BATAVIA, Ohio — If you drive into the Village of Batavia from the north, you will see more than a dozen signs lining the roadway in red, white and blue reading: "No more residential tax abatement developments."

Without context, the signs can be a bit confusing, but the story about why they've been placed around town stretches back to an annexation attempt in November 2023 through a heated meeting where hundreds of people called for a housing development to be thrown out in September 2024 and an attempt to dissolve the village completely .

At a meeting Tuesday, the Village of Batavia's Zoning Board left that history in the past and gave final approval for a part of the 668-home development to be built.

The vote initially drew cheers from the few dozen people in attendance as it a

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