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Trustees debate whether to reopen Ross Township land‑use plan after Burns Farm sale
Summary
Trustees and residents discussed the sale of the Burns Farm property to Ronnie Watson and whether the township should reopen or reassign the land‑use plan committee; debate focused on allowable density (plan references up to six dwellings per acre), county A1 zoning, school impacts and the economics of multifamily development.
The Ross Township Board of Trustees spent the bulk of its meeting discussing whether to revisit the township land‑use plan after a speaker noted that Ronnie Watson recently purchased the Burns Farm property. Board members and residents questioned whether the existing plan — which the transcript cites as allowing up to six dwelling units per acre in some 'high‑density suburban residential' areas — still reflects community goals and local market realities.
Residents and advisers raised several concrete points: one speaker said the parcel was '12 159 Acres' in the transcript (that figure was not further clarified in the meeting record); county staff recommended consideration of existing A1 agricultural zoning; and a planning adviser identified in the transcript as Jennifer urged trustees to weigh market economics, noting that "20 to 22 an acre is what really makes this financially successful" for many multifamily projects and that lower densities may not support amenities or on‑site management.
Trustees debated process as well as substance. Several members asked whether the land‑use committee that drafted the plan — a group the transcript describes as meeting for many months with input from Butler County staff — should be reconvened or whether the board should itself open the plan to targeted revisions. Some speakers emphasized that the plan had been vetted through public hearings and county review, while others argued the board should be 'in front of it' now that the property has changed hands.
Speakers also flagged school impacts and asked staff to consult local school districts for data on pupil generation from higher‑density housing. One trustee suggested inviting Mr. Watson after the new year to hear his vision for the property before taking formal action.
No formal amendments, new ordinances or rezoning decisions were recorded in the transcript excerpt; the discussion ended with procedural business and adjournment. Trustees scheduled the next meeting for Thursday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m.
