Licking County, Ohio
Township Newsletter ~ Spring 2019
CONTACT TOWNSHIP
OFFICIALS:
Jerry A. Miller
FISCAL OFFICER
740.587.3885 • FAX 866.910.9601
business [email protected]
Bryn Bird This is the new home of the Granville Township Fire Department
TRUSTEE
740.404.1475
[email protected]
NEW FIRE STATION – NEW ADDRESS
SAME DEDICATED LEVEL OF SERVICE
Kevin Bennett It’s been forty-seven years since the current fire station was built. Times and needs
TRUSTEE have changed mandating the need for a new facility. In response, the Township
740.670.1867 Trustees and the Village negotiated a long-term land exchange lease since it
[email protected]
was determined that the current site was cost prohibitive for a rebuild of a new
Dan VanNess fire station. Also considered was the significant adverse impact upon neighbors
and business and the critical nature of site location relative to response times.
TRUSTEE/CHAIR
740.398.6611 In this exchange the Village will locate their Street Service Department out
[email protected] on Columbus Road next to the Township complex. The Village’s new street
department facility is now under construction and will be finished in June of this
Casey Curtis year. The township in turn will rebuild the fire station on South Main Street at
FIRE CHIEF the site of the current Village street department. The new address of the fire
740.587.0261
station will be 500 South Main Street. Once the new Village facility is complete,
[email protected]
emergency numbers: demolition will commence of the old Village Service site with construction of
in Licking County: 911 the new site anticipated for July, with a completion date of July 2020.
outside Licking County: 740.345.1177
The new station will consist of around 13,500 square feet on the first level and
Travis Binckley 5,250 on the second floor. Imperative in the design is achieving maximum
ROADS SUPERINTENDENT, efficiency in response time and separating contaminated fire gear from the living
CEMETERY SUPERINTENDENT, quarters of the personnel. A key issue in today’s fire world is to minimize the
ZONING INSPECTOR/ exposure of firefighting personnel to carcinogenic contaminated gear generated
COMPLIANCE OFFICER
PHONE/FAX: 740.587.0229
in fires, which is one of the major downfalls of our old station.
[email protected] As far as the old fire station site, the Village owns the current main fire station
[email protected]
[email protected] building and land and will make the decision on the next use of that facility.
The Township owns the two houses next to the fire station. These will no longer
be needed and will be sold to help finance the new fire department operations.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS Keep checking for more details and information on the new fire station as things
LISTED ON PAGE 3 progress by going to the township website at (www.granvilletownship.org).
GRANVILLE TOWNSHIP NEWSLETTER
TOWNSHIP LIVING
A recent survey conducted by The Community Pathway Committee had over 700 responses. In reviewing these the Trustees
discovered how many new families who have recently have moved in to the Township are experiencing their first taste of
“township living.” We also know for many who have lived here decades the term township is still met with some misconceptions.
We hope this quick synopsis can help folks better understand the nuances and services the Township provides.
BACKGROUND:
• Granville Township is a political subdivision of the State of Ohio. The village of Granville, while it has its own
system of government and services, is a part of Granville Township, commonly referred to as the incorporated
portion. Village residents are also township residents, as such they vote on township issues and Trustees.
• Township government consists of four elected officials, three trustees and a fiscal officer. Each official is elected to a
four-year term.
• The Township officials govern the unincorporated area of the Township covering an area of approximately 13,300
acres, with a population of approximately 6,500.
• The primary source of revenue for the Township is property taxes voted by the voters and levied for specific
purposes. Townships do not collect income or sales taxes.
• Unlike some Licking County townships, zoning regulations have existed in Granville Township since 1967. The
Township Zoning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals meet on an as needed basis.
• Granville Township maintains its own Road District of just under 40 miles, provides Fire and Rescue, oversees
Cemetery Operations, solid waste disposal, and manages the Open Space preservation program.
• Townships operate under the Ohio Revised Code, which grants and sets forth the authority under which the
trustees operate. Included among these powers are the ability to impose limited Noise Ordinance, regulate firearm
discharge and dictate the keeping of agricultural animals permitted on lots.
While some have voiced their desire for sidewalks down various township roads, the Township does not raise general revenue
to purchase property and install sidewalks. Likewise, the Township does not operate its own police force, relying instead upon
the Licking County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement. There is a trade-off between not having to pay the additional taxes
experienced in incorporated municipalities and level of services provided.
GET OUT AND ENJOY THE “OPEN SPACE”
Granville Township and its residents have continued to benefit greatly from
the Open Space acquisitions. This program has been supported through
a tax levy approved by the voters in 1997. You have probably noticed the
Open Space parcel signs while driving around the community whether
next to an expansive farm field on Loudon St. or near the entrance of the
123-acre golf course. The Open Space funds can be used in two different
ways. The Trustees can either purchase the title of the land or purchase the
development rights on properties to prevent them from being developed
in the future. When development rights are purchased the landowner can
continue to operate their land agriculturally and the Township will continue to collect property taxes. Our community has
already been able to witness farms transfer from one generation to the next without development as many other neighboring
communities are seeing. This keeps more farmers farming too!
Spring Valley Nature Preserve is one of the Open Space properties that has been purchased through the Open Space program in
conjunction with the Licking Land Trust. Open to all visitors, this 140-acre park is one of Granville’s gems. One need only look
at social media and the hundreds of folks who have shared their day exploring while tagging ‘Spring Valley Nature Preserve.’ One
Spring Valley enthusiast is Ian Meske and his family. Ian has found the tranquil serenity of Spring Valley as a place to recharge
and discover how the Open Space program has allowed the ecosystem to thrive and unique fungi prosper. Ian’s Instagram feed
(@imcafn8) is a visual testimony to the health of the land and an invitation for more Granville residents to get out, slow down,
look closer, and notice the beauty right here in our “backyard.” For a complete history and list of Open Space properties visit:
http://granvilletownship.org/development/779-2/
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GRANVILLE TOWNSHIP NEWSLETTER
GRAVE MATTERS
As many local residents are aware, the Township is undertaking significant
improvements to the entrance and facilities at Maple Grove Cemetery. In addition
to demolition of the existing gate and sextant’s hut (a.k.a. “the slanty shanty”), a
new chapel/meeting room will be constructed along with a vehicle/equipment storage
building. Adjacent to this building will be a columbarium, addressing a long overdue,
lower cost alternative for cremated remains. The contract has been awarded to
Robertson Construction and demolition should take place in early May.
Architects depiction of new entrance
As part of the overall enhancement of what is fast becoming the community’s most
visited “park”, the Township has been working in conjunction with the Granville post of the American Legion to emplace a fitting
memorial to Granville’s veterans. A memorial obelisk plus a marker for each of the five military services will be placed near the
entrance to Maple Grove Cemetery. As a fitting reminder and tribute to those from the community who lost their lives while
serving in the military, plans are underway to have a small brick plaza with individual bricks engraved with those names, date of
death and branch of service. Once completed, an appropriate dedication ceremony will be held.
When these improvements occur, there will inevitably be a level of inconvenience to visitors to the cemetery. While the cemetery
will always remain open, visitors will need to be mindful of temporary fences and construction impacted areas.
NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL
AT KENDAL DRIVE AND SR16
As most local residents know, the next few years will see some major highway construction
projects around the Granville area. While these infrastructure improvements are necessary,
they will undoubtedly result in major inconveniences to drivers and residents located near the
proposed construction. The key component of the improvements will be the widening of the
current SR 37/S. Main Street bridge over the SR 16 bypass. Included in this will be the widening
of S. Main Street from the bridge up to the Raccoon Creek bridge. Add to this the imminent
construction of our new fire station in that general area and the traffic issues become self-evident.
The Trustees, working in conjunction with Village government and ODOT (Ohio Department of Transportation) have been
deeply involved in the planning with an eye towards alleviating potential traffic issues that will arise. One of the solutions is our
successful effort to keep the planned closure of the north branch of River Road delayed until the bridge construction project is
completed. This will allow for some outlet for traffic which otherwise will not be able to exit to or from South Main Street. To that
end, ODOT has indicated its willingness to construct a temporary deceleration exit lane off of westbound SR 16 onto River Road.
Another concern is the increased traffic that Columbus Road (SR 16) will incur and the adverse impact this might have on vehicles
exiting out of the Kendal at Granville. This intersection has long been a safety concern expressed by Kendal management and
residents. Having been unsuccessful in attempts to get ODOT to undertake and fund the installation of a traffic signal, the Trustees
agreed to take on this project in collaboration with Kendal. With engineering plans completed and the required ODOT permits
obtained, the contract for this work has been awarded. The anticipated construction start date is this April with a completion date
in October 2019. With the provision for traffic triggered response, the addition of this signal will materially add to traffic safety and
hopefully reduce the stress involved in turning out of Kendal Drive. We deeply appreciate the level of cooperation received from
Kendal and look forward completion.
TOWNSHIP COMMITTEES
ZONING COMMISSION: OPEN SPACE COMMITTEE:
Rob Schaadt/Chair, Vince Paumier, Doug Wagner/Chair, Leonard Hubert, Bill Wernet,
Judy Preston, Susan Walker, and Keith Lonzo Dan Finkleman, Jeff Brown, and Vince Paumier
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS LAND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Stacy Engle/Chair, Leonard Hubert, John Whitington, E-mail:
[email protected] John Gordon, and Andrew King Judy Preston, Emily McCall, Dick Kinsley, Andy McCall,
Mickey Smith, Craig Connelly, Lynn Connelly, and Greg Dixon
HTTP://GRANVILLETOWNSHIP.ORG 3
GRANVILLE TOWNSHIP NEWSLETTER
Presort Std.
US Postage
PAID
Columbus, OH
Permit No. 65
Licking County, Ohio
Granville Township Business Office
Box 315
Granville, OH 43023-0315
Telephone: 740.587.3885
Toll Free FAX: 866.910.9601
E-mail:
[email protected] Board of Granville Township Trustees’
meetings are held the second and fourth
Wednesday of the month at the
Township Service Complex at 7:00 p.m.
The Mailbox, the Snow Plow and You
During the course of our central Ohio winters our township road crews are repeatedly called out to
keep our almost 40 miles of township roads clear of ice and snow. While the frequency of this service
varies from winter to winter, it is almost a certainty that there will be a number of heavy snowfalls
that will be tackled each year. Apart from the evident challenges of keeping the roads clear of snow
and ice, our road crew also have to be mindful of possible yard damage and personal mailboxes.
As to yard damage, township crews usually note where this occurred and maintain a list of those sites
to patch up. This usually will not occur until spring weather arrives so some degree of property owner “Trustee” Margo with proud
patience will be required unless a significant hazard or condition has occurred. Damage to mailboxes parents Bryn and Brian
is a decidedly more complicated subject. In the unlikely event that a mailbox has been directly hit
by a township snow plow, then repair/replacement by the township is a given. This however, is a Township Recognizes
very rare occurrence. The vast majority of occasions where a personal mailbox is toppled or damaged It’s Newest “Trustee”
occurs when the plow pushes snow to the extent that it causes the damage. The likelihood of this
occurring multiples greatly when the snowfall is mixed with rain, creating a “heavy snow”. At a recent meeting your Trustees passed
a resolution recognizing a new “honorary”
In cases of mailbox damage, the township has adopted a very liberal policy in comparison to other Trustee, Margo Walsh. Born on Christmas
government entities. For example, ODOT, Licking County and most cities only take responsibility Day 2018 to current Trustee Bryn Bird,
where a snow plow or service vehicle directly hit the mailbox, otherwise repair/replacement is Margo has already attended several township
considered the property owner’s responsibility. In contrast, upon a report of mailbox damage, our meetings and functions. It was during one
Roads Superintendent (Travis Binckley) will inspect the mailbox and make a determination. In of those meetings where the possibility of
most cases, our crews will expeditiously as possible perform repair on the affected mailboxes. If, implementing an additional $5 license plate
however, a determination is made that the mailbox was in deteriorated condition to begin with, fee was brought up. During the discussion
then the property owner will be informed that it’s a matter of personal responsibility. Margo let out a large plaintive wail which
captured our attention. Skeptics might claim
As revealed by a recent “heavy snow”, it is almost inevitable that at least a few mailboxes will be
that she was merely hungry, we prefer to
toppled by snow being pushed by the plows each year. While obviously an inconvenience, we ask
think that her inherent fiscal conservatism
that you try to be understanding and forego the angry cursing of our staff. Please feel free to call our
was speaking out. In light of her civic
Service Garage at 740.587-0229 to report any damage you believe we have missed or have questions
activism, we rightly decided to make her
on. Finally, bear in mind that this only applies to township-maintained roads, not the Village streets
an honorary trustee. Welcome to Granville
nor county or state routes within the township.
Margo!
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