Explanation
Rezoning Application: Z24-003
APPLICANT: U-Haul of Central Ohio, Inc. c/o Dave Perry, Agent; David Perry Company, Inc.; 411 East Town Street, 1st Floor; Columbus, OH 43215; and Donald Plank, Atty.; Plank Law Firm; 411 East Town Street, 2nd Floor; Columbus, OH 43215.
PROPOSED USE: Self-storage and accessory uses.
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval (5-0) on April 11, 2024.
GREATER HILLTOP AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site consists of three parcels developed with a self-storage facility and accessory uses in the L-M, Limited Manufacturing District. The requested L-M, Limited Manufacturing District will allow additional activities including truck and equipment rentals, warehousing, a shop maintenance facility, recreational vehicle storage (covered and open), shipping container storage (inside), and shipping and accessory office uses. The text includes appropriate use restrictions and supplemental development standards addressing building height, building setbacks, site access, landscaping, screening, building design, dumpsters, and lighting, as well as a commitment to develop the site in accordance with the submitted site plan. The request is consistent with the Hilltop Land Use Plan’s (2019) “Mixed Use 3” land use recommendation, and will not introduce an incompatible use to the area.
Title
To rezone 775 GEORGESVILLE RD. (43228), being 32.4± acres located on the west side of Georgesville Road and the south side of Sullivant Avenue, From: L-M, Limited Manufacturing District, To: L-M, Limited Manufacturing District (Rezoning #Z24-003).
Body
WHEREAS, application #Z24-003 is on file with the Department of Building and Zoning Services requesting rezoning of 32.4± acres from L-M, Limited Manufacturing District, to L-M, Limited Manufacturing District; and
WHEREAS, the Development Commission recommends approval of said zoning change; and
WHEREAS, the Greater Hilltop Area Commission recommends approval of said zoning change; and
WHEREAS, the City Departments recommend approval of said zoning change because the requested L-M, Limited Manufacturing District is consistent with the Hilltop Land Use Plan’s land use recommendation, and will not introduce an incompatible use to the area; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Official Zoning Map of the City of Columbus, as adopted by Ordinance No. 0179 -03, passed February 24, 2003, and as subsequently amended, is hereby revised by changing the zoning of the property as follows:
775 GEORGESVILLE RD. (43228), being 32.4± acres located on the west side of Georgesville Road and the south side of Sullivant Avenue, and being more particularly described as follows:
Situated in the State of Ohio, County of Franklin, City of Columbus, being located in Virginia Military Survey No. 1425, and being all of the 31.950 acre tract and all of the 0.396 acre tract, conveyed to MEIJER STORES LP shown in Instr. # 200104040069337 and Instr. # 200104040069346 and being more particularly described as follows:
Commencing at a found 3/4” I.P. on the easterly right-of-way line of COUNTRYBROOK EAST DRIVE (60’ R/W), and being a northwestern corner of said MEIJER 31.950 acre tract and the southwestern corner of Lot 1 of COUNTRYBROOK SUBDIVISION TRACT 1, of record in P.B. 41, Pg. 116, and PB. 49, Pg. 18 & 19 as conveyed to ASHTON SQUARE ASSOCIATES LP, thence;
S76°25’20” E a distance of 471.61 feet with the northern line of said MEIJER 31.950 acre tract and the south R/W line of said Lot 1, to a set I.P., said I.P. also being the southeast corner of said Lot 1, thence;
N13°38’00”E a distance of 289.39 feet with the west line of said MEIJER 31.950 acre tract and being the east line of said Lot 1 to a set I.P. on the south R/W line of Sullivant Avenue (R/W Varies), also being the south line of residual of the 31.42 acre tract as conveyed to GRACE CHEADLE in D.B. 1162, Pg. 62, D.B. 1164, Pg. 579 and DR. 2900, Pg. 173, thence;
S76°53’00”E a distance of 300.67 feet with the south R/W line of Sullivant Ave. and the north line of MEIJER tract to a set I.P., thence;
S13°38’00”W a distance of 292.00 feet with the east line of said MEIJER tract and being the west line of a 1.493 acre tract conveyed to HUGH D. CAMPBELL and SUE A. CAMPBELL, TRUSTEES, shown in Instr. #200508240172474 (Parcel #570-144443-00), and also the west line of a 1.103 acre tract conveyed to said CAMPBELL, shown in Instr. #200507280150996 (Parcel #570-144446-00) to a found 1/2” bent rebar, thence;
S13°58’00”W a distance of 111.94 feet with the west line of said 1.103 acres and on east line of said MEIJER to a found bent rebar, said rebar being the southwest corner of said CAMPBELL 1.103 acre tract and being the northwest corner of the MEIJER 0.396 acre tract, thence;
S64°16’45”E a distance of 240.86 feet with the south line of said CAMPBELL 1.103 acre tract an the north line of said MEIJER to set I.P., said I.P. being on the western right-of-way of GEORGESVILLE ROAD (R/W varies), conveyed to CITY OF COLUMBUS shown in DR. 3246, Pg. 683, thence;
with the west R/W of Georgesville Rd. the following 7 calls:
S24°40’40”W a distance of 52.08 feet to a set I.P., thence;
S23°48’20”W a distance of 3.62 feet to a set I.P. in the northerly line of that portion of Georgesville Road as conveyed to the BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, shown in D.B. 3410, Pg. 766, thence continuing with said westerly R/W line,
N73°26’49”W a distance of 8.87 feet to a found bent rebar,
S25°06’39”W a distance of 357.14 feet to a set I.P.,
S25°06’48”W a distance of 356.05 feet to a found bent rebar,
S35°06’50”W a distance of 264.77 feet to a set I.P.,
S13°12’46”W a distance of 231.93 feet to a set I.P.,
S25°36’35”W a distance of 145.51 feet to a found 3/4” I.P., said I.P. being on a northeast corner of a 7.993 acre tract known as RESERVE “A” in GEORGESVILLE GREEN SECTION 1, shown in PB. 102, Pg. 57-59, conveyed to CITY OF COLUMBUS OHIO, in Instr. # 201103290042265 (Parcel #570-267577-00) and being the southeast corner of said MEIJER 31.950 acre tract, thence;
N81°29’47”W a distance of 719.91 feet with the north line of said CITY OF COLUMBUS OHIO tract and south line of said MEIJER 31.950 acre tract to a found 3/4” I.P., on the east line of Lot 3, COUNTRYBROOK SUBDIVISION TRACT 1, Parcel #570-126678-00 or record in P.B. 41, P9. 116, and P.B. 49, Pg. 18 & 19, thence;
N13°31’00”E a distance of 1599.99 feet with the east line of said Lot 3 and the easterly R/W line of COUNTRYBROOK EAST DRIVE of said COUNTRYBROOK SUBDIVISION, passing a found 3/4” I.P. at 979.44 feet returning to The TRUE PLACE OF BEGINNING and containing 32.350 acres more or less, (29.947 acres in Tax PAR.# 570-207035-00), (0.396 acres in Tax PAR.# 570-144441-00), (2.006 acres in Tax PAR.# 570-144448-00) and subject however to all legal easements and rights-of-way of record.
To Rezone From: L-M, Limited Manufacturing District,
To: L-M, Limited Manufacturing District.
SECTION 2. That a Height District of sixty (60) feet is hereby established on the L-M, Limited Manufacturing District on this property.
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 official zoning map and shall register a copy of the approved L-M, Limited Manufacturing District and Application among the records of the Department of Building and Zoning Services as required by Section 3370.03 of the Columbus City Codes; said site plan titled, “U-HAUL CO. OF CENTRAL OHIO, INC, ZONING SITE PLAN,” and said text titled, “LIMITATION TEXT,” both dated June 18, 2025, and signed by David B. Perry, Agent for the Applicant, and Donald Plank, Attorney for the Applicant, and the text reading as follows:
LIMITATION TEXT
PROPERTY ADDRESS: 775 Georgesville Road, Columbus, OH 43228
ACREAGE: 32.4 +/- acres
PID: 570-207035, 570-144441, 570-144448
EXISTING DISTRICT: L-M, Limited Manufacturing (Z12 -067)
PROPOSED DISTRICT: L-M, Limited Manufacturing (Z24-003)
APPLICANT: U-Haul of Central Ohio, Inc. c/o Dave Perry, David Perry Company, Inc., 411 E Town Street, Floor 1, Columbus, OH 43215 and Donald Plank, Plank Law Firm, 411 E Town Street, Floor 2, Columbus, OH 43215
OWNER: Arec 36, LLC c/o Dave Perry, David Perry Company, Inc., 411 E Town Street, Floor 1, Columbus, OH 43215 and Donald Plank, Plank Law Firm, 411 E Town Street, Floor 2, Columbus, OH 43215
DATE OF TEXT: June 18, 2025
APPLICATION: Z24-003
1. INTRODUCTION: The 32-acre site is located on the west side of Georgesville Road and between Sullivant Ave. and Clime Road. The site was rezoned (Ordinance 0865-2013, Z12-067) in 2013 to permit self-storage. The registered site plan for Ordinance 0865-2013 shows an area on the frontage of Georgesville Road for C-2, Commercial uses. Applicant proposes to rezone the site with a new site plan, thereby eliminating C-2, Commercial uses depicted on the site plan for the 2013 ordinance. The C-2 use area remains undeveloped 11 years after rezoning. The office use is not viable for the location. Applicant proposes to add a climate-controlled storage building to the site. The site plan titled “U-Haul Co. of Central Ohio Zoning Site Plan”, hereafter Site Plan, is the site development plan for the site. The Site Plan depicts existing development and the new proposed building.
2. PERMITTED USES: Truck and Equipment Rentals, Self-Storage Unit Lockers, warehouse, shop maintenance facility, recreational vehicle storage (covered and open), shipping container storage (inside) and shipping, and accessory office.
3. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS: Unless otherwise specified in the following text and the registered site plan, the Development Standards shall be as specified in Chapter 3363 of Columbus City Code (M, Manufacturing District).
A. Density, Height, Lot and/or Setback commitments
1. Any new building shall be setback a minimum of 80’ feet from Georgesville Road based on the 2019 Multi-Modal Thoroughfare Plan designation of Georgesville Road as a 160’ right of way. Some existing buildings, predating the 2019 Multi-Modal Thoroughfare Plan, which changed Georgesville Road from being designated as a 120’ right of way to a 160’ right of way, are located less than 80’ from Georgesville Road and are non-conforming to the current required setback. No zoning variance shall be required for nonconforming Georgesville Road building setback(s) due to City of Columbus acquisition of additional Georgesville Road right of way now or in the future, but the applicant may choose to pursue a variance to address the nonconformities.
2. Georgesville Road right of way conveyance totaling 80’ from centerline, in accordance with the 2019 Multi-Modal Thoroughfare Plan, applied to existing Georgesville Road parking setback will cause a non-conforming parking setback on part of the Georgesville Road frontage. No zoning variance shall be required for non-conforming Georgesvllle Road parking setback due to City of Columbus acquisition of additional Georgesville Road right of way now or in the future, but the applicant may choose to pursue a variance to address the nonconformity.
3. The Height District shall be H-60, subject to the building height of the self-storage exterior units shall not exceed 15 feet, the maximum height of Building A (existing building, former Meijer store shall be 35’ and the maximum building height of the proposed building (Building “B”) shall be 45’.
B. Access, Loading, Parking and/or other Traffic related commitments
1). The existing two (2) driveway access points on Georgesville Road and the existing access point from Sullivant Avenue are proposed to remain, subject to the review and approval of the Department of Public Service.
2). Georgesville Road right of way totaling 80’ from centerline, in accordance with the 2019 Multi-Modal Thoroughfare Plan, shall be provided to the City of Columbus during the Final Site Compliance Plan process. Portions of Georgesville Road already exceed 80’ from centerline. The approximate area of Georgesville Road where right of way conveyance will occur is illustrated on the Site Plan.
C. Buffering, Landscaping, Open space and/or Screening commitments
1. Street tree planting shall be provided along the Georgesville Road frontage at a rate of approximately 1 tree per 50’ feet of frontage, starting 200’ south of the site driveway intersection with Georgesville Road at Clime Road North, to the north property line of PID: 570-144441. Existing trees along the Georgesville Road frontage may be counted toward meeting this street requirement. Based on spacing with existing trees and driveways, tree spacing may be adjusted from 1 tree per 50 lineal feet.
2. The east property line separating the existing multi-family parcel (570-126676-00) and the existing Sullivant Ave. drive shall have a row of trees (30 feet on-center) evenly spaced or grouped together.
3. The developer shall install a row of evergreen trees (one tree per 15 feet) along the east side of the proposed RV covered parking area.
4. Display parking area along Georgesville Road shall be screened from the adjacent public right-of-way with a minimum 3-foot-high continuous planting hedge or earth mound. Shrubbery shall be a minimum of 24 inches in height at installation planted 4 feet on-center. Mounding shall have a slope of at least 3 to 1 width to height ratio.
5. Existing wood privacy fence, trees and shrubs along the east and west property lines screening the multi-family parcels shall be well maintained.
6. The existing densely weeded / tree area along with the existing City of Columbus Retention Pond shall be well maintained. The developer shall commit to a “No Disturbance Zone” for this preservation area.
D. Building design and/or Interior-Exterior treatment commitments.
1. The existing or replacement mechanical equipment or existing utility hardware both on the roof or ground mounted for the main building shall maintain the current screening. Any new equipment roof or ground mounted shall be screened from view to prevent the equipment from being visible from the property line of the parcel. New ground mounted equipment shall screen from view by landscaping or any fence or wall comparable or compatible as the existing building materials.
2. The existing exterior building materials of Building A, the former Meijer building, shall remain and be maintained in good condition, including replacement of broken windows, dented exterior overhead doors, and chipped bricks to be replaced with materials comparable or compatible as the existing building materials.
3. The building materials for the exterior one-story storage buildings shall be masonry / concrete exterior walls with brick veneer comparable to and compatible with the existing building materials and colors (Building A).
4. RV covered canopy structures shall be constructed out of galvanized steel material and shall be located in the far southwest corner of this development. This area shall be surrounded and screened by the existing open wooded areas and the existing trees and shrubs screening the adjacent properties. Height of each structure shall not exceed 20 feet and shall be located behind an 8-foot-tall wrought iron fence with an automatic gate for secured access by specific customers.
E. Dumpsters, Lighting, Outdoor display areas and/or other environmental commitments
1. Trash Dumpsters shall be located within the existing building and only brought out prior to trash collection and returned back into established area immediately after pickup.
2. Light Poles are existing, meet current light limits and shall remain and adhere to current city codes. Any new parking lot light poles/fixtures shall comply with height and cut-off style fixtures of the City Code.
3. There will be no additional exterior lights installed on the perimeter of the existing building (Building A) unless required by either fire or building codes.
4. Wall pack lighting shall be installed on each storage buildings at approximately 30 feet on-center. The wall lights shall be fully shielded and directed downward to prevent glare.
5. For aesthetic compatibility, light install on the exterior storage buildings shall be from the same or similar type and color as those existing on the original main building.
6. RV canopy area shall be provided with under canopy fluorescent lighting and will be directed downward to prevent glare
F. Graphics and Signage commitments
All graphics and signage shall comply with the Graphics Code, Article 15 of the Columbus City Code as it applies to the M, Manufacturing District. Any variance to the sign requirements shall be submitted to the Columbus Graphic Commission for consideration.
G. Miscellaneous commitments
1. There will be no on-site resident manager.
2. All new sidewalks installed within the site shall be a min. 5 feet in width.
3. The developer shall comply with applicable monetary payment requirements of Chapter 3318, Parkland Dedication, Columbus City Code.
4. Rental trucks and equipment shall be staged and located in the designated area as shown on the site plan.
5. The subject site shall be developed in accordance with the site plan titled “U-Haul Co. of Central Ohio, Inc, Zoning Site Plan” dated June 18, 2025 and signed by David B. Perry, Agent for Applicant and Donald Plank, Attorney for Applicant. The site plan may be slightly adjusted to reflect final engineering, topographical or other site data developed at the time engineering plans are completed. No outside storage of materials shall be permitted.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.