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Planners OK bonding option so Blackman’s site can open while crosswalk and video detection are installed
Summary
Deputy planning director told commissioners contractor changes delayed required crosswalk and video‑detection work at the former Blackman’s on Germantown Road; staff proposed a $50,000–$75,000 bond as a financial guarantee so the business can open while the complex equipment is procured and installed. The commission agreed to the approach.
Deputy Planning Director Jennifer Ehminger told the commission that the Blackman Service Station conversion to a gas station/convenience store is roughly 95% complete but a recent contractor change left the developer short of time to procure and install a push‑button crosswalk and video‑detection equipment required by the commission. The equipment has a 2–3 month lead time and the traffic engineer needed a signal‑revision plan to be filed with the roadway authority (OSTA), which has signed off on the plan.
Ehminger said staff discussed allowing the owner to post a financial bond, valued at the equipment and installation cost, to guarantee completion so the business could open while waiting for the equipment. "We believe it's between $50,000 and $75,000," Ehminger said. Zoning enforcement and planning staff indicated they were comfortable with a bond valued at the cost of the required equipment and would call the bond if the improvements were not completed.
Commissioners expressed general support for the approach as a timing accommodation while preserving assurance that required improvements will be installed. No formal vote was required; staff will work with zoning enforcement to set and value the bond and ensure the improvements are completed.
