New Faces And New Homes: Update From The Sunbury City Administrator

By 1808Delaware

For Wednesday’s meeting of Sunbury City Council, City Administrator Daryl Hennessy will be submitting an Update Report which includes the items listed below. They provide insights into the current state of several aspects of city operations.

Renovations on Track

The substantial completion of renovations for the police and municipal buildings is slated for July 31, 2024. Health and safety inspections are scheduled for the same day. Following the final inspection, staff will begin moving into the new facilities. A walkthrough with the general contractor, architect, owner’s representative, and city staff is scheduled for the morning of August 1 to develop a punch list of items that must be completed before the final payment is released to the general contractor.

Adjusting the Local Government Fund

The Delaware County Budget Commission recently received public testimony on a proposed change to the apportionment of the Local Government Fund. Currently, the County receives approximately $3.6 million annually from the state, distributed based on a formula to the County, Preservation Parks, villages and municipalities, and townships. The Delaware County Township Association proposed a change to the formula that would reduce distributions for the cities of Sunbury, Powell, Columbus, Dublin, and Westerville and Preservation Parks. Distributions to the County and the City of Delaware would remain unchanged. The Budget Commission did not act on the proposed formula change but supported forming a working group to review the proposal.

New Faces in Administration

Kaitlin Grafmiller, the new Assistant City Administrator, and Carla Odebralski, the new Director of Planning and Engineering, are set to begin their roles on July 31. Introductions of new staff are planned for next week’s City Council meeting.

Community and Economic Development

Ravines at Meadow Ridge Welcomes Residents

New city residents are now occupying one of the apartment buildings at the Ravines on Meadow Ridge. This development is a significant milestone as it marks the first set of residents in the area west of I-71. Construction of new homes at Eagle Creek is also progressing, with new occupancy permits for this subdivision expected soon.

Zoning and Building Permits

The latest zoning report for July 2024 shows a year-over-year decline in monthly building permits issued in July. Despite this slowdown, the year-to-date totals are closely aligned with last year’s record number of new construction permits. There is no indication that this year’s total numbers will fall below last year’s.

Service and Utilities

2024 Street Program Progress

The 2024 street improvement program is underway, with curb and gutter removal on N. Miller Drive. Other roads scheduled for concrete removal include Mill Stone Drive, Mill Stone Court, Fayburrow Drive, Leestone Court, and E. Cherry Street. New concrete installation is set to begin the week of July 29, with road milling scheduled for the week of August 5.

Historical Trends in New Construction

The following table and graph illustrate new construction historical trends from 2018 to 2024. The data shows fluctuations in the number of new build permits issued each month and year-to-date totals. For instance, July 2024 recorded 7 new build permits, a significant drop from 35 permits in July 2023. However, the overall trend indicates consistent growth in construction activities over the years.