Commission approves Creekside Woods Phase 2 detailed plan for 81 townhomes

The Huber Heights Planning Commission on March 4 approved a detailed development plan for Creekside Woods Phase 2, a proposal by Grama Fox Capital for 81 townhome units on 9.4 acres at 5425 Charles Gate Road (Case DDP25-08). The motion passed 5-0.

Aaron Cyrille, planning staff, said Phase 2 is the second half of a 159-unit townhome development, is zoned planned residential, and includes sidewalks on all streets, public utilities in public easements, and a proposed setback along Wildcat to accommodate a future multi-use path. Cyrille told commissioners the net density for the overall development is about 6.5 units per acre and that the detailed plan substantially conforms to the landscape buffering revisions approved by city council.

Key elements of the plan include private roads with public utilities, two parking spaces per unit plus six dedicated visitor spaces for Phase 2, a 7-foot privacy fence proposed along the south property line to separate the townhomes from a nearby proposed campground with cottages, and preservation of a ravine and a sanitary sewer easement that runs through the site. Cyrille said the builder will provide the residential building materials approved in Phase 1 and must comply with fire-department requirements; staff recommended approval with those two conditions.

At the meeting Jake Shields, who identified himself as representing Grey Fox Capital (the agenda and staff documents list the applicant as Grama Fox Capital), said the developer expects to start Phase 2 later in the summer and estimated (without a formal count) "maybe 20 trucks a day" on Wildcat near the site based on personal observation. Shields said the builder expects to sell the units rather than rent them and gave an approximate average sale price of about $305,000. He told the commission the stream in the ravine averages about 3 feet deep and that he did not anticipate flooding of the proposed homes.

Commission discussion touched on parking, the location and type of monument signs, street-tree placement to avoid utility easements, whether an additional fire hydrant will be required, timing of road improvements (applicant must improve Wildcat at time of construction), and possible future work to widen Kellenberger Road as traffic patterns change. The motion to approve, moved by Miss Thomas and seconded by Matthew Schomper, passed on a roll-call vote of Miss Vargo (yes), Dave Cassidy (yes), Miss Thomas (yes), Schomper (yes) and Mister Walton (yes). The applicant will revise site plans as required and move forward with building permits.