Latest news with #FairwayCliffs
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fate of controversial Whitehall development's tax abatement could end up in voters' hands
WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) — Whitehall voters will now have the chance to vote on a controversial tax abatement to allow for the construction of Fairway Cliffs. Opponents of the upscale townhome development protested outside Whitehall City Hall before the meeting Tuesday night, where there was a lot of back-and-forth discussion between the city council and city attorney. Columbus officer confronts school board after being denied access to school One resident said she was excited over the decision, but feels the work isn't over just yet. 'So if there is doubt, we have three readings to rectify whatever issues there are and I'm saying what is the point of pushing something through when we aren't even sure or some of us don't have the understanding, it's not clear,' said one council member. In April, Whitehall City Council approved three tax breaks for the nearly 50-unit Fairway Cliffs proposal. Opponents then started referendum petitions, which, with enough valid signatures, puts issues on the ballot. After about 20 minutes of discussion, council members voted 6-1 to send the tax abatement question to the November ballot. 'We're happy with the city council and their vote and we're excited about Nov. 4 and really want the public to come out and have their voice heard,' Whitehall resident Holly Stein said. Hilliard, Grove City helping solve housing shortage in central Ohio Council has supported the Fairway Cliffs plan and previously approved a 100-percent tax abatement for the development's first 15 years. 'That's where we feel this is not worth it,' Stein said. 'We have many other projects in the City of Whitehall. We have Rockwell District. We have Norton Crossing. Where is the development going forward on those? We want to spend our energy and our time and our resources, our valuable tax dollars on those properties.' Residents learned on May 7 that the petitions filed were valid. That same day, city council allowed developers from Fairway Cliffs to submit tweaks to the plan, but residents said that that move violated citizens' rights. 'Once you have a referendum, petitions found to be sufficient, you can take no action against those, so we are satisfied on one side, but we still have some more work to do on the other side in trying to get the motion to reconsider dropped,' Stein said. Horror museum featuring haunted objects, 'last meal' restaurant coming to Ohio Developers have until June 17 to submit a new proposal to council. If it passes with a large majority, council can use an emergency clause to override the referendums. A statement from the Whitehall mayor's office reads, in part, 'The mayor's office and the City of Whitehall welcome all public engagement in all forms and celebrate citizens exercising their civic rights.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Whitehall moves to put Fairway Cliffs on November ballot
WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) – It looks like a controversial tax abatement to allow for the construction of the Fairway Cliffs development will be going before voters. Opponents of the upscale townhome development protested outside city hall before Tuesday's meeting. The group passed petitions, hoping to get enough signatures to get the proposed development on the ballot in November. The petitions were accepted, and council voted to send the proposed referendum to the elections commission. Council has supported the Fairway Cliffs plan and previously approved a 100% tax abatement for the first 15 years. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Whitehall residents successfully take council-approved tax breaks to a citizen vote
WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) — Whitehall voters will have the chance to decide on controversial tax breaks for a housing development themselves. Residents have voiced opposition to three tax break proposals for the Fairway Cliffs development since 2023. Despite a packed April 15 meeting, Whitehall City Council still approved the tax breaks for the high-end housing development. Unsatisfied, residents gathered signatures for a referendum petition to take the breaks to a citizen vote. On Wednesday, organizers received word their petitions were approved. Referendum organizer and city council candidate Holly Stein shared the sufficient petition notifications with NBC4. All four petitions were approved — one for each tax break approved by city council, and another enacting a zoning ordinance for Fairway Boulevard, the street the development plans to build on. May 2025 primary election results for central Ohio Voters will decide whether to collect Fairway Cliffs' taxes separately for 45 years to fund an HOA and pay for the development's upkeep. The nearly 50-unit development could also be exempt from property taxes for 15 years if voters approve it. Citizens will now be able to vote on the tax breaks and City Attorney Brad Nicodemus said its likely to be placed on the November election ballot. Nicodemus said city council could also set a special election date, but it would need two-thirds of council's approval. A spokesperson for the mayor's office said 'the city of Whitehall welcomes all public engagement in all forms and celebrates citizens exercising their civic rights.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Whitehall City Council to vote on tax incentives for controversial Fairway Cliffs townhomes
Whitehall City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on a proposed trio of tax incentives for a controversial townhome development that has angered some residents because it would divert tax money from city services. Developer JDS Companies has proposed building 50 townhomes, dubbed Fairway Cliffs, on a 10.27-acre site along Fairway Boulevard that's split between a smaller parcel on the west side of the roadway and a larger parcel to the east. Of the 10.27 acres, about 3.8 acres of the eastern parcel would be developed into a city park along Big Walnut Creek, said Whitehall Economic Development Director Joe Long. Fairway Cliffs, Long said, would be Whitehall's first new housing development in more than 20 years. The city has proposed a series of tax incentives that would redirect some property taxes toward public improvements, such as roads and water and sewer infrastructure, Long said. While one incentive would give the development a 100% property tax abatement for 15 years, another would levy an assessment on property owners for that same time period that would be roughly equal to the property taxes being abated, Long said. "That allows for not only the reimbursement to the developer for any public improvements that they paid for upfront, but it also allows the project to give funds to the (Whitehall) school district, to the city, and then, for a certain number of years, the county as well," he said. Once the first two incentives end after 15 years, a third incentive called a tax increment financing incentive district, or TIF, would be in effect for another 15 years. That TIF would direct a portion of property taxes into a fund to maintain public infrastructure related to the housing development. By the city providing these incentives to reimburse for public improvements,Long said, the developer can increase the quality of the townhomes and give the land for a public park that the entire Whitehall community can enjoy. "Without these incentives, it would be hard to kind of make it work as a for-sale product, and then they would want to keep the park as a private amenity for just those, folks who are in the development," he said. But many Whitehall residents are not supportive of the tax incentives or the development plan for the site, which has led to standing-room-only city council meetings as people voice their opposition. "I think the reason why is because people are upset because they think they're being taken advantage of," said Whitehall resident Holly Stein, who has fought against the project since it was initially proposed in 2023. Stein said there are numerous reasons why Whitehall residents are against the Fairway Cliffs development, such as the density and appropriateness of the townhomes in a neighborhood of single-family homes. But the biggest reason is the tax incentives, which will divert money from city services, such as the police and fire departments, roads, and water and sewer services, she said. "If it's a for-profit developer, why are we providing those tax-abated funds to them? If it's truly capitalism, just let him take on that risk," she said. Stein is a candidate for a ward seat on Whitehall City Council on the November ballot. However, the city council and another council candidate are challenging a decision by the Franklin County Board of Elections to leave Stein on the ballot in a complaint to the Ohio Supreme Court. The plaintiffs argue Stein has not lived in Whitehall for a long enough, consecutive period of time to meet the city charter's residency requirement to hold office. Stein argues the city charter language is not specific and that she meets the two years required. Eastern suburbs Reporter Maria DeVito can be reached at mdevito@ and @ on Bluesky and @MariaDeVito13 on X. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Whitehall council to vote on tax incentives for townhomes development
