Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV25-006
APPLICANT: Luke Stettner; 2000 South High Street; Columbus, OH 43207.
PROPOSED USE: Artist studio, gallery and production establishment and parking lot.
COLUMBUS SOUTH SIDE AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The sites consists of one parcel developed with a warehouse (Parcel A) and a second parcel developed with an unimproved parking lot (Parcel B), both in the R-2F, Residential District. The requested Council variance will allow conversion of an existing warehouse on Parcel A into an establishment that contains artist studios, galleries, production, and communal spaces. Additionally, a new 15-space parking lot will be provided on Parcel B. A Council variance is required because the R-2F district does not allow for the proposed artistic and parking uses. Variances to building lines, required parking, vision clearance, lot coverage, maximum and minimum side yards, and rear yard are included for Parcel A. Variances to parking setback line, landscaping and screening, and parking lot screening are also included for Parcel B. The site is located within the planning boundaries of the Near Southside Plan (2011), which recommends “Mixed Use (Neighborhood)” land uses at this location. Staff supports the request as the submitted site plans are consistent with the Near Southside Plan’s and the Columbus Citywide Planning Policies (C2P2) Design Guidelines (2018). In addition, Staff notes C2P2 encourages the conservation and rehabilitation of historic buildings, and acknowledges the existing conditions on Parcel A.
Title
To grant a Variance from the provisions of Sections 3332.037, R-2F residential district;; 3312.21(A), Landscaping and screening; Section 3312.21(D)(1), Parking lot screening; 3312.27, Parking setback line; 3312.49, Required parking; 3321.05(B)(1)(2), Vision clearance; 3332.18(D), Basis of computing area; 3332.21, Building lines; 3332.25(B), Maximum side yards required; 3332.26(C), Minimum side yard permitted; and 3332.27, Rear yard, of the Columbus City Codes; for the property located at 705 ANN ST. (43206), to allow an artist studio, gallery, production establishment, and parking lot with reduced development standards in the R-2F, Residential District (Council Variance #CV25-006).
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WHEREAS, by application #CV25-006, the owner of property at 705 ANN ST. (43206), is requesting a Council variance to allow an artist studio, gallery, production establishment, and parking lot with reduced development standards in the R-2F, Residential District; and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.037, R-2F residential district, prohibits an artist studio, gallery, production establishment, and parking lot, while the applicant proposes 22,397 square feet of artist studio, gallery, and production spaces within the existing warehouse building on Parcel A, with a 15-space parking lot on Parcel B in the R-2F 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, with two shade trees being required for a 15-space parking lot, while the applicant proposes no trees on Parcel B; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.21(D)(1), Parking lot screening, requires screening of a parking lot within 80 feet of residentially zoned property, while the applicant proposes to not provide such screening along the northern property line and to maintain existing conditions on Parcel B; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.27, Parking setback line, requires the minimum parking setback line to be 25 feet from a street frontage, while the applicant proposes parking setback lines of zero feet along East Beck Street; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.49, Required parking, requires 56 spaces for the proposed artist studio, gallery, and production establishment uses as depicted on the submitted site plan, while the applicant proposes zero spaces on Parcel A, but will provide 15 spaces on Parcel B; and
WHEREAS, Section 3321.05(B)(1)(2), Vision clearance, clear vision triangles of 10 feet at the intersections of streets and alleys, and 30 feet at the intersection of two streets, while the applicant proposes to maintain no vision clearances at the northeast and southeast corners of East Beck Street and Drake Alley, and at the northwest and southwest corners of East Beck Street and Ann Street; and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.18(D), Basis of computing area, prohibits buildings from occupying more than 50 percent of the lot area, while the applicant proposes to maintain an increased lot coverage of 95.2 percent on Parcel A; and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.21, Building lines, requires the building setback line to be 10 feet along East Beck Street and Ann Street for Parcel A, while the applicant proposes to maintain building setback lines of zero feet along these streets; and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.25(B), Maximum side yards required, requires the sum of the widths of the side yards to be 20 percent of the lot width, or 16 feet maximum for a lot width of 140 feet, while the applicant proposes a reduced maximum side yard of zero feet on Parcel A; and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.26(C), Minimum side yard permitted, requires a minimum side yard of five feet, while the applicant proposes to maintain minimum side yards of zero feet along the northern and southern property lines on Parcel A; and
WHEREAS, Section 3332.27, Rear yard, requires that a principal building shall be erected so as to provide a rear yard totaling not less than 25 percent of the total lot area, while the applicant proposes to maintain a rear yard of zero percent on Parcel A; and
WHEREAS, the Columbus South Side Area Commission recommends approval; and
WHEREAS, the City Departments recommend approval because the requested variance includes allows uses that are consistent with the Near Southside Plan recommendation and includes a site plan that demonstrates landscaping, screening, bike parking, and additional street trees, and the conservation and rehabilitation of a historic building, all consistent with C2P2 Design Guidelines; and
WHEREAS, said ordinance requires separate submission for all applicable permits and Certificate of Occupancy for the proposed uses; 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 705 ANN ST. (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 from the provisions of Sections 3332.037, R-2F residential district; 3312.21(A), Landscaping and screening; Section 3312.21(D)(1), Parking lot screening; 3312.27, Parking setback line; 3312.49, Required parking; 3321.05(B)(1)(2), Vision clearance; 3332.18(D), Basis of computing area; 3332.21, Building lines; 3332.25(B), Maximum side yards required; 3332.26(C), Minimum side yard permitted; and 3332.27, Rear yard, of the Columbus City Codes; is hereby granted for the property located at 705 ANN ST. (43206), insofar as said sections prohibit an artist studio, gallery production establishment, and parking lot uses in the R-2F, Residential District; with a reduction in the number of interior parking lot shade trees from one to zero on Parcel B; no residential parking lot screening along the northern property line on Parcel B; a reduction in the parking setback from 25 feet to zero feet along East Beck Street; a parking space reduction from 56 required to zero spaces, with 15 provided spaces on Parcel B; reduced vision clearance triangles from 10 to zero feet at northeast and southeast corners of East Beck Street and Drake Alley, and from 30 to zero feet at the northeast and southwest corner of East Beck Street and Ann Street; increased lot coverage from 50 to 95.2 percent on Parcel A; reduced building setback lines from 10 to zero feet along Beck Street and Ann Street for Parcel A; reduced maximum side yard from 16 to zero feet on Parcel A; reduced minimum side yards from 5 to zero feet along the northern and southern property lines on Parcel A; and a reduced rear yard from 25 to zero percent on Parcel A; said property being more particularly described as follows:
705 ANN ST. (43206), being 0.69± acres located at the northwest and southwest corners of East Beck Drive and Ann Street, and being more particularly described as follows:
Situated in the State of Ohio, County of Franklin, and in the city of Columbus.
BEING LOT NO. 148 OF KENWORTH PLACE, OF RECORD IN PLAT BOOK 9, PAGE 6, FRANKLIN COUNTY RECORDER’S OFFICE, CITY OF COLUMBUS, STATE OF OHIO.
Parcel No. 010-049937
Address: 705 Ann Street, Columbus, OH 43206
SECTION 2. That this ordinance is conditioned on and shall remain in effect only for so long as said property is used as an artist studios and art production establishment, which will includes gallery spaces, within the existing warehouse in Parcel A and a 15-space parking lot on Parcel B, or those uses permitted 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 plans titled, “705 ANN STREET - PARCEL A SITE PLAN,” and “705 ANN STREET - PARCEL B PARKING LOT PLAN”, both dated April 22, 2025, and signed by Luke Stettner, 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 uses.
SECTION 5. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.