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Council advances $2 million purchase of Bowen Road property for storage and utility access
Summary
Council moved ORD-26-005 to full Council to allow the city to enter a $2 million contract to purchase roughly 20 acres at 650 Bowen Road with three‑year seller financing; staff said the site’s large buildings and adjacency to the Liberman wellfields provide operational and long‑term water infrastructure value.
Canal Winchester City Council voted to advance an ordinance that would authorize the mayor to enter a real estate purchase agreement for 650 Bowen Road.
Lucas Haire described the proposal as an approximately 20‑acre purchase for $2 million, with the sellers retaining a roughly 2.5‑acre parcel that will be surveyed. "The proposed purchase price is $2 million, and the seller will be financing this purchase over a three‑year period at a 6% interest rate," Haire said, adding that the sellers also will retain a five‑year lease on portions of the property.
Haire walked council through extensive site assets the city would gain: a 17,280‑square‑foot clear-span arena with a dirt floor and very large overhead doors capable of driving equipment inside; a barn suited for sawdust or bulk storage; a roughly 5,700‑square‑foot block barn with an enclosed overhang; and a 9,000‑square‑foot building currently under construction that the sellers will complete and retain temporary use of during the year. Haire said the city plans to use parts of the site for seasonal storage—snow plows and leaf trucks in summer, lawn equipment in winter—and that the property would provide improved and safer access to the Liberman wellfields and the option to add future wells.
Finance staff explained the seller financing structure allows flexible terms without bank financing. "Seller financing gives us more flexibility when negotiating with the seller, rather than having to go through a bank," Amanda Jackson said. Jackson said the three‑year term would make annual payments a bit over $700,000 and that the first payment would be due at closing.
Council moved ORD-26-005 to full council on a 6–0 vote, with Chair Richard Moore making the motion and Alec McLaughlin seconding. Staff said the acreage is approximate pending a new survey; the sellers will retain specific stable and pasture areas by written exhibit and will lease portions of buildings to the city under a separate lease agreement.
If approved at full council, staff said the purchase would increase the city’s operational storage capacity and improve access for water‑system operations, while the seller‑financing timetable was described as manageable given the city’s current low debt levels.
