By Matt Clevenger
TROY — Members of the Troy City Council approved a 270-day moratorium on a list of more than 50 potential business and agricultural uses for properties in the downtown riverfront overly (DR-O) district.
“The moratorium would allow staff time to perform a detailed analysis, and provide recommendations regarding uses to further protect the DR-O district,” Council member Lynne Snee said.
The list includes over 50 specific commercial uses that are included in the moratorium, ranging from agricultural uses and gas stations or parking lots to electrical appliance repair, dry cleaning and carpentry shops. Pawn shops, crematoriums (pet and human), sexually-oriented businesses and tattoo parlors are also prohibited under the moratorium, along with other specific uses.
“If it’s on this list, then it’s part of the moratorium,” Director of Public Service and Safety Patrick Titterington said.
Council members voted to approve an ordinance authorizing the moratorium during their regularly scheduled meeting held on Monday, Aug. 7.
The DR-O district was established in 2018, a report to council from the city’s law and ordinance committee said.
“The DR-O district is designed to promote revitalization of downtown Troy and nearby riverfront areas by providing an optional alternative to the regulations of the various underlying conventional zoning districts,” the report said.
“The DR-O district encompasses 12 zoning districts of residential, commercial and industrial,” the report said. “The moratorium will not affect any existing uses.”
In other business, council members also approved the city’s continuing participation in the Miami County hazard mitigation plan, and heard the first reading of an ordinance to amend the city zoning code regarding manufacturing training facilities, self-storage facilities and solar energy systems. A public hearing on the proposed changes will be held during council members’ regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Aug. 21.
Council members also approved an ordinance accepting right-of-way and an easement along property located at 2980 Fenner Road, and an ordinance of assessment for sidewalks in the South Stanfield Road Reconstruction Project.
“Approving the final assessments will allow the city to provide information regarding the assessments to the property owners,” Council member Bobby Phillips said. “The property owners will then determine whether or not to pay the assessment amount or have it placed on the property tax for collection over a five-year period.”
Residents Steve Hendrickson and Brad Behringer spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, encouraging citizens to vote on Issue 1 on Tuesday, Aug. 8.
Christy Shell of Troy Community Works also spoke during the public comments, regarding the organization’s recent offer to contribute towards needed repairs to the Tavern Building located on West Main Street.
“The proposal that we put forward is in hopes that we can find some kind of resolution where the majority of us would also be happy,” Shell said.
“We’ve been trying to stay as in the middle as possible but also offer solutions,” she said. “Depending on which way things get decided, we want to make ourselves available for a solution to help that along.”
Responding to questions from council members, Shell said Troy Community Works is currently in the process of negotiating with the building’s owner and his attorneys.
“We are still in conversation with them,” Shell said. “We have had individual conversations with them, and there is some conflict between what his legal council is saying and what he’s saying, so we’re working on that.”
“There’s no absolute either way,” she said. “Obviously, it’s very tumultuous on all sides. We’re trying to stay open, and have those conversations.”
