25 September 2025
Episode 26 - Karen Swartz & Taylor Corbett - Batavia Township: CRAs, Growth, Fire Funding - E26
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Episode 26 of Let's Talk Clermont. We start off with some news from around the county. Invasive box tree moth alerts, rain-garden classes at Pattison Park, a Tate Township BZA hearing, and Eastgate Mall’s ongoing shake-up. Then an in-depth interview with Batavia Township Administrator Karen Swartz and Planning & Zoning Director Taylor Corbett on the Baumann airport-area development, how CRAs work, and fire/EMS funding. We wrap some events roundup and a teaser for next week’s candidate interview.
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Welcome, show format, and host’s fall vibes
County news: invasive box tree moth alert
Rain garden classes and past episode plug
Tate Township zoning hearing notice
Eastgate Mall troubles and legal standoff
Setting up today’s interview topic: growth plan primer
Batavia Township Growth Policy Plan overview
Residential density guidance and corridors strategy
Parks and natural resources priorities
Upcoming guest, political interviews cadence, and show notes
Value‑for‑value support and how to contribute
Interview intro: Karen Swartz and Taylor Corbett
Karen’s role and township operations (roads, parks, snow response)
Taylor’s background and what planning & zoning handles
What is a CRA and how it’s used
History of Batavia CRAs and the airport development
Annexation mechanics and the Type 2 path
Township’s core concern: fire district and school impacts
TIFs explained vs CRAs; who gets made whole
PILOT payments and how funds can be used
Are these incentives normal? Developer perspective
Why growth is coming east: SR‑32 improvements and context
Township stance on incentives: target commercial, not residential
How the township evaluates new development
Who pays for infrastructure in subdivisions
The ‘high density’ debate and real densities
Gross vs net density and PD design tradeoffs
PD benefits: open space, streams, drainage management
Balancing village growth aims with township impacts
If we ran the village: focusing growth on the core
Economic development wishes (yes, a grocery) and realities
Seeing the village as the township’s civic core
What would make this work: fund the shared fire service
Closing notes: upcoming levy and partnership appeal
Outro and call for opposing voices on the issue
Community events rundown and wrap
