Sunbury Council to Introduce 58-Acre Commercial Rezoning and Infrastructure TIF
Ordinances 2026.31 and 2026.30 advance the Gateway District North development off South Wilson Road ahead of an Oct. 21 public hearing.
Sunbury City Council is scheduled to introduce legislation on Wednesday, Oct. 7, to rezone nearly 58.5 acres for a commercial corridor development off South Wilson Road and create a municipal tax increment financing district to fund supporting public infrastructure.
Under Ordinance 2026.31, council members will hold a first reading on an application submitted by Sunbury Holding Co., LLC to rezone approximately 58.472 acres on parcel #417-240-02-009-000 to a Planned Commercial District. Designated as the Gateway District North Planned Commercial District, the proposed development is located along the planned Sunbury Parkway transportation corridor on the western edge of the city.
Simultaneously, council will take up Ordinance 2026.30, which declares improvements to the real property to be a public purpose, exempts the parcel improvements from taxation, and establishes a municipal public improvement tax increment equivalent fund. Service payments deposited into the fund will be dedicated to financing specific public infrastructure improvements directly benefiting the development area.
Corridor Alignment and Planning History
The rezoning application advanced to City Council following a technical review by the Sunbury Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 24. During that meeting, commissioners evaluated a revised submittal for Gateway District North alongside a municipal staff report that provided a divergence breakdown and compared the developer's site layout to Sunbury Parkway corridor plans.
The 58.5-acre property sits along South Wilson Road within a planned regional transportation route designed to connect Interstate 71 with West Cherry Street. According to municipal and state planning studies, earlier roadway designs in 2017 anticipated that the connector from Wilson Road to West Cherry Street and the extension of Wilson Road would be constructed using private developer funds. After private development did not progress as initially projected, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced plans to advance the corridor using public funds and updated feasibility reviews in coordination with Delaware County, Berkshire Township, and the City of Sunbury.
By establishing a tax increment financing framework alongside the commercial rezoning, Sunbury seeks to ensure that new commercial tax revenues directly subsidize the roadway connections, utilities, and traffic enhancements required to support regional growth.
Legislative Process and Public Hearing
The two measures appear under first readings on the agenda published Friday, Oct. 2, for council's regular meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers on the third floor of Sunbury Town Hall, 51 E. Cherry Street.
Following the initial introduction, Sunbury City Council has scheduled a formal public hearing on the Sunbury Holding Co. LLC rezoning for Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall. In a public notice posted on Aug. 27, municipal officials announced that the rezoning application and development plans are open for public inspection at the Sunbury Municipal Building at 9 E. Granville Street, giving residents and neighboring property owners an opportunity to testify.
Previously, Pique covered "Sunbury Schedules Oct. 22 Special Meeting on Data Centers Ahead of Charter Vote," which examined a dedicated forum announced on the same municipal agenda to address community concerns regarding hyperscale industrial facilities.
While that separate special session addresses citizen debate over large industrial campuses and electrical loads, Wednesday's regular agenda directs council attention to commercial real estate development and corridor financing along Sunbury's growing western gateway.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Council · City Council Meeting 10/7/2026 · agenda
Supporting evidence (3)
Under Ordinance 2026.31, council members will hold a first reading on an application submitted by Sunbury Holding Co., LLC to rezone approximately 58.472 acres on parcel #417-240-02-009-000 to a Planned Commercial District.
Read supporting passage
ORD. NO. 2026.31 AN ORDINANCE ACCEPTING THE APPLICATION OF SUNBURY HOLDING CO., LLC TO REZONE APPROXIMATELY 58.472 +/- ACRES OF PROPERTY TO PLANNED COMMERCIAL DISTRICT PURSUANT TO THE CITY OF SUNBURY ZONING CODE.
Simultaneously, council will take up Ordinance 2026.30, which declares improvements to the real property to be a public purpose, exempts the parcel improvements from taxation, and establishes a municipal public improvement tax increment equivalent fund.
Read supporting passage
ORDINANCE NO. 2026.30 AN ORDINANCE DECLARING THE IMPROVEMENT TO CERTAIN PARCELS OF REAL PROPERTY TO BE A PUBLIC PURPOSE AND EXEMPT FROM TAXATION; ESTABLISHING A MUNICIPAL PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT TAX INCREMENT EQUIVALENT FUND AND PROVIDING FOR THE COLLECTION AND DEPOSIT OF SERVICE PAYMENTS INTO THAT FUND; AND SPECIFYING THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS DIRECTLY BENEFITING THE PARCELS.
The two measures appear under first readings on the agenda published Friday, Oct. 2, for council's regular meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers on the third floor of Sunbury Town Hall, 51 E.
Read supporting passage
Meeting Location: Sunbury Town Hall 51 E. Cherry Street, 3rd Floor, Sunbury, Ohio 43074 October 7, 2026 at 7:30 P.M.
Planning & Zoning Commission · Planning and Zoning Commission · agenda
Supporting evidence (2)
The rezoning application advanced to City Council following a technical review by the Sunbury Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 24.
Read supporting passage
2. Rezoning – Gateway District North PCD, Sunbury Holdings Co., LLC The applicant is requesting the rezoning of parcel # 417-240-02-009-000 and approval of the associated development plan and text.
During that meeting, commissioners evaluated a revised submittal for Gateway District North alongside a municipal staff report that provided a divergence breakdown and compared the developer's site layout to Sunbury Parkway corridor plans.
Read supporting passage
Staff Report - Sunbury Holdings LLC PCD Divergence Breakdown and Parkway Plan Comparison.pdf
Supporting evidence (2)
According to municipal and state planning studies, earlier roadway designs in 2017 anticipated that the connector from Wilson Road to West Cherry Street and the extension of Wilson Road would be constructed using private developer funds.
Read supporting passage
At the time, the proposed section of Sunbury Parkway from Wilson Road to W. Cherry Street and the extension of Wilson Road (shaded area in the Study Area Map, below) were to be constructed using private funds.
After private development did not progress as initially projected, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced plans to advance the corridor using public funds and updated feasibility reviews in coordination with Delaware County, Berkshire Township, and the City of Sunbury.
Read supporting passage
Recognizing the need for these improvements, ODOT intends to advance them using public funds, and therefore will re-evaluate studies and conduct additional public involvement.
https://sunburyohio.org/m/newsflash
Supporting evidence (2)
Following the initial introduction, Sunbury City Council has scheduled a formal public hearing on the Sunbury Holding Co.
Read supporting passage
The City of Sunbury City Council will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at 7:30 pm in the Council Chambers at the Sunbury Town Hall, 3rd Floor, 51 East Cherry Street, Sunbury, Ohio.
In a public notice posted on Aug. 27, municipal officials announced that the rezoning application and development plans are open for public inspection at the Sunbury Municipal Building at 9 E.
Read supporting passage
Posted on August 27, 2026