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Building Momentum
Pickerington leaders work to bring business to the City
Pickerington is one of the hottest cities in central Ohio for residential and commercial building.
While it is important to attract new residents, developers and businesses to the Violet City,Pickerington City leaders continue to manage the significant population and development growth to ensure the City provides all residents and businesses high-quality services and a family-friendly place to live and work.
“The growing population within the Pickerington and Violet Township community fuels the rise of Pickerington’s local economy, which remains one of the fastest-growing in central Ohio,” Vance said.
City Manager Bill Vance said many of the vacant commercial lots on State Rt. 256, Refugee Road and Diley Road are filling up with new “job-creating restaurants, retail shops, medical offices and independent living opportunities.” Platted residential subdivisions along Refugee, Milnor and Diley roads and in Preston Trails and Willow Pond continue to change the City landscape.
Pickerington’s six employees in the Development Service Department administrated the applications for more than $272 million successful construction projects since Jan. 1, 2012, Vance said.
“The growing population within the Pickerington and Violet Township community fuels the rise of Pickerington’s local economy, which remains one of the fastest-growing in central Ohio,” Vance said.
All of this development work is reviewed by the City engineer, a planning director, an economic development director, a development services specialist and two full-time building department employees to make sure that growth is responsibly managed. Full-time and contracted building, engineering support and plan review services are all paid for by the developers investing in the City.
Pickerington’s tax base receives a boost before any of the homes or businesses open their doors because construction workers pay the City’s 1 percent income tax.
Infrastructure Improvement
Paving, road widening, bike path expansion and dam removal among City’s capital projects
Pickerington’s progressive capital improvement plan supports the existing infrastructure and allows the City to strategically grow.
Construction is slated to begin late next summer on the $13 million Refugee Road project, which will widen and improve 1.3 miles of Refugee Road from the east to the west corporation limits.
City Engineer Scott Tourville said the project will include new turn and through lanes at the State Rt. 256 intersection, two lanes of travel in both directions from the intersection to Fullers Way, paving, curbs and gutters, sidewalks, and paths in areas. Financing for the project is provided through a $3.5 million Ohio Department of Transportation grant, a $7 million Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission award and Tax Increment Financing funds from the OhioHealth building project.
“The leadership exhibiting from both Mayor Lee Gray and council has helped place a priority on maintaining our roadway network" - Tourville
It would have been nearly impossible for the City to undertake these projects without the federal transportation grants, said Pickerington City Manager Bill Vance. Since 2016, the City has also budgeted about $1 million to maintain its streets.
Tourville said the allocation allows the City to increase its paving of the streets.
“The leadership exhibiting from both Mayor Lee Gray and council has helped place a priority on maintaining our roadway network, which will enable us to continue to provide good service in relation to pavement maintenance,” Tourville said. “By keeping up on preventive maintenance, we reduce our long-term costs by using our funding more efficiently.”
In 2017, the City paved about four miles of roadway, mostly in subdivisions. The rest was on Long Road between Columbus Street and Diley Road. Recently completed infrastructure projects include the $45,000 restoration of the Sycamore Park covered bridge and the expansion and widening of the park’s bike path to Victory Park.
In the near future, the City will be studying the water plant’s capacity and Pickerington’s future needs.
“As development continues, we need to make sure we can continue to provide services to existing and new users,” Tourville said. “This is simply a review of the projected growth in the area, the plant’s operations and what, if anything, we need to do to continue to provide quality service to our residents.”
“We are constantly reviewing our priorities and goals to make sure that we serve the citizens as best we can.” - Tourville
Another project underway is the removal of the old Windmiller Dam, which is just south of Refugee Road and in need of repairs. Removing the dam is projected to cost less than constantly making repairs to it, and it will be designed to ensure there are no adverse downstream issues from rainfall, Tourville said.
Last year, the City reviewed more than 150 projects, Tourville said, and added a few more to its list to continually evaluate.
“We work very hard to balance the short- and long-term needs with the funding we have,” Tourville said. “We are constantly reviewing our priorities and goals to make sure that we serve the citizens as best we can.”
Halloween Happenings
Haunted Village, trick or treat, and more
The City of Pickerington is an enchanting place for children and adults this Halloween.
On Monday, Oct. 30, Olde Pickerington Village will become the Haunted Village from 6-8 p.m.
The young and young at heart can trick-or-treat at various Olde Village businesses, go on hayrides, take a ghostly tour, listen to music by Rock Factory Studios and even hear a frightful tale by ghost story-tellers. Children will also be able to stop by KIDSTOWN by H.O.P.E. Ministry of Violet Baptist Church.
The City tries to provide a variety of events to bring the community together, said Pickerington Parks and Recreation Direction Rebecca Medinger.
“We like to provide a fun and safe environment for the community to partake in Halloween activities with their families,” Medinger said.
The howling good time is sponsored by the City of Pickerington Parks and Recreation Department, Pickerington Village Association, Pickerington Lions Club, Rock Factory and H.O.P.E. Ministry of Violet Baptist Church.
Pickerington City Hall is the place for little goblins to experience a fun and safe Halloween. On Tuesday, Oct. 31, children ages 2-5 can wear their costumes and trick-or-treat with an adult through a decorated City Hall, located at 100 Lockville Rd., from 1:30-2:30 p.m.
The community-wide Trick or Treat throughout the City of Pickerington will be held Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m.
