Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV24-125
APPLICANT: Judith Politi; c/o Brenda Parker, Agent; 405 North Front Street; Columbus, OH 43215
PROPOSED USE: Office and a single-unit dwelling.
GERMAN VILLAGE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site consists of an office building in the R-2F, Residential District. The requested Council variance will allow the addition of a single-unit dwelling to the existing office building with reduced development standards. The office building was approved under Ordinance #1-78 (CV77-084) as the sole use of the property, and that variance did not provide for other allowable uses of the R-2F, Residential District. A Council variance is required for this project because adding the proposed single-unit dwelling causes conditions approved with Ordinance #1-78 to not be met. Variances to lot area, lot width, side yards, rear yard, and to reduce the number of required parking spaces from eight to two are also included in this request. Staff notes that the final design is subject to a Certificate of Appropriateness from the German Village Commission, and are supportive of the continued use of the existing building for office purposes, and the addition of a single-unit dwelling consistent with the existing residential zoning.
Title
To grant a Variance from the provisions of Sections 3332.037, R-2F, residential district; 3312.49, Required parking; 3332.05, Area district lot width requirements; 3332.14, R-2F area district requirements; 3332.25, Maximum side yards required; and 3332.27, Rear yard, of the Columbus City Codes; for the property located at 66 THURMAN AVE. (43206), to allow the addition of a single-unit dwelling to an existing office building with reduced development standards in the R-2F, Residential District (Council Variance #CV24-125).
Body
WHEREAS, by application #CV24-125, the owner of the property at 66 THURMAN AVE. (43206), is requesting a Variance to allow an office and a single-unit dwelling on one lot with reduced development standards in the R-2F, Residential District; and
WHEREAS, by Ordinance #1-78 (CV77-084), the property located at 66 THURMAN AVE. (43206), was granted a Variance to allow office uses in the R-2F, Residential District, and that variance is being restated in this ordinance; and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.037, R-2F, residential district, prohibits commercial uses and only allows one single or one two-unit dwelling, while the applicant proposes the addition of a single-unit dwelling to an existing office building; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.49, Required parking, requires one parking spaces per 450 feet of office space for a total of six spaces, and two spaces for each dwelling, for a total of eight parking spaces, while the applicant proposes two total parking spaces; and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.05(A)(4), Area district lot width requirements, requires a minimum lot width of 50 feet, while the applicant proposes to maintain the existing lot width of 39 feet 5 inches (39.42 feet); and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.14, R-2F area district requirements, requires that a single-unit dwelling or other principal building shall be situated on a lot of not less than 6,000 square feet in area, while the applicant proposes an office building and a single-unit dwelling on a reduced lot area of 4,659± square feet; and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.25, Maximum side yards required, requires the sum of the widths of the side yards to equal or exceed 20 percent of the lot width, for a maximum requirement of 7.88 feet for a lot width of 39 feet 5 inches, while the applicant proposes a reduced maximum side yard of six feet eight inches (6.67 feet); and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.27, Rear yard, requires that each dwelling, residence, or principal building shall be erected so as to provide a rear yard totaling no less than 25 percent of the total lot area, while the applicant proposes no rear yard for the proposed single-unit dwelling; and
WHEREAS, the German Village Commission recommends approval; and
WHEREAS, City Departments recommend approval because the requested Council variance will allow the addition of a single-unit dwelling to the existing office building, which is consistent with the development pattern in the surrounding area, and will not introduce an incompatible use; and
WHEREAS, said ordinance requires separate submission for all applicable permits and a Certificate of Occupancy for the proposed single-unit dwelling; and
WHEREAS, said variance will not adversely affect the surrounding property or surrounding neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, the granting of said variances will not impair an adequate supply of light and air to adjacent properties or unreasonably increase the congestion of public streets, or unreasonably diminish or impair established property values within the surrounding area, or otherwise impair the public health, safety, comfort, morals, or welfare of the inhabitants of the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, the granting of said variances will alleviate the difficulties encountered by the owners of the property located at 66 THURMAN AVE. (43206), in using said property as desired; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That a variance is hereby granted from the provisions of Sections 3332.037, R-2F, residential district; 3312.49, Required parking; 3332.05, Area district lot width requirements; 3332.14, R-2F area district requirements; 3332.25, Maximum side yards required; and 3332.27, Rear yard, of the Columbus City Codes; for the property located at 66 THURMAN AVE. (43206), insofar as said sections prohibit a single unit dwelling attached to an existing office building in the R-2F, Residential District, with a reduction in the required parking from eight to two spaces; a reduced lot width from 50 feet to 39 feet 5 inches (39.42 feet); a reduced lot area from 6,000 square feet to 4,659± square feet for both the existing office building and the single-unit dwelling; reduced maximum side yard from 7.88 feet to six feet eight inches (6.67 feet); and no rear yard for the proposed single-unit dwelling; said property being more particularly described as follows:
66 THURMAN AVE. (43206), being 0.12± acres located at the northeast corner of Thurman Avenue and City Park Avenue:
Situated in the State of Ohio, County of Franklin, and in the City of Columbus, and being further described as follows:
Being Lot Number One (1), of DESHLERS, THURMAN, AND BENNETT’S SUBDIVISION, of part of Deshlers and Thurman’s Addition to the City of Columbus, Ohio as shown on the plat of Subdivision, recorded in Plat Book No. 3, page 158, Franklin County Records. Being the same premises conveyed to said August F. Blesch by William G. Deshler, et al, by deed dated March 7, 1883, and recorded in Vol. 160, page 53, 54, and 55 of the Deed Records of said Franklin County, Ohio.
EXCEPTING, however, in the present conveyance from the above described premises sixty-six (66) feet off of the north end thereof (66 feet off the east line of said Lot No. 1 for measurements) heretofore conveyed by said Blesch and his wife together with a like part of the adjoining lot to Philip E. Blesch, by deed recorded in Vol. 167, page 497, of said Deed Records: EXCEPTING also ten (10) feet next south of said sixty-six (66) feet, (and next north of the premises hereby conveyed) the use of which as an alley was also granted to said Phillip F. Blesch in said deed.
But there is included in this conveyance the use of said Ten (10) foot alley, to wit: Running east and west across said Lot No. 1, and also across said Lot No. 2, no part of which Lot 2 is hereby conveyed, except the use of said alley across the same as well as across said Lot No. 1.
Address: 66 Thurman Avenue, Columbus, OH 43206
Parcel: 010-037130
SECTION 2. That this ordinance is conditioned on and shall remain in effect only for so long as said property is used for an office and a single-unit dwelling in accordance with the submitted site plan, or those uses allowed in the R-2F, Residential District.
SECTION 3. That this ordinance is further conditioned on the subject site being developed in general conformance with the site plan titled, “SITE PLAN,” dated November 26, 2024, and building elevations titled, ”EXTERIOR ELEVATIONS,” dated January 9, 2025, both signed by Brenda Parker, Agent for the Applicant. The plans may be slightly adjusted to reflect engineering, topographical, or other site data developed at the time of the development and when engineering and architectural drawings are completed. Any slight adjustments to the plans shall be subject to review and approval by the Director of the Department Building and Zoning Services, or a designee, upon submission of the appropriate data regarding the proposed adjustment.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance is further conditioned upon the applicant obtaining all applicable permits and a Certificate of Occupancy for the proposed single-unit dwelling.
SECTION 5. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.