SOUTH BLOOMFIELD, OH — The Village of South Bloomfield is standing at a major developmental crossroads. During a standing-room-only special meeting held last night, village officials laid out a comprehensive look at the land potentially slated for transformation, revealing that between 2,000 and 5,000 new homes could be added to the local landscape over the coming years.
Mayor Aaron Thomas said that development is here and there is not much they can do to stop it only guide it. Thomas did say in the meeting that rooftops and storefronts are planned, and large-scale development like data centers and industrial are not in the code.
The presentation was designed to give residents a “full picture” of available land and current interest from developers, though officials were quick to clarify that not every acre is destined for housing.
Two Major Projects Moving Toward Closing
While much of the discussion focused on potential, two major properties are officially moving through the pipeline toward closing:
- The Sod Farm
- The Crites Farm
Both developments are currently designed with a “mixed-use” approach, featuring commercial storefronts along US 23 to boost the local economy, with residential neighborhoods tucked behind the business corridors. Village leaders expect to present final plats, specific home counts, and construction timelines for these two sites at a follow-up meeting in August.
The “Potential” List: Fielding Inquiries
Village officials also identified several other key properties that are currently on the market and generating interest from developers, though none are under contract at this time:
- The Berger Hospital property
- The Leatherwood properties
- The Alcott/Ruff farm
- The Scioto Commons property (located behind Wendy’s)
Officials stressed that while these were calculated as “potential residential” to estimate future tax revenue, they could just as easily evolve into shopping centers, strip malls, or other commercial hubs. “Please do not take this as ‘5,000 new homes are coming’ tomorrow,” the village stated in a follow-up to residents. “That is simply not accurate at this time.”
Infrastructure and Impact Fees
A primary concern for residents remains the village’s ability to handle such a massive influx of people. Officials noted that the “impact fees” generated from the Sod Farm and Crites Farm developments are already being earmarked for critical upgrades to the municipal wastewater system. They did not address the overcrowding problem with the schools, but said they are in talks with the schools. Jesse Burke from Ashville village council attended the meeting and asked the direct question on where the schools would get the money to build, most likely calling out the anti-data center stance from Mayor Thomas, and the possible 100 million dollars that the data center would provide if built to solve the Teays valley problem.
Protecting Village Character
As South Bloomfield faces this unprecedented wave of interest—largely fueled by the region’s broader economic boom—the village council maintains that their current zoning laws are “solid.” The goal, they say, is to bring in the types of businesses and housing residents actually want while protecting the small-town character that defines the village.
Residents are encouraged to review the slideshow presentation from the meeting to see the full map of available land and potential build-out scenarios.
