http://www.columbusmessenger.com/091806/southwest/darby.php

Pleasant Twp. trustees sign Big Darby Accord master plan

September 18, 2006

By Sandi Latimer

Staff Writer
Southwest Messenger

Pleasant Township became the fourth jurisdiction to put its stamp of approval on the recently completed Big Darby Accord Watershed Master Plan.

The board of trustees adopted a resolution at its Sept. 12 meeting that also urges the Franklin County Board of Commissioners to adopt it. Action in Pleasant Township followed similar votes from Washington and Brown Townships and the city of Columbus.

The resolution appeared on the agenda for Prairie Township at its Sept. 13 meeting. Still to act on it besides the county commissioners are Grove City, Hilliard, Harrisburg, and Norwich Township.

This accord, three years in the negotiation stages, is designed to protect the environmentally sensitive areas around the Big and Little Darby Creeks and provide guidelines for future development. With a Town Center planned for Prairie and Brown Townships between Route 40 and Interstate 70, the city of Columbus has agreed to extend water and sewer to that area without annexing it to the city.

Lee Brown and Ben Weiner from the Franklin County Development Department visited with the trustees and interested citizens to explain the accord adopted in June and to answer any questions from the audience of 10 people.

Following adoption of the accord, trustees heard from Matt Siers, a resident of Boyd Road, who asked for some road signs in the area of his residence that is at a curve that results in a limited line of sight. His plea for road signs and a reduced speed limit came after a vehicle ran into a tree near his residence, taking a huge chunk of bark off the tree, knocking a wheel off the vehicle and leaving the driver hospitalized several days after the crash.

“Forty-five miles an hour is too fast for that section,” Siers said in his plea to get the speed limit reduced to 35. He also suggested a school bus stop sign since buses make three stops within three-quarters of a mile to pick up children, a Hidden Drive sign or a Children At Play sign.

Road Superintendent Jeff Karn said he had no objection to putting up a school bus stop sign or a Children At Play sign, but he couldn’t promise a Hidden Drive sign. He also said the reduction in speed would have to be addressed by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Trustees then approved a resolution to ask Franklin County and ODOT to look into reducing the speed limit to 35 miles an hour in the area.

Trustees also voted to release an additional $3,524 for modifications on the Pierce fire truck being built in Wisconsin for the fire department.

Modifications were suggested by Trustee Dale Worthington after he visited the construction site where the truck is about to start down the line.

Platforms would be added to either side of the truck to stabilize it and give firefighters a safe place to stand in tight areas so they could reload the truck. Medical cabinets would also be enlarged to accommodate all the items to be carried on the truck. That truck is expected to be delivered around the first of the year.

Trustees Chairman Keith Goldhardt also swore in part-time firefighter Jeremy Johnson to be a full-time member of the force. Joe Bricker, acting chief, said the department now has nine full-time and 45 part-time members. Johnson had been a part-time employee for the past two years.

The township will also have Fall Clean Up Days Oct. 27 and 28 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. both days. Residents can drop off items at the township hall/fire department building at 5373 Norton Road. Items that will be accepted include general trash, tires, appliances and steel. However, Karn cautioned that no household trash and no hazardous materials are being accepted at that time.