Plain City is negotiating a development agreement with Cole West for about 1,500 acres in its northwest corner, a project that could greatly increase the town’s population.
The land, described in city minutes as the Jacksons’ property, covers 20% of Plain City. At the 2.3 homes per acre Cole West proposes on average, that is about 3,500 new homes, according to minutes of a July 16 joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission. The minutes call it one of the largest and most complex projects facing the city.
Cole West argued for planning all 1,500 acres at once, saying a master plan gives the city and developer predictability. Its representatives said low-density sprawl, specifically 1-acre lots, could bankrupt the city because tax revenue doesn’t cover the long-term cost of plowing, road repair and sewer maintenance. Denser clusters and a commercial tax base, they said, would pay for infrastructure such as sewer plant upgrades…