WILMINGTON — The former drive-in theater may be rezoned into a new residential single-family homes development.
Clayton Sears, Land Acquisition Manager at DDC Management, spoke to Wilmington City Council at Thursday’s meeting about rezoning the property. Sears indicated they are looking at a future subdivision at the 1057 N. Lincoln St. location, bordering North South Street and Kentucky Avenue.
The 28.6 acres would go from being zoned as a suburban neighborhood to a traditional neighborhood.
According to the city, a suburban neighborhood “is to provide for appropriate areas … for primarily single-family residential dwelling units in a suburban neighborhood setting. Some public/institutional uses are allowed on a conditional basis, such as schools, churches/places of worship, parks, and other similar uses.”
A traditional neighborhood is “primarily for single-family residential uses, though some two-family residential uses, small-scale commercial office/retail uses, and public/institutional uses (such as schools, churches/places of worship, parks, and other similar uses) may also be allowed on a conditional basis,” according to the city ordinance. “District is to provide for appropriate areas within the City of Wilmington for primarily single-family residential dwelling units in a suburban neighborhood setting. Some public/institutional uses are allowed on a conditional basis, such as schools, churches/places of worship, parks, and other similar uses.”
Sears said, “We have about 92 lots currently … we have about a 30 percent open side on this site. We have a planned active trail going through the community for future use.”
Sears advised there is not yet a builder for the project.
The drive-in last operated in 2015. The property is still owned by Chakeres Theatres, according to the Clinton County Auditor’s website, and is listed as “sale pending” by Coldwell Banker Heritage (formerly Bennett Realty).
Also at the meeting, a resident who lives next to the property at the meeting expressed concerns; he said “it floods there constantly” whenever it rains. He and a neighbor were curious as to what the developers would do with the stormwater and sanitation.
“I can assure you it’ll be better once we’re done than it is today,” said Sears. “Anything on our site, all water drainage, will be directed into the storm sewer which will be directed to our water quality ponds and then released from there. So, any water that used to be coming towards you will be coming towards our pond.”
No further action was taken in regards to the development.
Also during council:
• Safety/Service Director Brian Shidaker mentioned to council that reverse-angle parking would be constructed around the Clinton County Courthouse. Shidaker said he was advised this would improve driver visibility, it would be easier for loading/unloading a vehicle, it will help with accessibility to parking/curb ramps, and it will help narrow the streets thus making it calmer.
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) states that this is a type of angled parking safer than pulling forward into a space with the nose of a vehicle nearest the sidewalk or parking block/bumper. Instead of pulling forward into the parking spot, cars back into their spots, allowing them to make eye contact with oncoming traffic when exiting the parking space later.
