In West Chester, trustees are now walking back a moratorium on development they initiated in October.
It had halted all business development in one area for more than a year.
Some West Chester business owners spoke out against the township’s new business moratorium.
On Nov. 18, they shared their concerns during a trustee meeting.
Evan McClone specializes in cell phone, computer and electronic repairs.
"I actually just signed a five-year lease for a building. and we have a very small build out that we'd like to do," McClone told the three member board. "And we have signage we need to put up, and then we also need an interior wall, just a very small interior wall built. And we were applying for permits, and we found that there may be an issue getting permits in the current situation."
Laura Dameron co-owns Alexandria Brewing Company and Bender's Pub Grub.
"We were pretty shocked when we applied for the tenant finish and were denied that," Dameron said. "The biggest problem for us is that the liquor license does require a food license as well in order to get open. So we are now in a situation where we've invested quite a bit into a building that we are trying to open. And it looks like we may be kind of dead in the water."
Wanting to study impact
In October, the three member board of trustees voted unanimously to halt all property development and construction projects in the “Cincinnati-Dayton 747 Corridor.”
It runs along the Union Centre Boulevard track in the heart of the township’s business district.
The trustees wanted to use the 14-month pause for a comprehensive study evaluating several things in the area including traffic and land use patterns, environmental impacts, infrastructure capacity, and future development impacts.
Trustee Lee Wong contends temporarily stopping development will allow the township to develop a sustainability strategy for long-term growth.
"Land is getting pretty scarce here in Union Center and in West Chester, either residential or commercial," Wong said. "The township is responsible for evaluating land use, proper land use traffic circulation, infrastructure capacity and development impacts. We are the only line here for the residents that live here, for businesses. It must be everything planned in advance properly, cannot be rushed."
But last week, business leaders publicly objected, stressing the new action is abruptly interrupting improvement projects and additions where money has already been spent.
"I had my owners and landlords calling me saying I just signed a lease I'm legally committed to allowing them to build out or to move into the space," said commercial real estate agent Susan Stretch.
Len Stalow is the managing partner for Towne Center Square off Union Center Drive. He criticized how the moratorium was written and that it prohibits making improvements for new tenants.
"There's constant movement with tenants in and out, with leases when they expire, Not to be able to accommodate the new people, the new tenants interferes with our business, hurts us," Stalow said.
Pausing, rewriting
The trustees agreed to pause the current business development moratorium.
"I hate government overreach. And this was," West Chester Trustee Mark Welch said. "My hope is that West Chester hasn't lost the reputation of being where families grow and businesses prosper. So I'm going to pull the motion."
Trustees Ann Becker and Lee Wong also agreed to pause.
Staff will now revise the language and more clearly specify restrictions.
During this time, projects already underway can continue.
Meanwhile, commercial real estate agent Susan Stretch cautioned the board to not unravel the growing affluence of West Chester.
"The trustees before you worked so hard to make this a business friendly township. The tax base is here now, and the investment, and the businesses, and high tech," said Stretch. "It takes a long time to build a reputation but it doesn't take long to take it down."
Once approved, the newly revised “Cincinnati-Dayton 747 Corridor” moratorium is expected to stay in effect until late fall 2026.
