Explanation
Rezoning Amendment: Z15-006B
Ordinance #1460-2015, passed June 22, 2015 (Z15-006), rezoned 26.55± acres from CPD, Commercial Planned Development and I, Institutional District to a new CPD, Commercial Planned Development District. That legislation established specific development standards for an assisted-living, nursing home, and housing for the elderly development, with use restrictions and standards that address building and parking setbacks, building height limitations, access and parking restrictions, pedestrian connections, tree preservation, lighting, and building design. Ordinance #2912-2025, passed December 7, 2015 (Z15-006A), amended the requested height district from 35 feet to 60 feet and allowed height exceptions as prescribed in 3309.142(A) of Title 33. This ordinance further amends the CPD development text by allowing pickleball courts and associated fencing and structures to be within the 50-foot building setback along Riverside Drive, as shown on the included exhibit. The remaining sections from Ordinance #2912-2015 (Z15-006A) remain unchanged and are in effect.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
Title
To amend Ordinance #1460-2015, passed June 22, 2015, and Ordinance #2912-2025, passed December 7, 2015, for property located at 6000 RIVERSIDE DR. (43017), by repealing Section 3 and replacing it with new Section 3 to modify the building setback along Riverside Drive within the CPD, Commercial Planned Development District (Rezoning Amendment #Z15-006B).
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance #1460-2015, passed June 22, 2015 (Z15-006), rezoned 26.55± acres at 6000 RIVERSIDE DR. (43017), from CPD, Commercial Planned Development and I, Institutional Districts to CPD, Commercial Planned Development District, to allow assisted-living, nursing home, and housing for the elderly uses; and
WHEREAS, that rezoning established specific allowable uses and development standards addressing building and parking setbacks, building height limitations, access and parking restrictions, pedestrian connections, tree preservation, lighting, and building design. Code modifications perimeter yard, required parking, and parking space dimensions are included in the CPD text.
WHEREAS, Ordinance #2912-2025, passed December 7, 2015 (Z15-006A) amended Ordinance #1460-2015, to modify Section 2, by applying a new height district of 60-feet to this property, and to modify Section 3, to allow height exceptions to buildings as prescribed by 3309.142(A) of Title 33.
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend Section 3 of Ordinance #2912-2025, passed December 7, 2015 (Z15-006A), to allow pickleball courts and associated fencing and structures within the 50-foot building setback along Riverside Drive, as shown on the included exhibit. A code modification to allow the proposed courts and structures within the required setback has been added to the text; and
WHEREAS, all other aspects of Ordinance #1460-20215 (Z15-006) and Ordinance #2912-2025 (Z15-006A) are unaffected by this amendment and remain in effect; NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That Section 3 of Ordinance #2912-2025, passed December 7, 2015 (Z15-006A), is hereby replaced with new Section 3 to read as follows:
SECTION 3. That the Director of the Department of Building and Zoning Services be, and is hereby authorized and directed to make the said change on the said original zoning map and shall register a copy of the approved CPD, Commercial Planned Development District and Application among the records of the Department of Building and Zoning Services as required by Section 3311.12 of the Columbus City Codes; said CPD plan and elevation drawings being titled, "SHEET 1 of 3," "SHEET 2 of 3," and "SHEET 3 of 3," all dated June 2, 2015, and "Exhibit A - FVD Pickleball Courts," dated August 22, 2025, and text titled, "CPD TEXT," dated May 26, October 14, 2015 August 22, 2025, all signed by Jerry Koyuth, Executive Director, Friendship Village of Dublin, Ohio, and the text reading as follows:
CPD TEXT
PROPOSED DISTRICT: CPD
PROPERTY ADDRESS: 6000 Riverside Drive
OWNER: Friendship Village of Dublin, Ohio, Inc.
APPLICANT: Friendship Village of Dublin, Ohio, Inc.
DATE OF TEXT: May 26, October, 14, 2025, August 22, 2025
APPLICATION NUMBER: Z15-006AB
1. Introduction: The subject property consists of 26.55 +/- acres of real property (the “Property”), which is located on Riverside Drive. The Property is proposed to be further developed by the Owner. In 2003, the City passed an ordinance pursuant to rezoning application Z02-051 causing approximately 6.334 acres of real property (the “Initial CPD Property”) to be rezoned to permit an extension of the FVD Campus on the Initial CPD Property for the development of an independent living complex for senior citizens (the “Independent Living Complex”), limiting such development by a CPD Text (the “2003 CPD Text”). In 2005, the City passed an ordinance pursuant to rezoning application Z05-029 which added 1.219 acres to the CPD text (the “Additional CPD Property”). In 2014 the City passed an Ordinance pursuant to rezoning application Z13-034, causing approximately .802 acres of real property to be rezoned.
2. Permitted Uses: Subject to the limitations set forth below, the Property may only be used for Assisted Living, Nursing Home (facilities licensed by the Ohio Department of health) or I-use group Housing, and for non-licensed residential dwelling units meeting the requirements of housing for the elderly ( for the purposes of this CPD text non-licensed housing for the elderly shall mean any age restricted housing which limits by contract occupants to an age of no less than 55 years of age and does not require a license to operate by the Ohio Department of Health) . The Property will be owned and operated by the Applicant as part of the Friendship Village of Dublin retirement community. The Property will not contain individual lots. Non-licensed housing for the elderly residential dwelling units shall be limited to a maximum of 375 units with no limits on licensed care assisted living or nursing units.
3. Development Standards: Unless otherwise indicated in the CPD Text, the applicable development standards are contained in Chapter 3361 of the Columbus City Code, and as shown on the attached Zoning Site Plan and Zoning Elevations.
Reference to the attached Site Plan (the “Plan”) is made herein. The Plan sets forth a conceptual layout of the proposed development of the Property for the currently anticipated expansion to 308 units of non-licensed housing for the elderly. The plan depicts the general layout of planned buildings, driveways parking lots and other improvement subject to minor modifications as may be required to gain necessary approval of the relevant city agencies. Additional improvements shall be permitted on the property to increase the overall site density to 375 non-licensed housing for the elderly residential dwelling units.
A. Density, Height, Lot and/or Setbacks Commitments
1. Maximum density on the Property will not exceed 375 non licensed housing for the elderly senior independent living units. No limits on licensed units are applicable to this CPD text.
2. Minimum building setbacks on the Property will be twelve feet from any adjacent property boundary, provided that there shall be no minimum setback requirement for any development that is adjacent to the boundary of other real property owned by Friendship Village of Dublin. Setbacks for buildings along Riverside Drive with the exception of the pickleball courts and the associated chain link fencing and court lighting along with the adjacent shade structures as shown in Exhibit A - FVD Pickleball Courts, shall be 50 feet, and shall be 25 feet along Riverside Green and Birchton Street. Parking setbacks on Riverside Drive shall be 40 feet not including driveways which shall be 10 feet where parallel to property boundaries. Parking setbacks on Riverside Green and Birchton Street shall be 25 feet not including driveways which shall be 10 feet where parallel to property boundaries. Building setbacks can be reduced to 45 feet along Riverside Drive and 20 feet along Riverside Green and Birchton Court with a reduction in building height of 15 feet below the permitted maximum height.
3. Building heights shall be 35 feet within 100 feet of the Right of Way Line of Riverside Green and Birchton Street. Building heights shall be 60 feet for the balance of the site. Refer to Site Plan for graphic delineation of these limit lines. The height exception in City Code Section 3390.142(A) shall apply using the limit lines as the required setback line for allowing building heights in excess of these limits.
B. Access, Loading, Parking and/or other Traffic-Related Commitments
1. All circulation, curb cuts and access points shall be subject to the approval of The Department of Public Service. Applicant proposes that the primary access to the Property will include four (4) full-service connections on Birchton Street and at least one full service access point on Riverside Green. Access on Riverside Drive shall be limited to emergency access. If a connection to provide emergency vehicle access is required by the City of Columbus, Division of Fire, bollards and signage shall be installed in appropriate locations to prevent the usage of this connection by regular vehicular traffic. If appropriate cross access easements are in place, the above provision shall not prohibit the property owner from utilizing this vehicular connection as a temporary construction access during the construction of this site, if approved by the Department of Public Service.
2. Each senior independent living unit will have no less than one parking space either in a garage or surface lot.
3. Walkways within the Property will be constructed to permit pedestrian circulation within the Property. The location of the walkways may be changed from time to time to accommodate use and future expansion.
C. Buffering, Landscaping, Open Space and/or Screening Commitments
The applicant will endeavor to preserve existing large trees on the subject Property to the extent practicable, as shown on site plan.
D. Building Design and/or Interior-Exterior Treatment Commitments
1. Exteriors of the buildings will be constructed of materials consistent with residential structures within the Friendship Village of Dublin community and neighboring properties, examples of which include brick, stone, stucco and siding. No vinyl siding will be used on any buildings. Flat or pitched roofs will be permitted.
2. The architectural "look" of the planned phase of construction shall be consistent in concept and quality with the attached Zoning Elevations subject to modifications to reflect final design and program.
E. Lighting, Outdoor Display Areas and/or other Environmental Commitments
All internal street lighting shall be decorative standards with a height no greater than eighteen feet.
F. Graphics and/or Signage Commitments
All graphics and signage shall comply with the I, Institutional District Standards of the Graphics Code, Title XV of Title 30, Columbus Zoning Code, and any variance to those standards shall be submitted to the Columbus Graphics Commission for consideration.
H. Miscellaneous Commitments
1. Necessary variances (setback, parking)
a. Variance: Reduce the perimeter yard to 0' along the interior lot lines and to reduce the front yard requirements along Riverside Drive from 25 feet to 19 feet 8 inches for new pickleball courts and associated fencing and shade structures as shown on Exhibit A - FVD Pickleball Courts (CC 3361.04(a)).
b. Variance: Reduce required parking to one space for each housing for the elderly unit (CC3312.49).
c. Parking spaces and maneuvering shall be allowed to cross parcel lines.
2. The subject site shall be in general conformance with the submitted CPD plan titled “Overall Site Plan” and “Exhibit A - FVD Pickleball Courts” as they apply to setbacks. The plans may be slightly adjusted to reflect engineering, topographical or other site data developed at the time that development and engineering plans are completed. Any slight adjustment to the plans shall be reviewed and may be approved the Director of Building and Zoning Services or his designee upon the submission of the appropriate data regarding the proposed adjustment.
3. The Developer will comply with the Parkland Dedication Ordinance.
4. The trash compactor hours of operation and pick up will be limited to: 8am to 8pm (hours of operation) and 8am to 5pm (hours of pick up).
4. Other CPD Requirements
A. Natural Environment
The natural environment of the Property is relatively flat, with a slight grade incline to the east from Riverside Drive. A steep wooded ravine runs along the northwest boundary of the Property and will remain substantially in its natural state.
B. Existing Land Use
The Property is a Continuing Care Retirement Community.
C. Transportation and Circulation
Access to and from the site will be from Riverside Green on the southern boundary and Birchton Street at the eastern boundary of the Property with internal vehicular circulation provided for in the Plan.
D. Visual Form of the Environment
The Property is bounded as follows: (i) the northern and eastern boundary of the Property abuts an apartment complex; (ii) the eastern boundary of the Property abuts Birchton Street and single family homes; and (iii) the southern boundary of the Property abuts Riverside Green and Apartments. Various office and commercial operations are located across Riverside Drive to the west of the property.
E. View and Visibility
The Property fronts on Riverside Drive and will be visible from Riverside Drive.
F. Proposed Development
The proposed development will be a Continuing Care Retirement Community.
G. Behavior Patterns
The development on the Property will be integrated as part of the Friendship Village of Dublin community. Traffic access directly on Riverside Drive will not be permitted, except for construction vehicle access.
H. Emissions
Development of the Property shall conform to the City of Columbus requirements as further controlled by the Development Standards of this CPD Text for light levels, sounds and dusts. There will be no objectionable emissions.
SECTION 2. That existing Section 3 of Ordinance #2912-2025, passed December 7, 2015 (Z15-006A), is hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.