Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV20-039
APPLICANT: 2700 Properties LLC; c/o Jeffrey L. Brown, Atty.; 172 East State Street, Suite 550; Columbus, OH 43215.
PROPOSED USE: Automotive repair facility.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The applicant has received a recommendation of approval from the Development Commission for a concurrent rezoning (Ordinance #1931-2026; Z20-034) to the L-M, Limited Manufacturing District. The requested Council variance will allow reduction in development standards for distance separation, landscaping and screening, building and parking setbacks, parking lot striping, required surface, and wheel stop devices. Staff note that the automotive repair facility is an existing use, consistent with the Columbus Growth Strategy’s (2026) recommendation for “Industrial and Warehouse” land uses. The variances for reduced development standards will better conform the existing development at this location, and does not introduce and incompatible use to the area.
Title
To grant a Variance from the provisions of Sections 3312.21, Landscaping and screening; Section 3312.27, Parking setback line; 3312.39, Striping and marking; 3312.43, Improved surface required; 3312.45, Wheel stop device; 3356.07, Distance separation standards; and 3363.24, Building lines in an M-manufacturing district, of and the Columbus City Codes; for the property located at 2700 E. 6TH AVE. (43219), to allow reduced development standards for an automobile repair facility in the L-M, Limited Manufacturing District development standards (Council Variance #CV20-039). , and to declare an emergency.
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WHEREAS, by application #CV20-039, the owner of property at 2700 E. 6TH AVE. (43219), is requesting a Council variance to allow reduced development standards for automotive repair facility in the L-M, Limited Manufacturing District; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.21(A), Landscaping and screening, requires the interior of any parking lot containing 10 or more parking spaces to provide one deciduous shade tree per 10 spaces within islands or peninsulas, and requires parking lot screening within 80 feet of residentially zoned property, while the applicant proposes to eliminate interior parking lot and perimeter landscaping; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.27, Parking setback line, requires a parking setback of ten feet from East 6th Avenue, while the applicant proposes to maintain a parking setback line of zero feet; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.39, Striping and marking, requires parking spaces to be striped, while the applicant proposes to maintain no striping or marking for the existing parking lot; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.43, Required surface for parking, requires the surface of any parking area to be improved with Portland cement, asphaltic concrete, or other approved hard surface, while the applicant proposes a to maintain a gravel parking area with no hard surface; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.45, Wheel stop device, requires parking spaces to have wheel stop devices, while the applicant proposes to maintain no devices within the existing parking lot; and
WHEREAS, Section 3356.07(C), Distance separation standards, requires that an automotive maintenance and repair use shall be located 100 feet or more from a hospital, playground, public library, public or parochial school, or religious facility, while the applicant proposes to maintain reduced separation for the existing automotive repair facility of 50 feet from the religious facility to the south; and
WHEREAS, Section 3363.24, Building lines in an M-manufacturing district, requires that a building setback line of 25 feet along East 6th Avenue, while the applicant proposes to maintain a reduced building setback of zero feet along the East 6th Avenue frontage; and
WHEREAS, the City Departments recommend approval because the automotive repair facility is an existing use, consistent with the Columbus Growth Strategy’s (2026) recommendation for “Industrial and Warehouse” land uses, and the request will better conform the existing development at this location, and does not introduce and incompatible use to the area.; and
WHEREAS, said ordinance requires separate submission for all applicable permits and a Certificate of Zoning Clearance for the automotive repair facility; and
WHEREAS, said variance will not adversely affect the surrounding property or surrounding neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, the granting of said variance will not impair an adequate supply of light and air to the adjacent property, unreasonably increase the congestion of public streets, increase the danger of fires, endanger the public safety, unreasonably diminish or impair established property values within the surrounding area, or in any other respect impair the public health, safety, comfort, morals or welfare of the inhabitants of the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, the granting of said variance will alleviate the difficulties encountered by the owner of the property located at 2700 E. 6TH AVE. (43219), in using said property as desired; now, therefore: ; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation in the City of Columbus in that it is immediately necessary to pass this ordinance due to the need to proceed with its plan under the current zoning code. By waiving the 30 days, the applicant will have time to seek the necessary city approvals for its project before Zone In Phase 2 takes effect and for the immediate preservation of the public peace, property, health and safety; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That a variance from the provisions of Sections 3312.21, Landscaping and screening; Section 3312.27, Parking setback line; 3312.39, Striping and marking; 3312.43, Improved surface required; 3312.45, Wheel stop device; 3356.07, Distance separation standards; and 3363.24, Building lines in an M-manufacturing district, of the Columbus City Codes; is hereby granted for the property located at 2700 E. 6TH AVE. (43219), insofar as said sections prohibit no interior or perimeter parking lot landscaping or screening; a reduced parking setback line along East 6th Avenue from ten feet to zero feet; no striping and marking of parking spaces; gravel parking area with no hard surfaces; elimination of wheel stop devices; a reduced building setback line from 25 feet to zero feet along East 6th Avenue; and a reduced distance separation from a school or church from 100 feet to 50 feet for an automobile repair facility; said property being more particularly described as follows:
2700 E. 6TH AVE. (43219), being 0.87± acres located at the northwest corner of North Cassidy Avenue and East 6th Street, and being more particularly described as follows:
Situated in the State of Ohio, County of Franklin and in the City of Columbus:
Being Lots Numbered Twenty-Nine (29), Thirty (30), Thirty-One (31), Thirty-Two (32), Thirty-Five (35) and Thirty-Six (36) of NORTH BEXLEY VIEW SUBDIVISION NO. 3, as the same is numbered and delineated upon the recorded plat thereof, of record in Plat Book 17, page 58, Recorder's Office, Franklin County, Ohio.
Together with that portion of the alley vacated by the Village of East Columbus in Ordinance No. 223 on July 19, 1928.
Address: 2700 East 6th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43219
Parcel Number’s: 010-067096, 010-054696, 010-054874, & 010-067090
SECTION 2. That this ordinance is conditioned on and shall remain in effect only for so long as said property is used for those uses allowed in the L-M, Limited Manufacturing District, specified by Ordinance #1931-2026 (Z20-034).
SECTION 3. That this ordinance is further conditioned upon the applicant obtaining all applicable permits and a Certificate of Zoning Clearance for the automotive repair facility.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.
SECTION 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or 10 days after its passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.