent agenda: sanitary sewer acceptance The consent agenda included item 25R30, accepting sanitary sewer public improvements from EFIC Partners, LLC for Edwards Farms Innovation Center. The council approved the consent agenda by voice vote.

Resolution 25R31 — Hilliard Darby High School Staff described the proposed 4,400-square-foot weight-room building as sited behind the main building and with minimal impact under traditional conditional-use standards. The council approved the conditional use by roll call and the resolution is “in effect at the earliest date allowable by law,” the clerk said.

Other business and next steps Several code amendments and fee updates were taken up as readings and were scheduled for additional hearings or readings: Ordinance 25-09 (amendments to the comprehensive fee schedule; first reading with second reading/public hearing set for May 12, 2025), Ordinance 25-10 (amending flood-damage prevention chapters to allow the city engineer to appoint a flood-plain administrator; second reading/public hearing set for May 12, 2025), Ordinance 25-11 (amending the city operating budget to add personnel in the finance department; second reading/public hearing May 12, 2025), and Ordinance 25-12 (amending local code to align with House Bill 37 and sections of the Ohio Revised Code related to OVI; second reading/public hearing May 12, 2025).

Votes at a glance - Consent item 25R30 — Acceptance of sanitary sewer public improvements (EFIC Partners, LLC): approved (voice vote). - Ordinance 25-08 — Service payments in lieu of taxes / public improvement tax increment equivalent fund: approved by roll call (yes: Ms. Hale; Mr. Carrier; Ms. Vermillion; President Tina Catone). Outcome: approved. - Resolution 25R31 — Conditional use for 4,400-square-foot accessory weight-room building at Hilliard Darby High School (4200 Leopard Road): approved by roll call (yes: Ms. Hale; Mr. Carrier; Ms. Vermillion; President Tina Catone). Outcome: approved.

Ending: Council scheduled second readings/public hearings for several ordinances on May 12, 2025; no formal actions on those items were taken at this meeting.