Metro Development previews 66-acre mixed-use plan at Broad Street and Taylor Road; committee raises traffic and access concerns
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Summary
Metro Development presented a concept plan for a 66-acre mixed-use development at Broad Street and Taylor Road that would include 360 multifamily units, retail frontage and 97 single-family lots; committee members asked for traffic studies and clearer access plans.
Metro Development representatives presented a concept plan for about 66 acres at Broad Street and Taylor Road to the Pataskala City Development Committee, describing a mixed-use layout of multifamily buildings, street-front commercial parcels and single-family lots. Joe Thomas introduced himself as a Metro Development representative and outlined the proposal.
The plan that Metro Development described includes a multifamily component of 360 units (three-story, breezeway-style buildings with clubhouse and pool), about 97 single-family lots in the wooded rear portion of the site, and commercial/mixed-use frontage on Broad Street. The presenters said sewer availability recently improved the site's viability; one speaker said "sewer has become available," which made the project more feasible.
The developers said the proposed density is roughly 7.5 units per acre and that the city's 35% open-space requirement translates to about 23.1 acres; they said they planned roughly 30 acres of open space on the site. The representatives also said they would locate primary vehicular access on Broad Street and seek to minimize access onto Taylor Road; some secondary or emergency access points were discussed but described as subject to traffic studies.
Committee members focused on traffic, access and pedestrian connectivity. Several members urged the developers to minimize curb cuts on the Taylor Road frontage, to coordinate any multiuse path or sidewalk connections carefully where Taylor Road lacks sidewalks, and to perform a robust traffic study before finalizing access points. One committee member recommended considering bollards or knockdown posts for emergency-only access across Taylor Road so the design would not encourage pedestrian crossings on a roadway without sidewalks.
The committee discussed adjacent uses and whether apartments should sit along Broad Street or be replaced by more commercial frontage; a member suggested that converting some frontage-located apartment blocks to commercial uses could lower density and increase commercial tax base. Metro representatives said they would consider the idea.
Speakers noted an upcoming public project to realign the Taylor-and-Broad intersection. Committee members said public-service staff had secured ODOT funding and that a realignment engineering project could proceed in coming years; one committee member estimated ODOT funding in the low millions for the work and suggested the developers consult city public-service staff. The developers said they would do so and complete traffic studies to inform access design and signalization needs.
Presenters said they are partnering with MI Homes on portions of the single-family work and that unit types and elevations would be designed to meet local standards. No formal action or vote occurred at the committee meeting; Metro Development sought feedback and will proceed to technical studies and formal applications.
Next steps: Metro Development will complete traffic studies, coordinate sewer-tie options and meet with city engineering and public-service staff before filing for planning and zoning approvals, including site-plan and subdivision reviews.
