DELAWARE, OHIO — Developer Maronda Homes is seeking city review of a concept plan for Donovan Farms, a large mixed-use development proposed along Section Line Road.
The land for the proposed development is bordered by Section Line Road to the West and Houck Road to the east, The development would be just west of an extension of Boulder Drive.
Maronda’s proposal calls for approximately 100 acres of land to be developed into 238 single-family homes, with around 19.5 acres set aside for commercial development and 20 acres for multi-family housing. Right now, the land is mostly farmland.
For the single-family homes, the proposal calls for lot widths of 42, 52 and 65 feet, with lot depths of 125 feet.
Most of the land in the proposal is currently part of the township. A petition for annexation has been submitted to the city. The land would need to be re-zoned once annexed.
The site falls within the city’s airport overlay, which typically restricts residential use. That obstacle could be overcome by incorporating design elements that keeps airplane noises out of the homes. Those design elements would need to be approved by the city.
During Wednesday’s Planning Commission meeting, commissioners pointed out concerns with neighboring land uses. There are nearby commercial and industrial sites, with some of the proposed homes backing up to those properties.
Asked about what kind of businesses could occupy the commercial properties, a Maronda Homes representative said it is difficult to say. The number of the homes in the development is not enough to support things like a Starbucks or McDonald’s. The representative said the commercial properties might have to sit for a little while until their development and neighboring developments are completely built.
You can read the entire proposal for the site here.