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Canal Winchester schedules full-council review of $2 million purchase of 650 Bowen Road
Summary
Council advanced an ordinance to purchase roughly 20 acres at 650 Bowen Road for $2 million under three‑year seller financing. Staff said the site’s large agricultural buildings and access would support city storage needs and future water‑well expansion.
Canal Winchester officials advanced a proposed purchase of roughly 20 acres at 650 Bowen Road and will consider final approval at a full council meeting.
Development Director Lucas Hair told the council the city would buy approximately 20 of the 22.49-acre tract for $2,000,000; the sellers would retain a roughly 2.5-acre parcel and some building and pasture rights. Hair said the seller will finance the sale over three years at a 6% interest rate and the purchase will include an arrangement under which sellers retain limited use of certain buildings and pasture areas.
The nut graf: Council members pressed staff on the practical benefits and financial terms because the parcel contains sizable existing buildings and is adjacent to the Liberman well fields. Hair said the site includes a roughly 17,000-square-foot clear-span arena, a 5,700-square-foot block barn and other structures the city expects to use for seasonal storage and utilities, and that acquiring the parcel provides safer access and space for future well sites.
During questioning, council members asked who would maintain the access road. Hair said the city would assume maintenance responsibility for the driveway that connects to Bowen Road. When asked about the price per acre, Hair calculated about $100,000 per acre and emphasized that much of the purchase value is in buildings and infrastructure on the site, not bare land.
Finance Director Amanda Jackson described seller financing as a flexible option that avoids bank financing and said the three‑year schedule will create annual payments “over $700,000 a year,” but that the city’s current debt obligations are nearing their end, making the timing manageable.
Council voted to move the ordinance to full council for consideration; the proposal will return with appropriation details. No final purchase vote was taken at the work session.
Next steps: staff will prepare the purchase agreement and a separate appropriation amendment for the next council meeting, and council will consider final adoption and funding details at that meeting.
