The Planning Commission has eleven items on its agenda for Monday, July 28, 2008 at 7:00 pm. In addition to considering a new proposal by Denison University for exterior work on Cleveland Hall that includes three additions, the Commission also will review nine other new proposals for work within the historic district and permanent zoning for the 514 acres that were annexed into the Village last year.

Ohio Republicans have chosen Granville's Law Director, Michael Crites to run for attorney general this fall. Crites, a former U.S. Attorney is known for prosecuting the federal government's case against Pete Rose for tax evasion.

The Granville Press asked the three Township Trustees, Fred Abraham, Bill Habig, and Wes Sargent about Granville Village's proposed ordinance providing for sewer service to the Owens Corning site. See our questions and the Trustees' response written by Trustee Bill Habig.

At its meeting Wednesday evening, Village Council set three ordinances for public hearing at its next meeting on August 6. The ordinances would provide sewers to the Owens Corning property and sewer and water service to the new Township maintenance garage.

Village Council did not vote on the proposed ordinance providing for zoning for the Village Gateway District. Rather, they worked their way through several of the provisions they had previously marked for more discussion and then tabled the discussion until their next meeting on August 6. Once again, Mayor Hartfield recused herself leaving six members of Council and the possibility of a tie vote.

Raccoon Creek, LLC and Mill District, LLC are applying to FEMA for permission to fill in the floodplain on properties at Weaver Drive and South Main Street respectively. But even if FEMA approves the plans, the Licking County Planning Department must also approve. Reducing the extent of the floodplain by filling is discouraged because it can lead to flooding downstream. Both companies are owned by developer Jack Lucks who purchased the properties over the course of the last year.

By Dan Bellman

Analysis: In one night, Granville Council could change major parts of the 1998 Comprehensive Plan that were implemented only after hours of volunteer time, community input, and several months of work. Because Granville Council held a public hearing at its last meeting on the new zoning changes, the Village staff feels that Council must vote on these substantial zoning changes on Wednesday night, July 16th. The zoning changes will affect not only the River Road area, but also the Cherry Valley Road area.

Editorial: Last night the Planning Commission had an opportunity to improve the Village's historical district and they failed to take advantage of it. The freestanding sign at 124 South Main Street was the subject of an application requesting approval of replacement panels. The sign was originally designed to be internally lighted and is constructed of a metal frame holding plastic panels. In past years, whenever requests for changes to signs came before the Commission, they always required the property owner to bring the sign up to code. Not this time.

The Planning Commission voted 3 to 0 to recommend that Village Council deny the application by Spring Hills Baptist Church to add 93 parking spaces to its 207-space parking lot in front of its building on Newark-Granville Road. The Village Council will make the final decision.

Those words, written of Granville in 1940, are equally true today. An interesting work of history helps us understand why. The Writer's Program of the Work Projects Administration - a New Deal program designed to put people to work - published a fascinating guide to Ohio cities and towns in 1940. The guide described our village: "Its New England tradition stands out sharply in its present-day houses. Granville has character and poise; it conveys the impression of people living here in pleasant permanency." Read the full description of Granville circa 1940.

At its meeting Wednesday evening, Village Council must make a decision on the proposed ordinance providing for zoning for the Village Gateway District. The Council concluded a public hearing on this ordinance at its June 18th meeting. Village staff has advised that "Section 3.04 of the Village Charter provides that, following the conclusion of a public hearing, the Council shall take action on an ordinance not later than the next regular meeting of the Council. Therefore, the Council should conclude its action on this ordinance on Wednesday night."

At its meeting Wednesday evening, Village Council will introduce three ordinances that would provide sewers to the Owens Corning property and sewer and water service to the new Township maintenance garage. The Owens property is the subject of a $5 M grant application by the Township for state funds that would provide $1 M for the construction of a sewer line from the south serviced by the Southwest Licking Community Water and Sewer District.

Each month at Granville Village Council's second meeting, the Granville Police Department reports on police activities during the previous month. Presented here is the report for June, 2008. The report also presents figures for the previous month (May, 2008) and the same month the previous year (June, 2007).