Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV26-013
APPLICANT: Amerco Real Estate Company; c/o Rebecca Mott, Atty.; 411 East Town Street, Floor 2; Columbus, OH 43215.
PROPOSED USE: Moving truck rental facility.
FRANKLINTON AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site consists of one parcel developed with a moving truck rental facility in the UCT, Urban Center District. The requested Council variance will legitimize a U-Haul facility that was not legally established at the time the UCT district went into effect. A Council variance is required because a moving truck rental facility is considered to be an automobile, vehicle, and equipment storage use which is not allowed in the UCT district. Additionally, the requested variance will facilitate an updated final site compliance plan in response to an active zoning code violation, and is in response to existing site conditions. The Columbus Growth Strategy (CGS) (2026) recommends “Mixed-Use 2” land uses at this location, consistent with the request. Staff recognize the requested variances are to legitimize an existing use, and therefore, support the proposal. Additionally, planter boxes are proposed along the site frontages, subject to the review and approval of the Department of Public Service, consistent with CGS Design Guidelines.
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To grant a Variance from the provisions of Sections 34.E.20.100.A, Uses, Use Table; 3312.09, Aisle; 3312.25, Maneuvering; 34.E.20.060.G, Urban Center (UCT), On-Site Parking; 34.G.20.030.A.1, Landscaping, Development Site Landscape Requirements; 34.G.20.030.D, Landscaping, Parking Lot Shade Trees; 34.G.20.040.A, Screening, Headlight Screening; and 34.G.20.050.A.2, Vision Clearance, of the Columbus City Codes; for the property located at 1420-1432 W. BROAD ST. (43222), to allow a moving truck rental facility with reduced development standards in the UCT, Urban Center District (Council Variance #CV26-013).
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WHEREAS, by application #CV26-013, the owner of property at 1420-1432 W. BROAD ST. (43222), is requesting a Council variance to allow a moving truck rental facility with reduced development standards in the UCT, Urban Center District; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.E.20.100.A, Uses, Use Table, does not allow vehicle rental facilities in the UCT, Urban Center District, while the applicant proposes to allow a moving truck rental facility; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.09, Aisle, requires a minimum aisle width of 20 feet, while the applicant proposes a reduced drive aisle width of 10 feet; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.25, Maneuvering, requires every parking space to have sufficient access and a minimum of 20 feet of maneuvering, while the applicant proposes a reduced maneuvering area of 13.7 feet; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.E.20.060.G, Urban Center (UCT), On-Site Parking, does not allow parking and circulation aisles to be located between the principal building and adjacent streets, and requires a minimum surface parking setback of 24 feet from the front-facing street and five feet from the side-facing street, while the applicant proposes parking and circulation aisles between the principal building and adjacent streets, and a reduced minimum parking setback line of three feet along the West Broad Street frontage and zero feet along the North Central Avenue frontage; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.G.20.030.A.1, Landscaping, requires that when a building has a setback of greater than five feet, the area between the building façade and front or side street parcel line be landscaped at a minimum of 50%, while the applicant proposes no landscaping of the area between the existing building and the front and side streets; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.G.20.030.D, Landscaping, Parking Lot Shade Trees, requires parking lot shade trees at a rate of one tree per 10 surface parking spaces, or fraction thereof, while the applicant proposes to maintain no parking lot shade trees; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.G.20.040.A, Screening, Headlight Screening, requires headlight screening between all parking areas, which includes parking spaces, maneuvering areas, and drive aisles, and adjacent streets, open spaces, and Residential Zoning Districts within 80 feet, while the applicant proposes to not provide headlight screening; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.G.20.050.A.2, Vision Clearance, requires clear vision triangles of 10 feet at the intersection of a street and alley, while the applicant proposes that vehicle display area may obstruct vision clearance at the intersection of North Central Avenue and the north alley; and
WHEREAS, the Franklinton Area Commission recommends approval; and
WHEREAS, the City Departments recommend approval because the request is consistent with the Columbus Growth Strategy’s land use recommendation of “Mixed-Use 2” at this location, and planter boxes are proposed along both site frontages, which is consistent with CGS Design Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, said ordinance requires separate submission for all applicable permits and Certificate of Zoning Clearance for the proposed vehicle rental 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 1420-1432 W. BROAD ST. (43222), in using said property as desired; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That a variance from the provisions of Sections 34.E.20.100.A, Uses, Use Table; 3312.09, Aisle; 3312.25, Maneuvering; 34.E.20.060.G, Urban Center (UCT), On-Site Parking; 34.G.20.030.A.1, Landscaping, Development Site Landscape Requirements; 34.G.20.030.D, Landscaping, Parking Lot Shade Trees; 34.G.20.040.A, Screening, Headlight Screening; and 34.G.20.050.A.2, Vision Clearance, of the Columbus City Codes; is hereby granted for the property located at 1420-1432 W. BROAD ST. (43222), insofar as said sections prohibit a moving truck rental facilities in the UCT, Urban Center District with reduced aisle width from 20 feet to 10 feet; reduced maneuvering area from 20 feet to 13.7 feet; parking and circulation aisles between the principal building and adjacent streets; reduced parking setbacks from 24 feet to three feet along West Broad Street and zero feet along North Central Avenue; no landscaping between the building façade and the front and side street parcel lines; no parking lot shade trees; no headlight screening; and no vision clearance triangle along the northern property line at the intersection of North Central Avenue and the public alley; said property being more particularly described as follows:
1420-1432 W. BROAD ST. (43222), being 0.56± acres located at the northwest corner of West Broad Street and North Central Avenue, and being more particularly described as follows:
Situated in the City of Columbus, County of Franklin, State of Ohio:
Being Lot Numbers, One (1), Two (2), Three (3), and Four (4) of Guilford Park Addition, as the same are numbered and delineated upon the recorded plat thereof, of record in Plat Book No. 4, Page 330, Recorder’s Office, Franklin County, Ohio.
SECTION 2. That this ordinance is conditioned on and shall remain in effect only for so long as said property is used for a moving truck rental facility, or those uses in the UCT, Urban Center District. Upon demolition of the existing building, the variance is terminated.
SECTION 3. That this ordinance is further conditioned upon the applicant obtaining all applicable permits and a Certificate of Zoning Clearance for the proposed moving truck rental facility.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance is further conditioned upon the applicant establishing and maintaining landscaping in the form of planter boxes along the frontages of West Broad Street and North Central Avenue, as reviewed and approved by the Department of Public Service. The Department of Public Service will have no responsibility for the maintenance of the proposed planter boxes within the right-of-way, and such planter boxes may be removed in the future at the sole discretion of the Department of Public Service.
SECTION 5. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.