Project developer Ambrose Property Group submitted a proposal to the city for the construction of an up to 1.05 million square-foot warehouse facility with ancillary offices on the 67-acre site, located north of Halifax Drive, west of Cassel Road.
Vandalia’s planning commission in June declined to recommend approval of a conditional use, citing issues with the plans adhering to permit requirements for the land, which is zoned office/industrial park.
A group of residents has publicly called on the city to deny the warehouse plans as they currently stand, with some submitting letters to council and speaking at planning commission and council meetings.
The project proposal was officially presented to council July 18, and members were originally scheduled to vote on the issue at the Aug. 1 special meeting. However, the developer has asked for an extension, according to city officials.
“We rescheduled the issue at the request of the applicant (Ambrose Property Group), who wants to consider potential modifications based on feedback provided at the council study session,” Vandalia city spokesman Rich Hopkins said in an email Thursday.
It is unclear what modifications may be made to the project plans, and a representative of Ambrose Property Group could not be reached Friday.
The Dayton area has seen a warehouse-building boom in recent years as the logistics industry capitalizes on the large swath of the country that can be quickly reached from the I-75 / I-70 interchange.
A warehouse use for the parcel of land in question is conditionally permitted based on a set of criteria, according to the city’s zoning code, and conditional use projects must adhere to requirements considerate of surrounding property, residents, traffic, and utilities.
Residents have asserted the warehouse project would negatively impact quality of life of the area’s residents, and asked city officials to consider the environmental and infrastructure effects of allowing the plans to move forward.
“Think about 246 trucks leaving their engines running for over 30 minutes at a time; consider that noise, but more importantly, that pollution just 400 feet from your yard, from your bedroom window, from your outside comfort zone,” said Carol Lutz, whose home is located on the edge of the wooded area on Halifax Drive. “That is what we will have to live with if you vote yes to allow warehouses to be built in the Northwoods area.”
City Manager Dan Wendt said recently that the conditional use request is part of the developer’s due diligence process, and the land is currently owned by CSX railroad. No potential end user has been announced.
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