PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Just off Pickerington Road in Violet Township, there’s a stillness. A stillness that’s broken up by the occasional traveler.
It’s why Kelly McClellan and his wife, Lori Kelley, chose to live here 18 years ago.
But now, looking at the property just feet away from their own, they know that stillness could soon be interrupted.
“First thing that comes to my mind [is] it’s going to change,” McClellan said. “It’s like they’re trying to fit a square peg in a round hole and by gosh we’re gonna get it done.”
Tuesday at the city’s Planning and Zoning meeting a rezoning application was approved to turn the 212 acres behind their home into a residential and commercial development.
The land was purchased by the City of Pickerington from its previous owners back in 2018 for about $4 million. McClellan and Kelley say a big turnout of constituents at Tuesday’s meeting didn’t want this.
“If this were a bad idea you can stop it now, but the second you start putting things in there you permanently change this part of Violet Township,” Kelley said.
According to the Pickerington City Manager, Greg Butcher, the development aligns with Pickerington’s and Violet Township’s comprehensive plans.
“It’s not appropriate for the area,” Kelley said. “There’s nothing like it in the area.”
McClellan and Kelley say Pickerington is doing too much too soon and that the new development will add on to the growing problem of population that already is causing congestion with residential areas and schools.
“By the time the schools are built, we’re gonna need another levy,” Kelley said.
They say they’re not against change. In fact, they welcome it.
“Thoughtful,” McClellan said. “Thoughtful change.”
“There doesn’t seem to be a lot of planning,” Kelley said.
They only hope the change coming keeps with that stillness they’ve come to love.
“A lot of people moved out from Pickerington to avoid this kind of thing so they can have peace and quiet out here,” Kelley said.
The matter will now go to the city’s Service Committee before potentially finding itself in front of city council for a vote.