SPRINGFIELD TWP., Clark County — County officials fear that delays in starting the Prime Ohio II industrial park will result in losing businesses, jobs and money.

Some residents who live near the planned development are concerned it will be a neighborhood nuisance that will increase truck traffic and worsen flooding in the area.

Construction on the $7.5 million project near Interstate 70 was supposed to begin in June, but it has been pushed back to September because preliminary design plans were tabled by a planning commission earlier this month.

Mike McDorman, chief executive officer of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, said the site along Ridge Road across from the Clark County Fairgrounds is ideal because of its easy access to Interstate 70 and proximity to I-71 and I-75.

“We’ve been so successful with food-related companies — the Gordon Foods, the Doles, the M&M supply companies — because of the proximity to the market,” McDorman said.

He said the region is within 75 miles of 6.2 million people, and delays will cost jobs.

“We need to get this park up and running as quickly as possible ... it helps us not miss opportunities to bring jobs to our communities,” he said.

McDorman said Springfield was the preferred area for the Caterpillar Logistics Services distribution center, which employs more than 500 people in Clayton. Springfield lost the business because the infrastructure was not completed, he said.

“We don’t want to miss anymore opportunities like that,” McDorman said.

McDorman said officials need approval soon to have the project completed in five years. The Clark County Community Improvement Corporation does not own the property but has options with three landowners to purchase the 211-acre site. Prime Ohio II has been in the works for about 17 years. CIC has secured $3.5 million to fund infrastructure costs, but it needs additional money to purchase the land, he said.

In the process, the CIC has faced setbacks that have delayed construction.

In September 2009, Springfield Twp. trustees opposed participating in a grant application for the industrial park and had to be persuaded to support the project by county commissioners. Township trustees still had questions about the project earlier this month and were joined by residents like James and Karen Clinger, who do not want the facility built in front of their home.

“We can’t stop them from building it, but we do want to stop trucks from coming down Ridge (Road),” Clinger said. “I don’t want something to happen to a kid. (Prime Ohio II) could be good for the community, but at what cost?”

CIC Vice President of Economic Development Horton Hobbs said the property along Ridge Road has been zoned industrial for years, and any development would result in changes to the neighborhood.

“It’s going to change traffic, the landscape. But it’s our responsibility to do it in a way that doesn’t jeopardize safety,” Hobbs said.

To move forward, officials need CEDA to approve revised design plans presented to the board on Feb. 2.

At issue was a proposal to realign a portion of Ridge Road and change the name of the road. The proposal would require contractors to get approval from the Springfield Township and county commissioners and to conduct additional public hearings as required by the Ohio Revised Code, which would further delay construction and possibly derail the project.

Springfield Twp. Trustee Tim Foley said he’s concerned the industrial park will worsen flooding along Mitchell Road, which has to be closed after significant rain.

“A few years ago, after a big storm with four or five inches of rain, the township had to perform rescues,” Foley said.

Administrator Jeff Briner said trustees have been assured contractors will adhere to county drainage requirements and city ordinances that address trustee and residents’ concerns.

Briner said contractors are not required to correct the issues on Mitchell Road, but cannot make the problem worse.

“My personal opinion is if they do their due diligence, they definitely won’t make it worse and they may make it better,” Briner said.

Clark County Engineer John Burr said he expects design issues to be resolved by the Feb. 2 meeting.

“We don’t want to hold this up. We think they’re on path to get it done,” Burr said.

Foley said the most important question is whether CIC officials will be able find tenants.

“The $3.5 million they obtained in the grant is for infrastructure. They don’t have the cash to pay the land owners until they actually have a tenant,” Foley said.

CIC officials plan to begin marketing the project to heavy manufacturing, distribution and food related businesses soon. The project is expected to be completed in summer 2013, Hobbs said.

Hobbs said the project has the potential to bring about 1,000 jobs to the area in over 20 years and he is confident it will succeed.

“I would like to think we’ve missed out on opportunities over the many decades that we’ve talked about it because the site was not complete. But we’ll market this project aggressively, and I think we can do that easily,” Hobbs said.

Pam Bonsell, who lives near the industrial park, is against it.

“Our road is a nice country road,” she said. “We moved out here to live in the country. It’s prettier without a bunch of buildings. I wish they would just leave the farmland and build somewhere else.”