Tipp City residents say Windmere blasting is damaging homes and health; city, fire marshal and geotechnical firm to monitor

Dozens of residents from the Windmere and Woodlawn neighborhoods told the Tipp City Council that repeated blasting tied to the Summit Landing development has caused violent vibrations, dust in homes and health worries, and they asked the city to stop the work or improve protections.

At the meeting, City Manager Eric Mack said the city has been in contact with the State Fire Marshal and has engaged a geotechnical firm to review blast monitoring and evaluate potential property impacts. Fire and Emergency Services Chief Cameron Hallard told the council that state thresholds apply and that the contractor is using an ANFO product, not dynamite.

The concerns began during the public-comments portion of the meeting. “It does sound like a war zone,” said Becky Klosterman, a Windmere resident whose backyard abuts the blast area, describing repeated blasts that in one instance “shook the house twice” and produced visible plumes of dust. Several other residents described similar shaking, items falling from shelves, dust they could smell for hours and long-term health worries including respiratory effects.

“I was coughing the next day and couldn't figure out why,” said Krista Jones, a resident who said she now uses an N95 mask at home on blast days because she is worried about silica and other fine particulates. Neighbors also said they had not received consistent advance notice before blasting began and asked for better communication and on-site inspections.

Mack acknowledged gaps in early notification and said the city moved quickly once residents raised concerns. He told the council the developer had “got ahead of themselves” on signage and that the State Fire Marshal had inspected the site. Mack said the city’s geotechnical consultant conducted an on-site visit and will provide a written evaluation after reviewing vibration monitoring and other data.

Chief Hallard gave specific technical thresholds the city is using to assess blasts: “The threshold limits that we're looking at are a 133 decibels for the sound, and it's 2 inches per second. It's not on the Richter scale,” he told the council, adding that the marshal’s office had confirmed the contractor had no dynamite on site and was using ANFO.

Council members said they take residents’ concerns seriously and noted they have asked the developer and its contractors to meet with residents. Councilmember Slagle encouraged the developer and excavator to appear before council and to speak directly with residents. Councilmember Liddy said the city would do what it can to protect homeowners and property.

City staff said they will continue to monitor blast data, follow up on any measurements that exceed state limits and pursue remedies if private-property damage is identified. Mack said the city has engaged its geotechnical consultant to assess potential foundation or bedrock movement and will share findings with residents when available.

Residents requested clearer advance notice for blasts, on-site inspections by city representatives when residents report damage, and a mandatory contact procedure so homeowners can report suspected damage. The council asked staff to continue coordinating with the State Fire Marshal and the city’s consultant and to report back when the geotechnical firm’s written analysis is complete.

The exchange closed with an invitation from Mack for residents to meet with city staff after the meeting to provide addresses and documented instances of damage or health effects; residents said they would also seek assurance about how the city would document and respond to any future claims of property damage.