Frequently Asked Questions

Honest answers to obvious questions

What safeguards are in place to ensure that Jerome Village lives up to its promise?

A number of policies and processes are in place to ensure Jerome Village delivers on its vision. First, the zoning plan approved by the trustees sets parameters for both maximum housing density and minimum open space requirements. Second, all builders working within Jerome Village will be qualified by the developer and must agree to conform to strict architectural and "green" building standards. Finally, the Jerome Village Company firmly believes that is has the right plan and design to meet the needs of a growing and changing population. This is the plan that has been presented throughout the zoning process and it's the one we believe ensures the greatest success for all concerned.

You say Jerome Village will preserve the rural character of Jerome Township – what does this mean?

The master plan has been designed to preserve land through Smart Growth principles identifying the areas to be developed and those that will be protected and preserved. A system of open space and green infrastructure will comprise 40 percent of Jerome Village – with much of that land dedicated to parks and outdoor recreation spaces. The rural character will also be maintained through diverse housing types and styles, including traditional, American farmhouse and Victorian architecture that will preserve the community's character.

Describe the Green space.

Jerome Village has been designed to maintain the area's rich rural character. Forty percent of the master plan is open space and parks. The advantage of a master plan is it will lock in green space, trails, roads and parks while controlling sprawl and unplanned growth. Jerome Township is currently being developed – but in a piecemeal fashion, not planned and without proper utilities or regard for neighboring land uses.

How will traffic be managed within Jerome Village?

The great thing about Jerome Village's "grow smart" planning principles is that they are proactive... not reactive.

With piecemeal development associated with "sprawl" (think Rt. 23), no significant infrastructure improvements are made in advance and issues/problems get dealt with after the fact... when it's too late.

The Jerome Village plan, however, has been integrated with Union County's Thoroughfare Plan with the help of the Union County Engineer. This means it takes a long-term and forward-thinking perspective. Development and Thoroughfare plans need to work hand-in-hand. It's not feasible to build roads and then wait for development... instead this ideally happens in an integrated manner like it will with Jerome Village.

The Jerome Village plan doesn't require additional burden on existing roads. For example, we could have put additional traffic on Jerome Road, but instead we will incur the cost to expand Hyland-Croy, Home Road, and other secondary roads.

In addition, Jerome Village has been designed as a pedestrian-friendly community where residents are encouraged to use alternative modes of transportation like walking, biking and light bus service. In fact, 60% of Jerome Village residents will live within a ten minute walk of the Town Center. Studies have shown that living in a compact community allows 20-30% less driving time than neighborhoods that are half as dense.

Citizens must also realize that Jerome Village and its traffic circulation solution is just a small part of the much broader regional traffic flow. Jerome Village alone can't be asked nor expected to solve all traffic issues within the 33/42 corridor. It will, however, effectively and proactively manage traffic flow within its general vicinity and should be used as a benchmark for future development in the region.

How will community Fire and Safety be handled?

The plan is for fire and EMT to be provided by Jerome Township. Law enforcement will be provided by the Union County Sheriff Department. The plans currently include the inclusion of a combination fire/sheriff sub-station near the Town Center.

How will the Jerome Village infrastructure be funded?

A community development authority (CDA) district has been established to fund the infrastructure, community services, parks, pools and a community center to minimize the burden on the surrounding area. A good example is New Albany. The goal is to make Jerome Village as self-sufficient as possible.

The CDA is a quasi-political body that is able to issue bonds in support of infrastructure and services associated with a development. Only real property (real estate) within the boundaries of the development is assessed. This means only those property owners within Jerome Village will be taxed by the CDA.

What school districts are affected?

Approximately 90 percent of Jerome Village is in the Dublin City School District. Property has been set aside for an elementary school (12 acres) and a middle school (23 acres). Ten percent is in the Fairbanks Local School District.

How much workforce or attainable housing will there be?

Highland is exploring various options to provide "hero housing" for various public service workers like firefighters, police officers, teachers, etc. It is anticipated that approximately 5-10% of the single family Village Homes will be for this purpose. These Village homes are expected to start at approximately $175,000.

In addition, other lifestyle responsive housing will be available within the community including lofts above retail, patio homes, and apartments.

Will utilities be made available to property owners outside of Jerome Village?

Jerome Village will provide access to utilities to its residents and make availability a possibility for adjacent property owners. The utility provider letter, however, is between Union County and Highland. Providing utilities to property owners outside of Jerome Village will be a Union County responsibility. It will be up to Union County to determine if and how utilities will be delivered to existing property owners. The provider letter from Union County will not be valid if the project does not move forward.

Will my taxes go up if I live in Jerome Township?

Historically, whenever growth occurs it has the effect of raising property values which, in turn, can lead to an increased tax payment. Taxes for Jerome Township residents living outside of Jerome Village will not increase, however, due to the infrastructure requirements of Jerome Village. Those will be funded by the CDA which can only assess real property within Jerome Village.

What other developments has Highland Real Estate done?

Highland Real Estate has developed several residential and commercial properties including Woodland Hall (72 estate homes on 95 acres along the Olentangy River off 315), Woodland Glen (73 acres in Powell), Kramer Place (a 46 unit urban apartment community located in Columbus' Italian Village), Littleton Square (6 condominiums near Victorian Village), Hazelton Town Center (107 acre mixed-use development in Pataskala), and Sunbury Mills Plaza (Kroger anchored neighborhood center).


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