Members of the Troy City Council discussed a resolution to accept the proposed donation of the Tavern Building on West Main Street to the city of Troy during their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, June 19.
Mike Ullery | Miami Valley Today
By Matt CLevenger
TROY — Members of the Troy City Council are still in the process of considering a resolution to accept the proposed donation of the Tavern Building on West Main Street to the city of Troy.
Council members heard a second reading of the resolution, which also includes a proposed settlement agreement with the property’s owner Randy Kimmel, during their regularly scheduled meeting held on Monday, June 19.
“The Troy Historic Preservation Alliance (THPA) is willing to cover $53,280 in costs for permanent repairs to the 112-118 building’s parapet by McMiller Masonry, if the city accepts the donation of the building and would agree not to pursue demolition for at least two years,” THPA president Ben Sutherly said during the public comment portion of the meeting.
“The THPA board authorized this step this past Wednesday,” he said, “as we would like to be part of a collaborative solution that will bring this building back into active re-use in the community.”
Council members adjourned into a long executive session, but took no action on the Tavern Building resolution during their meeting. Council member Bobby Phillips moved to postpone a vote on the donation resolution indefinitely. That motion died for lack of a second, and the resolution will now be held over for a third reading at council members’ next meeting on Monday, July 3.
A complaint requesting a new order to demolish the Tavern Building was filed by the Miami County Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, June 16.
“We are aware of developments in recent days involving Miami County, and have seen zero evidence that the building’s condition has changed in recent weeks,” Sutherly said. “On the contrary, a brand new report commissioned by the city of Troy shows the building is structurally sound and quite repairable.”
“We are deeply concerned that Miami County and the city of Troy do not seem to be on the same page in taking enforcement action against this problem,” he said. “The timing of the county’s complaint on Friday is also very questionable, coming just before tonight’s city council meeting. We hope it was not intended to influence your vote, and we hope that it will not influence your vote.”
“We hope the city of Troy will collaborate with others in the community in making it so, and ask that you accept both the donation of the building and our offer,” Sutherly said.
In other business, council members also approved a resolution to authorize bidding for the 2023 sidewalk program, at a cost not to exceed $310,000, and an ordinance to approve the potential appropriation of property from McDonalds Real Estate Co. for the West Main Street Project.
Council members also approved amendments to an ordinance to re-zone 58.093 acres located at 3054 W. State Route 55 from current county zoning of A-2, general agriculture, to city zoning of R-5, single-family residential. The amended ordinance, which would change the zoning to city zoning of A-R, agricultural/residential, will now be presented for a third reading at council members’ next meeting.
“While we understand the concerns regarding drainage and the road improvements, our preference is still to zone the property to R-5,” Kurt Ritter, of DDC Management LLC, said. “We’re still very excited about the project, and want to move forward with it.”
Council members went on to consider an ordinance to rezone two parcels of land located on south Market Street near WACO Air Museum and Learning Center from M-2, light industrial, to B-2, general business. The ordinance will be presented for a public hearing during council members’ regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, July 3.
Council members also approved an ordinance to extend a current moratorium on new permits for self-storage facilities by an additional 90 days, and an ordinance to create an additional $5 per-month fee for large 96-gallon refuse totes.
“The new fee would not be fully implemented until October,” Council member Todd Severt said. “Residents who have a larger tote will be contacted to be advised of the additional fee, and given the opportunity to ask to have the 96-gallon replaced with a standard 65-gallon tote.”
