Reynoldsburg · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Reynoldsburg public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Redevelopment of vacant former Walgreens at 6320 E. Main Street
A long-vacant drugstore on East Main will be split into two parcels for a Dutch Bros drive-thru and a dental clinic, bringing new businesses to a key corridor. Several variances were needed because of the planned Brice Road realignment, which will eventually bring the site into compliance.
Child daycare center at 6549 E. Livingston Avenue
Grace B Daycare wants to open with 15 kids in a vacant tenant space, but the playground location near a rear drive aisle and an old dumpster raised safety questions. The board gave them until April 16 to produce a proper site plan.
Child daycare proposal at 1792 Brice Road
A proposed 56-child daycare in the I Innovation district was tabled because the applicant lacks a site plan, and the proposed playground sits near truck delivery routes and a rear egress door. She'll return by November 19.
Summit Road Industrial CRA tax exemption
Council discussed — partly in executive session — a property tax exemption agreement with Summit Road Industrial LLC under the Community Reinvestment Area program, and advanced the ordinance for a first reading.
Proposed Taylor Road Annexation (133 acres, Etna Township)
A 120-acre commercial area off Taylor Road has begun the annexation process and will be zoned 'innovation' for career-based jobs — potentially the biggest economic development since Victoria's Secret.
Child daycare conditional use at 6328 E. Livingston Ave
A proposed daycare for 15 children was denied because the applicant never submitted a site plan showing the outdoor playground's location relative to the drive aisle and dumpsters. The space stays vacant and the applicant can reapply with a complete plan.
Mixed-use building on landlocked Old Reynoldsburg parcel
A 0.11-acre floodplain-constrained parcel at 7372 E. Main Street got all five variances plus design approval for a 2,000-square-foot building with office space and two studio apartments — one of the only true mixed-use buildings in the Old Reynoldsburg district.
Church building upgrades in Old Reynoldsburg
New Antioch Bible Fellowship replaced a deteriorating exterior door that let in sunlight, pests and even an unwanted guest sleeping in the stairwell. The board signed off on the upgrade to keep the building safe and looking better for the neighborhood.
Ward 3 council seat vacancy and appointment
Five residents applied to fill the Ward 3 seat left open when Bhuwan Pyakurel became Council President. Teneah Chambers won unanimously and was sworn in the same night.
Residential Development Approval
Reynoldsburg has approved the first phases of a 664-unit housing development. That means hundreds of new residents, added traffic, and more strain on city services—so expect growth debates to hit closer to home.
Development Director Departure
Reynoldsburg’s top development official, Andrew Bowsher, is leaving to become city manager of Sidney, so the city now has to replace the person leading its economic growth push. That means a leadership gap right as Reynoldsburg needs someone to keep development deals and business recruitment moving.