By Jim Woods
DispatchPolitics.com
May 18, 2008

Anything government can do to buy undeveloped land so that it won't be turned into housing subdivisions would save money for New Albany and Plain Township taxpayers.

That is the major conclusion of a recent report prepared by the Smart Growth Coalition, nine representatives of the village, township and New Albany-Plain schools who spent nearly a year studying the area's future challenges.

While the coalition praises the area's planning over the past 15 years, it anticipates problems supporting the school district if 4,000 acres of undeveloped land within the district is used for homes and brings too many students.

The developed portions of the district already are 85 percent residential, the report says.

"Planning was the most important thing that ever happened in this community," said coalition member Keith Morris. "But we are at a crossroads in this community right now."

The report recommends that community leaders study how Granville, east of New Albany on Rt. 161, acquired open space. In 1997, Granville village and township voters were the first in Ohio to approve a levy to buy properties to protect their school district from development pressures.

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