In the words of Hilliard Mayor Don Schonhardt, the city and a Cincinnati developer are "this close" to an agreement on a mixed-use development at the city's eastern gateway to I-270 on the northwest corner of Cemetery Road and Britton Parkway.

After a last-minute meeting Dec. 10, Schonhardt and representatives of the developer, First Industrial LP of Cincinnati, said they were confident that with additional revisions, a plan that could earn a positive recommendation could be crafted for the proposed Village at Britton Parkway development.

"I think we all recognize the importance of this project," Schonhardt said. "We have continued to meet with the developer on this site. I continue to maintain that we're 'this close.' In my estimations, the final elements that we are now discussing are the missing piece."

Based on that information and a presentation by the developer, Hilliard Planning and Zoning Commission members voted unanimously to approve a 60-day postponement until the commission's February meeting.

The Dec. 11 postponement marks the eighth time that a vote on the application has been postponed since January 2008. All of those delays were at the request of the applicant in order to resolve a series of concerns voiced by the city administration.

In July 2005, the owner of the former Dana Corporation site withdrew an application to rezone the property to PUD for predominantly retail uses with some offices.

After originally proposing big box retail uses on the site, the applicant is now requesting approval of a PUD zoning development plan for a mixed use project consisting of smaller retail uses, 316 multiple-family residential (apartment) units, and office space.

Columbus attorney David W. Fisher said his client, First Industrial LP, has worked hard to come up with a plan for the 55.928-acre site that would be an asset to the community.

"Originally, this was an exclusively retail project," Fisher noted.

Now, only one major retailer and other smaller retail users are planned for the development.

"It is our goal and hope that we can promptly bring a grocery retailer into that location, but we can't limit ourselves at this point in time to say that's what it's going to be. ... We're going to especially prohibit home improvement on this property. We're going to say, nope, no home improvement on the property."

An early plan called for a Menard's home improvement center to serve as one of the anchors for the development. Administration officials were concerned about that proposal because Lowe's and Home Depot home improvement centers are already located within approximately one mile of the site.

Fisher said a hotel with conference/meeting space is also planned for the site.