Canal Winchester City Council adopted a set of resolutions Dec. 1 approving development agreements, a tax-increment financing declaration and a community reinvestment area for the OPUS industrial project at Bixby Road, Rager Road and U.S. Route 33.

Development Director Lucas Hare told council the developer agreed to raise the Community Benefit payment from $0.50 to $0.75 per square foot, with $0.25 payable at building-permit issuance and the remaining $0.50 due at building occupancy. "That would be a contribution of $675,000 in total, once those buildings are fully occupied," Hare said.

Hare also described changes to the proposed TIF financing: the interest rate language was revised from a fixed 6.5% to an upper limit of 6.5%, with the actual rate to be determined at the time of bond issuance so it will match the bond's rate. "So, if it's less than that, we would pay whatever is proposed at the issuance of any bonds," Hare said.

Council and staff discussed stormwater infrastructure costs after additional engineering found the planned open-ditch solution would not provide adequate drainage. Hare said the storm-sewer scope and costs were expanded, adding roughly $300,000 to earlier estimates and producing an "amount up to $830,000" in proposed storm-sewer reimbursements under the TIF agreement.

The council moved each agreement to the full session and later adopted the package by roll call. The council vote advanced the development agreement, the CRA agreement and the TIF declaration that together govern public infrastructure reimbursements and the community benefit payments for the project.

The package also includes standard safeguards: the TIF's interest will be set at the time of borrowing and stormwater reimbursements are tied to final engineering. Councilmembers who pressed for clarity on interest costs and community contributions said the negotiated changes addressed those concerns.

Next steps: the adopted resolutions authorize the mayor to execute the agreements and allow the city to proceed with finalizing reimbursement terms and bond issuance if needed. The development still requires implementation milestones (permits, occupancy triggers) before final payments are due.