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Schwartz Family Seeks Annexation for 300‑Acre Lebanon Development; Sewer Access, Road Improvements Cited
Summary
A single-owner annexation by the Schwartz family to the City of Lebanon is advancing to support a residential development with Drees and Hensley Homes. City staff said the annexation is primarily to obtain sewer access; road improvements at Drake and Miller roads were discussed.
Warren County commissioners reviewed a proposed single-owner annexation of about 300 acres by the City of Lebanon that the Schwartz family intends to develop in partnership with builders Drees and Hensley Homes.
City Manager Scott Branca said the Schwartz property has been in the family for years and that the owners “are ready to move into development.” Branca described the project as a lower-density plan consistent with Lebanon’s comprehensive plan and identified Drees and Hensley Homes as development partners.
Branca said the primary reason for seeking annexation is sewer access. “Right now, the city had run sewer service really through the property over 20 years ago up to the high school. So they wanna be able to access that sewer to support the development,” Branca said. The city’s policy, Branca added, typically requires annexation to receive sewer service, though he acknowledged there have been cases where sewer was provided outside city limits.
Commissioners and staff discussed the likely character and market for the development. Branca said Hensley Homes is a custom builder from the Cincinnati area and described its product as higher-priced homes, “1 to $2,000,000, type homes.” He said Drees would build a different product in the same neighborhood. Branca also said the developers and the city expect to pursue road improvements at Drake and Miller roads as part of the project.
Commissioners said the county had negotiated an annexation agreement with the township that has jurisdiction over the property. Branca characterized the development as fitting “within our comprehensive plan and our growth area.” One commissioner emphasized caution about very large, high-density projects and said the proposed plan’s larger lots and higher price point were preferable to a maximal-density build-out.
No formal legislative vote or ordinance was recorded in the transcript excerpt; commissioners indicated standard annexation approvals would follow city and county procedures.
