The development, located on the south edge of Beavercreek just west of Fairfield Road, has drawn criticism from some neighboring residents who have expressed concern with the size of the lots, increased traffic, safety issues on Swigart, and capacity of the local schools.
A public hearing from May 28 was continued this week due to a possible notification issue with some neighboring residents.
Resident Al Gotwald asked council to consider the impact to the adjoining neighborhoods, saying that the easiest traffic access to I-675 from the proposed subdivision would be to cut through neighboring subdivisions.
Gotwald added that though Ella’s Garden is proposed to average half-acre lots, neighboring Hawthorne Glen and each of its surrounding neighborhoods are all half-acre lots.
“The majority of these lots are 8,000 (square feet), one fifth of an acre as opposed to the half acre, so you’re creating a high-density situation that’s going to drive traffic into Walnut Grove and Hawthorne Glen,” he said.
The smaller center lots of the subdivision are 60 feet wide, the minimum allowed by Beavercreek’s zoning code in this area.
Councilman David Litteral said the builders have shown that there is a market demand for small lot sizes.
“What I’m learning is people who are buying houses — $600,000 houses — are wanting small lots,” he said. “It may not be for anyone in this room, it’s not for me, but they are getting these prices for these houses.
Swigart Road to the east has previously been described by neighbors as a “drag strip,” due to the narrowness of the road and the speed at which many people take the curve. Litteral recounted that he was nearly run off the road by a large truck there a few days prior.
City council will have a measure to reduce the speed limit on Swigart Road at their next meeting, June 24, but widening of Swigart (beyond what is necessary to construct the subdivision) is something that will cost money, Mayor Don Adams said.
“We can go out and look for it, we’ll try to get grants for it, but there’s a matching part to all those grants. I agree that it should be widened,” he said.
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