TOWNSHIP OF ETNA – Residents of the township of Etna have to wait even longer to find out if a new warehouse arrives in their community.

During a special meeting on December 29, Etna Township administrators again delayed voting on a zoning change that, if approved, would be the first step in bringing a warehouse to the intersection of Ohio 310 and Palmer Road SW.

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Administrator Randy Foor said that because the terms of Administrator John Carlisle and Administrator John Carlisle ended on December 31, current administrators did not have enough time to give rezoning the attention they needed. it deserved and that had been granted to other rezoning requests in the past. He offered to file the decision until Jan. 4, the first meeting with the two new directors, Mark Evans and Rozland McKee.

“Let the new administration take care of this and manage it as it should,” Foor said.

The filing of the application was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors.

The application by Cincinnati commercial real estate developer Al. Neyer requested that the zoning of 9819 Palmer Road SW, 10156 Palmer Road SW and 10829 Hazelton-Etna SW be moved from agriculture and general affairs to the development district. mixed-use planned.

If approved, it would pave the way for a warehouse of up to 1.7 million square feet to be built, owned, leased and managed by Al. Neyer. The main entrance to the facility would be on Ohio 310, but a secondary entrance from Palmer Road SW would be possible. The warehouse would be a speculative build and the tenant is not yet aligned.

About 70 people filled city hall on December 14 to voice their opinions on the request, and 34 people spoke out during the over-hour public hearing on the issue, 20 of whom supported the zoning change.

Nate Green, director of economic development for the Montrose Group which works with Al. Neyer, said at the December 14 meeting that they estimate the facility will create 400 new jobs with a payroll of at least $ 18 million. . While nothing is officially because zoning must first be approved, Green said the developers will offer a 100% 15-year tax rebate for the property.

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Evans said after the December 29 meeting that although the current directors cast the vote until January 4, it is likely that the new board will not be ready to vote on that day either because, as has Foor said, it will take several meetings to go through all the documents. And Evans said while in attendance at the public hearing that he would like to review all emails and letters sent to the Trustees on this matter.

He added that directors must vote within 30 days of the public hearing, which would take place on January 13.

McKee said she and Evans would visit the proposed warehouse area and talk to neighbors about their thoughts on the proposal.

“We listen to them, that is why we were elected and we will continue to do so, will continue to have this transparency with the neighbors,” she said.

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