Delaware · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Delaware public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Houk Road/Greenlawn Drive PUD amendment
About 18 acres at the northwest corner of Houk Road and Greenlawn Drive could see its PUD 25-7 zoning amended, shaping what gets built near that intersection. The commission's vote is only a recommendation — City Council decides.
Performance Impact Arena plan modification
The Ohio AAA Blue Jackets want a minor change to the approved plan for their Performance Impact Arena at Sawmill Parkway and US 42. Unlike the other items, the commission's decision here is final.
Four Seasons at Addison Farms expansion
Sections 4 and 5 of the Four Seasons at Addison Farms single-family subdivision would move forward on nearly 27 acres, adding new homes in the area. Neighbors may weigh in during the public hearing.
Pennsylvania Ave./Euclid Ave. All-Way Stop
Six crashes in twelve months and tough school-hour pedestrian crossings at Pennsylvania and Euclid prompted an interim four-way stop, possibly installed before the end of the year. A mini roundabout may be considered long-term.
Ordinance 305 Interpretation — Committee Authority Over Parking Decisions
A city attorney memo confirms minor parking and lane changes don't need full Council ratification, giving this committee real decision-making power instead of being a pass-through. Code language will be updated to match.
Firestone Drive Speed Hump Removal and Speed Feedback Signs
$30,000 is budgeted for 2027 to expand the city's toolkit for neighborhood speeding complaints — radar boxes, feedback trailers and possibly notice-only cameras. The chief stressed data-driven decisions, since many 'speeding' complaints turn out to be traffic volume problems.
Four Seasons at Addison Farms Traffic Calming Petition
About 250 senior households say Heritage Boulevard has become a dangerous high-speed cut-through splitting their 55+ community, and they want radar signs, pedestrian refuge islands, and raised crosswalks. They also object to a youth playground and connector path routed into their senior neighborhood.
Carriage Drive Commercial Vehicle Parking
A resident reported utility trucks, inoperable vans, and detached trailers cluttering Carriage Drive and blocking driveways near the high school apartments. The committee directed him to submit photos and documentation through the clerk for staff follow-up.
Heritage Blvd./Rutherford Ave. All-Way Stop
The Heritage/Rutherford intersection will become a four-way stop with flashing LED signs for the first year, responding to neighborhood complaints and part of the Four Seasons petition. Build-out and the Merrick Boulevard extension are expected to further calm the corridor.
Fire Station 305 Construction
Chief Pyle laid out Fire/EMS capital needs, headlined by a ~$2.25 million ladder truck to replace the trouble-prone 2012 model, plus AEDs, a deferred hazmat trailer, and outfitting the new Station 305. The ladder truck has a 32-48 month delivery window, so planning ahead matters.
Flats at Boulder Park Development Plan
252 apartments in seven three-story buildings near the YMCA won approval 4-2, with dissent focused on density and traffic on Houk Road and Ridge Rock Drive.
Olentangy Schools Impact Fee Agreement
Delaware has 1,273 unbuilt single-family homes and 1,364 unbuilt multifamily units already approved, plus 3,911 zoned-but-unplanned units. Most unbuilt multifamily is in the Delaware school district, which matters for future enrollment and school capacity.
Electric grid reliability concerns
A resident flagged a PJM Interconnection emergency letter warning of potential generation shortages — a reminder that regional power reliability depends on choices far beyond city hall.
Northwood TIF Incentive Districts
The final 251-home phase of Northwood Sub-Area B is headed to City Council. Conditions require the Bixby Parkway extension before permits, and no construction traffic through Kensington. Most lots will be 42 or 52 feet wide.
EMS Billing Services Transition
Delaware County is ending its decades-long EMS reimbursement, leaving a roughly $1.1 million hole in the fire/EMS fund. Staff pitched an EMS billing program — likely insurance-only for residents, meaning no out-of-pocket bills — with a vendor recommendation due November 9.
Price Farms II annexation services
Council formally brought nearly 285 acres into the city across two annexations. This sets the stage for future development and city services on those properties.
Trailhead Acquisitions Bowtown Road Rezoning
Two related Bowtown Road cases — a 252-unit apartment rezone and a 75-lot townhome plat — signal continued residential growth on the city's east side. Commissioners raised traffic concerns about emergency-only access off Bowtown.
2027 City Budget Appropriations
The ~$209 million 2027 budget is on its way through readings, with Finance Committee review now authorized and hearings November 9 and 23.
Resident alleges court and water department failures
A resident criticized council for ignoring his emails, alleged unconstitutional water shutoffs without notice, and demanded answers about overspending protections.
Racial vandalism and election-season safety
A resident reported fresh racist graffiti near a local Chinese restaurant and asked what protections exist for voters heading to the polls.
Curtis Street industrial development incentives (Guild)
Fed One Dublin wants 63 acres rezoned for speculative industrial development in the city's Southwest Focus Area. The commission kept raw-materials manufacturing as a conditional use, so residents will still get a public review before such operations land there.
Nutter Farm Sunbury Road Rezoning
A resident warned the GTZ commercial project off Sunbury Road has only one way in and out, and the Bowtown Road emergency access could be blocked by snow or a guardrail. Council indicated access details get finalized at the development-plan stage.
Northwood TIF hearing rescheduled
Third reading of an ordinance re-establishing the Delaware Community Reinvestment Area and expanding it to match the city's corporate limits, covering newly annexed land.
Downtown Architectural Standards overhaul
The city is overhauling its historic district design guidelines with help from a $25,000 state grant and a consultant. Public feedback starts at First Friday on June 5, with a draft expected by late summer and adoption targeted for spring 2027.
Possible Paraguay sister city renewal
A former Paraguay ambassador called board member Mark Reed saying the new ambassador is very interested in reviving the Paraguay connection, and the agreement may need renewing. The board hopes to arrange a visit before the end of the school year while the current Paraguayan exchange student is still here.
Sakata delegation visit and budget request
Delaware's sister city Sakata, Japan sends student videos annually and a visit in 2027 is on the table. The board was scheduled to discuss timing and who would lead the planning.
Student video exchange with Sakata, Japan
A Hayes High School teacher wants to make sister city videos a recurring class project, with students in Delaware, Sakata, and Baumholder exchanging videos and consulting across cultures. The board agreed to send an existing student video to Sakata with a proposal to explore the idea.
Baumholder, Germany relationship renewal
The board has been exploring video exchanges with Baumholder, Germany, and ways to connect local veterans who served there with the German city. A photo display legacy question from Melanie Mai was also pending.
East Central Avenue reconstruction grant application
One more round of disruptions: on October 8 contractors will lift steel girders off the temporary railroad bridge, pausing traffic five minutes at a time in both directions.
City Manager Leadership Transition
Council decided not to renew City Manager Paul Brake's contract, meaning the city will need new leadership at the top. Members emphasized the decision came after extensive private deliberation and praised Brake's service. The current contract runs through the end of its term, so a transition is ahead rather than immediate.
ADA Policy and Transition Plan adopted
The city's complaint-driven sidewalk repair program has fixed nearly 25,000 square feet of sidewalk in two years, mostly damage from street trees, and will grow to $225,000 across three cycles in 2027 to reduce trip-and-fall injuries.
London Road water line replacement closures
An aging water line with repeated breaks is being replaced; westbound lane closures run October 19-23 and a full closure west of Sandusky Street runs October 26-30, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with detours posted.
Sergeant promotion process overhaul
The sergeant promotion test was rebuilt: a Delaware-specific written exam, oral interview, and leadership assessment replace the old single-assessment format. The change follows union feedback that one test put all the eggs in one basket.
Fire lieutenant promotions and new Station 305
Seven new firefighters were added to the department, six tied to the new fire station opening next year. Three lieutenant promotions and three replacement hires are still coming later this year.
Delaware County Transit sales tax proposal
DCT is asking voters for a 0.2% sales tax this November to fund big expansion: microtransit in Powell and Orange Township, express commuter routes, seven-day service in Delaware, and same-day demand response countywide.
South Sandusky Street auto repair shop
Golden Wrench Automotive can open a small repair garage at 253 South Sandusky Street, with strict conditions: no outside work, bay doors closed for noisy jobs. Commissioners flagged a similar shop nearby that violates those rules.
Police officer hiring pipeline
Delaware police are at 58 sworn officers against an authorized strength of 63, with five openings. City Council added three positions in this year's budget, so the department is close to its pre-2026 strength and continues hiring from the certified list.
Thoroughfare Plan update
The city rolled out its draft 2026–2050 thoroughfare plan update with a new interactive online comment map. New additions include US 42 widening and US 23 corridor improvements; public comment runs through end of November before adoption.
City Manager transition
City Manager Paul Brake is stepping away from active duties after Oct. 9 under a mutual exit agreement, keeping pay and benefits through year-end while staying reachable for transition questions. Assistant City Manager Andy Beare runs the city in the meantime.
Vergon Drive renamed Rainstone Drive
A near-duplicate street name is confusing 911 dispatchers, so Vergon Drive becomes Rainstone Drive. The property owner requested it and mailing addresses won't change.
Goodwill men's transitional living home
A 16-bed shelter with on-site staff and supportive services won unanimous approval in the Greenwood Commons/Sugar Run development. T&R Properties is donating the land to Goodwill and discounting rents on 20% of its adjoining apartments; the operator says residents will be nonviolent men transitioning to jobs.
Citywide Community Reinvestment Area expansion
Economic development staff outlined major projects: a Kroger Marketplace opening in 2026, Blue Jackets-related development expected to break ground this year, PPG's $280 million expansion adding about 100 jobs, and a potential 1.5–2 million square foot biotech park at Gateway Commerce Park generating 500–1,000 jobs.
Sawmill Parkway TIF district
The Sawmill Parkway TIF was finalized as part of the cooperative agreement with Delaware County, diverting new property tax growth to fund public infrastructure there.
Alley drainage at 1806 London Road
A homeowner reported stormwater funneling down an alley from High Street, damaging his railroad-tie wall and car, with the alley narrowed from 14 feet to about 10.5 feet. He asked engineering and public works to investigate.
Downtown Hotel and Parking Improvements
The 1950s-era parking meters — only about half of which work — will be replaced with 34 kiosks accepting cards, coins, cash and phone payments. The goal is managing limited downtown spaces and turnover, not profit, but future conversations about which parking should be paid are coming.
Potentially invasive groundcover in landscape plans
A resident emailed asking the commission to push for native alternatives to 105 burning bushes at the new Goodwill men's shelter. Commissioners agreed the native swap costs about the same and will send suggestions, though they can't require the change.
Shift of high-risk tree work to contractors
Commissioners wrestled with requiring street trees in places where the city's two-person forestry staff would have to make special trips to maintain them. With 23,000 street trees already, every added tree is a long-term cost — and storm damage removals can run $4,500 per tree.
Urban tree canopy preservation in new development
Commissioners brainstormed a new award honoring businesses — new and long-standing — for strong tree canopy, possibly with a local nursery sponsoring a plaque. Research on other cities' programs will come back at a future meeting.
Avery's Law dog ordinance
City dog rules now match Ohio's updated dangerous-dog law, giving clearer definitions, impound procedures, and a 10-day court timeline — and letting the city's civilian animal control officer keep enforcing the law.
SR 37 resurfacing
The city is partnering with ODOT to resurface State Route 37 from the western boundary to Troy Road, with Delaware paying about $330,000 of the cost.