PHOTO PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
PEACEFIELD SUBDIVISION … Shown is a digital rendering of potential homes in the new subdivision to be located at N. Defiance Street and E. Lutz Road.
By: Amy Wendt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
amy@thevillagereporter.com
The Archbold Planning Commission met on Monday, November 10, 2025, to consider two requests regarding a proposed residential subdivision to be located on the north end of Archbold.
Present were commission members Trevor Meyer, Steve Sauder, and Mike Evans, Village Council Member Karla Ball, Mayor Brad Grime, and Village Planner/Zoning Inspector Grant Schaffner.
Village Administrator Aaron Alt and Village Engineer Dexter Krueger were also on hand to answer questions. Many community members turned out for the public hearing and were seated in the audience area.
Addressing a housekeeping item on the agenda first, the commission approved meeting minutes from the September 8 public hearing to approve the site plan review regarding the construction of Casey’s convenience store and gas station to be located at 705 S. Defiance Street.
The commission then moved on to public hearings for two separate requests on the same property: the major subdivision preliminary plat review and the rezoning request of the 100-acre tract of farmland where it will be constructed.
One 50-acre parcel was annexed into the village in 2022, while the other 50-acre tract was annexed in 2024.
After Mike Evans swore in those speaking on behalf of the proposed subdivision, Village Planner/Zoning Inspector Grant Schaffner, while referring to the proposed plat design displayed on the screen, briefly explained the background of the project, noting that the commission opted to hear both matters at the same time since they relate to the same property.
On behalf of property owners Ed and Carol Nofziger, Boyer’s Construction requested to rezone the property to allow for a mix of residential, business, and special-use development.
Plans for Peacefield Subdivision call for approximately 137 lots: 130 residential lots, two business lots, one special use lot for Peace Mennonite Church, and four miscellaneous lots for common areas and stormwater detention.
To serve the subdivision, new water, sewer, and stormwater systems would be installed, which would be able to accommodate future development in the area.
The layout also incorporates neighborhood sidewalks, pedestrian easements, two common areas, including one with a walking trail through the northern woods, and a direct link to the existing walking path to Sauder Village.
Schaffner opened the floor to Austin Dunlap of Boyers Construction to elaborate on the plans.
“So, we have been working with Ed and Carol (Nofziger) on this project and their vision for this, or overall sort of plan, is just to create a subdivision that’s highly desirable to live in, aesthetically pleasing, high quality construction, something that draws people to the community, something that that people want to build in, and want to live in,” Dunlap shared.
He mentioned that the design includes walking trails which will connect to sidewalks in the development, a park on the south end of the subdivision along E. Lutz Road, and a pond at the proposed entrance by St. Anne Street.
The area will also feature mounding along the main roads, which are intended for privacy, additional green space, and to make everything feel more connected.
According to Dunlap, all of the lots will be at least one-third of an acre. Of the 130 residential lots, 42 will be low-maintenance condominium-style units.
Dunlap explained that there will be deed covenants that are not intended to be restrictive, but will ensure quality, stable property values, and homes built in the subdivision are aesthetically pleasing. The project will roll out in three phases.
Dunlap added that Boyers has been working with Bockrath and Associates Engineering, as well as the village’s engineering department, and the collaboration efforts are going well.
Greg Bockrath of Bockrath and Associates took the floor. “When we get a blank slate like this, we want to make it as safe as possible,” he said.
He pointed out that the connecting roads to the subdivision align with existing public roads, St. Anne Street to the west and Vine Street to the south.
For additional safety, no residential driveways will open to N. Defiance Street or E. Lutz Road.
The northeast corner of the area is designated for the stormwater detention pond, which preliminary numbers show could hold up to 300,000 cubic feet of water.
The outlet will be an extension of the ditch to the north. Bockrath added that the stormwater plans were made in collaboration with Boyers, the village’s engineering staff, and the Fulton County Engineer’s Office.
Village Engineer Dexter Krueger elaborated, “So, there has been quite a collaboration with how we served this area with sanitary, water, and then storm sewer; and then – just taking Greg’s plat that’s being proposed – and then start to put the details to it; and how the roads are going to be constructed and how the utilities are going to be installed, to be able to serve all the parts of the subdivisions.”
Shifting gears to the next topic, Schaffner explained that preliminary plat approval covers all three phases and is the next step that allows the project to move forward.
Construction may begin, and the final plat approval will take place after some of the roadway and main utilities are done and will occur in each of the three phases.
He explained that the deed restrictions place the responsibility for sidewalk installation on each lot owner when the driveway is poured, noting that it “may look a little funny at first,” but the sidewalks will connect as the lots are sold.
Referring to the village’s Comprehensive Plan 2021 (which can be viewed on the village’s website), Schaffner pointed out that 70% of those who were surveyed indicated a need for more residential development, and 50% of that group specifically preferred to see more condominium-style homes in the village.
“So, this subdivision meets a lot of those issues identified in the comprehensive plan, as long as connecting – as well as connecting – Sauder Village to the Village of Archbold with this walking trail that’s being developed, is just going to allow for more walkability in this area rather than having farmland,” explained Schaffner.
Referring to the proposed plat, Schaffner and Krueger spoke on various aspects of the plan, including road names, the possibility of future expansion, and sanitary sewer connections. Schaffner confirmed that all zoning requirements and engineering standards on the project have been satisfied.
Following the presentation, Mayor Grime inquired about leaving sidewalk construction responsibility up to each lot owner and asked if they considered installing sidewalks after the development is finished.
Krueger explained that this method will help ensure sidewalks are placed at a consistent distance from the road’s center line and avoid the need for a large, village-managed project later on.
Also, under the revised approach, individual homeowners, not the village, will be responsible for the cost of installing the sidewalk in front of their property.
While this may result in stretches of sidewalk appearing disconnected until the neighborhood is fully built, the method will ultimately create a more uniform layout.
On the topic of sidewalks, Karla Ball asked if lot owners will be required to use a specific contractor to pour the concrete.
Krueger stated that a specific concrete company is not required; however, some of the sidewalk details have not been finalized. He added that the topic is something he wanted the Planning Commission to consider how to proceed with.
As the hearing continued, the floor was opened to public questions, with one resident questioning whether the village’s water, sewer, and stormwater systems could handle a 100-acre development. The engineer assured him that the capacity is more than adequate.
Another resident worried about basement flooding issues on St. Anne Street. It was clarified that the stormwater system will operate entirely by gravity and will not tie into existing storm sewers along N. Defiance Street and E. Lutz Road and will instead flow north into the ditch leading to Flat Run.
Krueger added that because some of the runoff currently flowing toward E. Lutz and N. Defiance will instead be detained in the new pond, the project may improve conditions downstream.
One resident sought clarification about the sidewalk policy, deed restrictions, and timing requirements.
Developers confirmed that sidewalks must be installed when homes are built, enforced through deed restrictions and a review committee. Buyers must begin construction within two years of purchasing a lot.
Concerns were raised by a community member about traffic impacts on St. Anne and Lutz Road. Officials said the development will have three access points: two on E. Lutz Road and one on N. Defiance via Vine Street; however, they didn’t specifically cite any anticipated traffic pattern disruptions.
Other residents asked how the new subdivision might affect property values in nearby neighborhoods, especially for residents on fixed incomes.
Meyer said home values typically rise alongside newer, higher-value construction, but property tax impacts depend on comparable sales and occur gradually.
A representative from Fairlawn Haven expressed concern about competition for senior housing. Karla Ball stated she felt the markets differ as Fairlawn offers care-related services, while the new development offers independent-living homes.
While some overlap is possible, she believed the subdivision is more complementary than competitive.
When asked if there would be a homeowner’s association for the subdivision, the Boyers representative confirmed that there would be one, mainly for maintenance of the common areas.
One member of the audience asked for clarification that the developer is paying for all of the streets and other expenses, and Schaffner confirmed that they will be.
A question was raised about the timeline of the project. In response, Luke Boyers, Owner of Boyers Construction said, “If we get done, if we get it approved tonight, we can go ahead with all the engineering, and the hope would be as soon as spring is acceptable, we’d start construction on utilities and roads, and the intent, or hope would be even by midsummer, late summer.
“We could start selling lots and even potentially start on actual homes by fall next year, even if the roads aren’t finished or top coated until the following spring. Yeah, that would be the intent – is full steam ahead.”
Another resident requested context on how the size of the proposed subdivision compares to North Pointe, and Administrator Alt responded that they are similar in size.
A member of the public asked if the subdivision receives any tax abatements, and Alt noted that the village already offers a blanket 75% abatement for ten years on new residential construction, a policy that has been in effect for several years.
After fielding all public questions, Schaffner stated that “the staff recommendation is to approve as submitted, and for the preliminary plat approval with the condition…of continued collaboration with the Village of Archbold staff throughout the final design stages and final plat stages.
“That would be for the major subdivision preliminary plat, and then the second aspect of this is the rezone, which is not an approval in this case, that would be a recommendation to counsel to approve the rezone.”
Mayor Brad Grime made a motion to approve the preliminary plat, with Meyer seconding. The motion was unanimously approved by all commission members.
Regarding the zoning, Ball made a motion to recommend to the council the rezone of approximately 100 acres from S-1 Special to a combination of S-1, B-2, R-2, and R-3, as depicted on the proposed plat.
Sauder seconded the motion, and it was approved by all commission members unanimously.