Proposed 5.2 mil Fire Levy

March 2025, To the Residents of Brown Township, On May 6, 2025, Brown Township voters will be asked to approve issue 15, a 5.2-mill permanent fire levy. Brown and Norwich Townships have an agreement stating that their residents will provide roughly equal levels of funding (mileage) rates for the Norwich Fire Department, which operates out of Station 82 on Walker Road, as well as other locations. The levy is the primary funding source for maintaining fire and emergency services in the township. Levy revenues are supplemented by EMS billing and grants but the property taxes raised through the levy provide the lion’s share of the department’s funding. Levy funding ensures the continued availability of fire suppression, emergency medical services (EMS), rescue operations, community outreach and education, and hazardous materials response. Without this funding, the township faces the risk of reduced services.
Over time, increasing costs outpace property tax revenue, which is basically held to the dollar amount it raised when the levy was voted in (2014 in this case). New development increases this amount, but it also increases costs. The department has felt the overall effects of inflation. The price of emergency vehicles and specialized equipment have been an especially hard hit.
Most importantly, the cost of recruiting and retaining qualified firefighter/paramedics has, and continues to, increase greatly in response to inflation, because of the increased competition for qualified personnel among fire departments throughout Central Ohio, and because development in the area requires increases in the number of personnel, as well as the amount of equipment. The Brown and Norwich Township trustees have agreed that it is time to secure an increased level of funding for the fire department. Following the approval of Norwich’s levy in March 2024, Brown Township is proposing this levy to secure its part of the additional revenue. The information above provided by the Brown Township Board of Trustees _______________________________________________________________________________________________

* Median Home Value for Brown Twp. in 2024 was $416,700 according to the Franklin County Auditor Information Sources: Click HERE for information and eligibility for the Homestead Exemption. Click HERE to check the Auditor’s appraised value for your property. To calculate your proposed additional annual cost, use the following formula: Proposed Additional Annual Cost = (Your home’s Auditor’s Appraised Value) x 0.35 x 0.0052

Service area of each Norwich Township Fire Department station (Sta 84 opens June 2025).

Comprehensive Plan

Township Zoning at Risk

Brown Township residents urged to get involved now.
The Ohio Senate created a task force to examine the housing crisis in Ohio and make legislative recommendations to solve the problem. As a result, zoning rights of townships have become a target of various outside interest groups

These groups are suggesting:

• That township zoning be eliminated in statutory townships such as Brown Township
• That Ohio create statewide zoning and building standards
• That the referendum procedure be eliminated in township zoning
• That townships be required to allow high-density single and muilti-family housing
• That townships be required to allow for re-purposing commercial buildings for housing

The current township zoning process allows time for the community to decide if its needs and visions have changed since the zoning code and comprehensive plan were last altered. A decision could be finalized in as few as 135 to 155 days or four to five months. While all decisions are not finalized quickly, the current process ensures a balanced approach to development, weighing community needs, sustainability, and economic growth.

The Importance of Township Zoning:

• Offers protection of property values for owners
• Recognizes that township residents deserve the same property protection as residents of municipalities
• Zoning decisions made by townships allow for solutions tailored to the unique characteristics and demands of the community

The Brown Township Board of Trustees is considering asking residents to adopt township zoning in Brown Township if it survives this attack. The Board is considering this because, recently, there have been issues with Franklin County’s enforcement of county zoning in the Township, as well as the county Board of Commissioners, sometimes over the Township’s objections, making questionable rezoning decisions for the community.

A recent example is the zoning of a 24.1 acre tract on Davis Road from Rural to PR-6, a district that allows high densities and requires public water and sewer service (which is not available to the site). This decision resulted in the circulation of a referendum petition by township residents, which received well over the number of signatures required by law. Thus, reversing this rezoning will be on the ballot in November. Something the current proposal wouldn’t allow. 

Please support your local voice in development decisions. Contact your state senator and state representative today to express your support for township zoning and the referendum process:

Mando Ditch Petition

Patterson Rd., Jerman Ln., Morris Rd., small part of Amity Rd.

Mando Ditch Petition Materials:

Franklin County Engineer Website (scroll down to find MANDO)

Ohio Revised Code section 6131 allows the cost and maintenance of drainage improvement projects to be assessed over multiple landowners based on the benefit created to those properties. The Franklin County Engineer’s Office performs the design and oversees the construction and maintenance of these projects. Concerned landowners should attend these meetings to stay informed and provide feedback to the process.

Brown Township Central Ohio Greenways Visioning Study

Brown Township successfully applied for MORPC Technical Assistance to engage in a Central Ohio Greenways Vision Refinement Study. The goal of the study is to determine the alignment of an east-west trail connecting Prairie Oaks Metro Parks to the City of Hilliard’s municipal park system. This connection would also interconnect two regionally significant trails: the Darby Creek and Hellbranch Trails. A 2021 township survey of nearly 100 households revealed that over 80% supported this east-west trail connection, citing the benefits it would have to the community’s collective value, health, and capacity for outdoor recreation. In response, the township has been critically assessing all opportunities, with the eventual goal of creating an Implementation Plan to transform the trail concept to reality.

This study has included an analysis of existing conditions in the township and an exploratory workshop with key regional stakeholders, including Franklin County Engineer’s Office, the City of Hilliard, Metro Parks, and the Big Darby Accord Advisory Panel. Next, different potential alternatives will be analyzed to compare the relative benefits of all the opportunities available to the township.

A key next step of this study will be hearing from and engaging with the Brown Township community. To that end, a public open house is planned for Thursday, July 20th at 6:30pm in the Brown Township Hall. This open house will be an opportunity for members of the public to hear an update on the study and planning process thus far, lend critical input and feedback on options identified to this point, and voice community concerns and desires regarding trails, access to trails, and connections to local parks.

Please reach out to Joe Martin at joe_martin@browntwp.org (Brown Township) or Jordan Petrov at JPetrov@morpc.org (MORPC) with any comments or questions.

Open Burning

Please see our updated page on open burning.

• Top Menu: Environmental > Outdoor Fires
• Popular Links: Fires & Open Burning

Report Failing Sewage Systems

When household sewage treatment systems fail, untreated sewage is discharged into the environment. Untreated wastewater from a failing system can contaminate drainage ditches, streams and drinking water wells. Avoid contact with untreated human waste.

Report suspected failed systems:

• Call (614) 525-4787
• FailingHSTS@FranklinCountyOhio.gov

About Township Communications

Section 505.07 of the Ohio Revised Code allows newsletters and websites for public awareness. Content for the Brown Township Newsletters and Website is provided by township officials, residents and various public organizations. This website contains much more information than is published in the newsletters. However, each newsletter is archived on this website.

Please send comments, articles and photos to Brown Township Newsletter Editor, 2491 Walker Rd, Hilliard, OH; 43026.
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