By Sam Wildow
PIQUA — The Piqua City Commission approved a business incentive of waiving new water and sewer service connection fees during its meeting on Tuesday for the Moeller Brew Barn’s new production facility that is coming to Piqua.
Rooster Land Company has 16 acres of real estate located on Chromes Drive in Piqua under contract with the intention of constructing a new 30,000-square-foot brewery for Moeller Brew Barn, LLC. This is expected to be a $4 million investment.
The Moeller Brew Barn announced its planned expansion last week, and during Tuesday’s meeting, the commission approved waiving connection fees estimated at $18,443 for the new facility. The Moeller Brew Barn is expected to pay more than double that amount in water utility bills each year.
“Moeller Brew Barn will consume approximately 2.1 million gallons of water a year, and that equates to a $43,000 water and utility bill each year,” Director of Community and Economic Development Chris Schmiesing said during Tuesday’s meeting. He added, “The return on investment is a very brief period of time.”
Moeller Brew Barn is anticipating to produce 25,000 barrels a year at this location.
“They hope to be able to expand, double that size, in approximately five years,” Schmiesing said, adding Moeller Brew Barn plans to distribute to a five-state region from the Piqua location.
Additionally, the new facility is anticipating hiring between 17 and 20 new employees in the $20 per hour pay range.
“We’ve really been focusing on making our community a destination community, and I know one of the pluses of this is it’s really close to the bike path,” said commissioner Kazy Hinds.
Following that, the commission authorized the lease of of city-owned real estate located at 839 S. Main St., to KSR Properties, LLC. The property no longer serves the needs of the city’s public works and sanitation operations, Schmiesing explained. Prior to the lease, one building will be demolished and the rusted fencing will be removed. The remaining structures will be repaired, and new fencing will be installed.
The lease will be a three-year lease, and KSR Properties will pay $1,500 a month to the city. The city will provide an allowance of $7,500 for the purpose of renovating the space.
KSR representative Chad Lawson spoke at the meeting on Tuesday, speaking about the utilization that the bike path receives and how they hope to bring new attractions to the city in the spring.
Next on the agenda, the commission authorized City Manager Paul Oberdorfer to modify the bonding requirements of the right-of-way opening permit application for the fiber optic work being proposed by MetroNet. MetroNet is a high-speed, fiber optic internet and telephone provider.
Law Director Frank Patrizio said the city typically requires a $3,000 bond for every excavation, but MetroNet requested the city modify those bonding requirements due to the number of connections the business plans to do. Instead, MetroNet proposed establishing approximately 19 local convergence points and obtaining a $50,000 bond for each of those convergence points.
MetroNet is a different provider than NKTelco, which has been doing similar work in the city.
Following that, the commission approved accepting stormwater sewer easements on the properties located at 208 Ford Drive, at 299 Linden Avenue, at 902 Covington Avenue, at 904 Covington Avenue, and on Miami County parcel N44-096485. Patrizio explained those easements are due to ongoing stormwater improvements in those areas. Some of the easements are permanent, while others are temporary.
Also on Tuesday, the commission approved a resolution of appreciation for the public service of Robin E. Hungerford, who has been a city employee for 29 years. Hungerford has retired as the Utilities Billing office manager.
The Piqua City Commission will meet for a work session scheduled for 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 26, in commission chambers on the second floor of the municipal building at 201 W. Water St., Piqua. The next regular meeting of the commission is currently scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 2.
