GROVE CITY, Ohio — The Grove City Council on Monday denied a preliminary development plan for a 135-home subdivision after a contentious debate over traffic and infrastructure, while approving a $75,000 health care reimbursement pilot program in a split vote.
The council voted 4-3 to reject Resolution CR0926, which would have allowed Patrick Properties to build 93 single-family homes and 42 paired patio homes south of Grove City Road and west of Demarest Road. Council members Berry, Sturm, Omar and Halingga voted against the plan. Holt, Burroughs and Anderson voted in favor.
The developer had reduced the number of units from a previous proposal and added a connection to the Autumn Grove subdivision, but council members cited lingering concerns about traffic congestion and whether existing roads could handle the additional vehicles.
“We think that appropriate land use, even though technically by the future land use map it’s not, it’s suburban residential or some type of low-density residential,” said city staff member Kyle Roush, who noted the area is expected to change under the city’s 2050 comprehensive plan.
The council unanimously approved two other land-use items: a rezoning of 26.904 acres at 4910 Hoover Road from single-family residential to educational use for expansion of NAS for an additional field house, and annexation of 0.505 acres at 2332 White Road to connect to city sewer.
In a 4-3 vote, the council approved Ordinance C1026, appropriating $75,000 from the general fund for the Grove City Cares health care reimbursement pilot program. The program will provide up to $400 for individuals and $600 for families to help with health insurance premiums through healthcare.gov.
Council members debated whether eligibility should require residents to also work in Grove City. Councilman Sturm said he based his yes vote on the requirement that recipients be both a Grove City resident and work at a Grove City business.
The council also unanimously approved $1,142,950.96 from the county permissive motor vehicle license fund for the 2026 street maintenance program, covering work on Broadway, Hoover Road, White Road and Buckeye Parkway.
A development plan for rebranding the Comfort Inn at 4197 Marlene Drive as a La Quinta hotel was approved unanimously, with the developer agreeing to four stipulations including no truck parking.
During public comments, multiple residents spoke in opposition to a proposed data center, raising concerns about environmental impact, farmland preservation and transparency. Council members acknowledged the issue and said they are gathering information.
The council went into executive session to discuss employment and later appointed Trisha Edwards as Deputy Clerk of Council.