Council reviews first reading on annexation of two Cosgray Road parcels after staff flags traffic, parking limits

Hilliard City Council on Feb. 10 held a first reading and public discussion on an annexation petition for two parcels on opposite sides of Cosgray Road that the petitioner says are surrounded by the city.

City staff presented site plans and told council the larger parcel was proposed for an elementary school and the smaller for a daycare; staff said both sites would be constrained after right-of-way dedication along Cosgray Road and that both showed shortfalls in required parking. "Based on the applicant's calculation, the site that's closer to the Amazon site would require 127 parking spaces. But in fact, this site would only allow for 92," a staff presenter said. The staff presentation also called out one-way-in/one-way-out circulation on the smaller site and said that typical intense drop-off and pick-up activity at schools could lead to traffic backing up on Cosgray Road.

The applicant's attorney, Donald Plank, told council the petitioner is asking only for annexation to obtain sewer and water and that annexation does not guarantee approval of the proposed site plan. "All we're asking for is annexation for sewer and water and then let it go ... and then let it go through the zoning process," Plank said. He added that the owner's purchase of the parcels requires annexation before water and sewer extensions can be provided.

Council members asked for additional information and suggested delaying a final decision. One council member noted timeline constraints: the city must act to accept or deny within 120 days of county certification, which staff said would put the deadline at April 3. Staff recommended not taking a final action now and instead waiting closer to the 120-day deadline to allow more time for discussions and revisions.

Council members and staff also discussed the broader community context: one member urged the city to consider proactive ways to help the growing Muslim community seeking space for schools and religious uses, and another asked staff to provide information on a comparable daycare parcel the city recently approved on Leap Road (staff later said that site is about 1.32 acres with 44 parking spaces).

No formal vote occurred at second reading; staff said the next substantive council opportunity on the annexation will be at second reading, tentatively scheduled for the second meeting in March. Staff said any zoning for the sites would still require a future planning commission review and formal zoning process.