Explanation
Rezoning Amendment: Z19-060A
Ordinance #2677-2023, passed October 9, 2023 (Z19-060), rezoned 47.16± acres at 1215 West Mound Street from CPD, Commercial Planned Development District to CPD, Commercial Planned Development District to allow a mixed-use development. That rezoning also established use restrictions and development standards addressing building and parking setback lines, building height, parking requirements, traffic access and improvements, landscaping and screening, building materials, community commercial overlay standards, lighting, pedestrian access, and the use of shipping containers as property line barriers, with specific restrictions and commitments. This ordinance amends the CPD text to allow mausoleum buildings and cemetery-related uses along the southern property line of the subject site. The remainder of the commitments within the CPD text still apply. All other sections from Ordinance #2677-2023 will remain unchanged and are in effect.
SOUTHWEST AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
Title
To amend Ordinance #2677-2023, passed October 9, 2023 (Z19-060), for property located at 1155 W. MOUND ST. (43223), by repealing Section 3 and replacing it with new Section 3 to include cemetery uses and mausoleum buildings in the CPD, Commercial Planned Development District (Rezoning Amendment #Z19-060A).
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance #2677-2023, passed October 9, 2023 (Z19-060),) rezoned 47.16± acres at 1215 W. MOUND ST. (43223), from CPD, Commercial Planned Development District, to CPD, Commercial Planned Development District to allow a mixed-use development; and
WHEREAS, that rezoning established specific permissible uses and development standards addressing building and parking setback lines, building height, parking requirements, traffic access and improvements, landscaping and screening, building materials, community commercial overlay standards, lighting, pedestrian access, and the use of shipping containers as property line barriers, with specific restrictions and commitments; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend Section 3 of Ordinance #2677-2023, passed October 9, 2023 (Z19-060), to modify the CPD text by allowing mausoleum buildings and cemetery-related uses along the southern property line; and
WHEREAS, all other aspects of Ordinance #2677-2023 are unaffected by this amendment and remain in effect; NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That Section 3 of Ordinance #2677-2023, passed October 9, 2023 (Z19-060), is hereby replaced with new Section 3 to read as follows:
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 original zoning map and shall register a copy of the approved CPD, Commercial Planned Development District and Application among the records of the Department of Building and Zoning Services as required by Section 3311.12 of the Columbus City Codes; said plans being titled, “CPD EXHIBIT,” “FIGURE 2,” and “TRAFFIC EXHIBIT,” all dated September 8, 2023, and text titled, "CPD TEXT," dated September 14, 2023 August 27, 2025, and all signed by Jeffrey L. Brown, Attorney for the Applicant, and the text reading as follows:
CPD TEXT
CURRENT ZONING: CPD, Commercial Planned District
PROPOSED DISTRICT: CPD, Commercial Planned District
PROPERTY ADDRESS: 1215 West Mound Street, Columbus, OH 43223
OWNER: SPARC Holding LLC
APPLICANT: SPARC Holding LLC
DATE OF TEXT: 9/14/23 8/27/25
APPLICATION: Z19-060A
1. INTRODUCTION: The subject site is the former Cooper Stadium baseball venue and was zoned to CPD, Commercial Planned Development in Zoning Application Z10-021 in 2011. A major component of that zoning application was a racetrack which is no longer part of the proposed development. The applicant’s plan anticipates more of a mixed-use development combining commercial and industrial uses with the possibility of residential as well an entertainment venue. Green Lawn Cemetery wants to expand and add more mausoleum buildings adjacent to its north property line. This amendment would permit the mausoleum buildings to replace the containers shown on the submitted site plan along the south property line. A BZA application for a special permit for a cemetery has been approved by the BZA board (BZA 25-054).
2. PERMITTED USES: Permitted uses shall include those uses as permitted in Chapter 3356 (C-4 District) including a park and ride type facility, except as specifically prohibited in Section 2(A), below. Section 3389.087 requires a Special Permit to be issued by the Board of Zoning Adjustment before spectator events, a C-4 District permitted use, may be conducted in any outdoor amphitheater as defined in Section 3303.15. Additional uses that are permitted under CV19-082 which are warehouse or storage in bulk, wholesaling, storage, and sales establishment, permit first floor residential and to permit laboratories, including analytical, commercial analytical, research and experimental. Any of the permitted uses may occupy shipping containers. Cemetery is a permitted use.
A. Prohibited Uses: Blood, and organ bank; Building material and supplies dealer; Carry-out; Check-cashing and loans; Community food pantry; Crematory; Funeral home and service; Halfway house; Home center; Hospital; Missions/temporary shelter; Pawn broker; Warehouse clubs and super center.
3. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS: Except as specified herein on the submitted CPD site plan, the applicable standards shall be as specified in Chapter 3356 (C-4 Commercial District) of the Columbus City Code respectively, as applicable.
A. Density, Height, Lot and/or Setback Requirements
1. Building Setback: The Building setbacks from West Mound Street and Mt. Calvary Avenue shall be twenty-five (25) feet; the building setback for the proposed public street along the west side of the site shall be zero.
2. Parking Setback: The parking setbacks from West Mound Street and Mt. Calvary Avenue shall be ten (10) feet. Parking setback for the proposed public street along the west side of the site shall be zero.
3. The applicable height district shall be H-110. All buildings may be developed with a parking garage, which may have parking mixed with other uses on each floor or stand alone, to maximize onsite parking.
B. Access, Loading, Parking and/or Traffic Related Commitments
1. The following parking rates shall be provided for the indicated use:
a. Office: 1 parking space per 750 sq. ft.
b. Restaurant: 1 parking space per 250 sq. ft. No parking required for outdoor seating.
c. Retail: 1 parking space per 500 sq. ft.
d. Outdoor Entertainment Venue: Would have at least 500 parking spaces which may be shared with other users.
2. The applicant wants to develop the site in more than one phase. The Phase I development will include the following land uses:
Up to 51,440 sq. ft. office
Up to 13,440 sq. ft. retail
Up to 200 multi-family units
The area for the Phase I development is shown as the area within the blue outline shown on the “Traffic Exhibit.” Applicant agrees to implement the following traffic-related improvements and items and shall file the required Street Construction Plans for such improvements in conjunction with the filing of the Site Compliance Plan.
The site drives will have the following access in Phase I:
Site Drive A (located opposite I-70 ramps)
No westbound left turn (same as existing)
Two northbound lanes, left turn lane and thru/right lane (same as existing)
Two southbound thru lanes (same as existing)
See Figure 2 for proposed striping of the south leg
Site Drive B
Unsignalized, full access
Upon implementation of modifications to Site Drive A that would result in a configuration where westbound left turns are permitted, Site Drive B shall be converted to right-in/right-out only.
Site Drive C
Unsignalized, full access
Site Drive D (located opposite Glenwood Avenue)
The existing driveway pavement will be removed.
The sidewalk will be extended across the former drive.
The East-West pedestrian signal heads on the south leg will be removed.
The southwest curb ramp shall be rebuilt if determined to be necessary by the Department of Public Service. The pedestrian signal buttons for the south leg shall be rotated to meet current standards if determined to be necessary by the Department of Public Service. With development of Phase II or another future development phase, Site Drive D may be reestablished with implementation of the full TIS improvements and a design approved by the Department of Public Service.
Site Drive E
Right-in/right-out access only
3. The recommended improvements from the full TIS will be required once development exceeds the Phase I land use square footage/units or development occurs outside of the dashed blue lines shown on the “Traffic Exhibit.” Prior to implementation of the full TIS improvements, coordination with ODOT will be required to determine whether an interchange operations study (IOS) is required to confirm the ultimate lane configuration at the I-70 ramps/Site Drive A.
The following items described the improvements from the full TIS:
a. The applicant shall be responsible for implementing the following changes at the intersection of West Mound Street and the Interstate 70 Ramps / Site Drive A:
1. Reconfigure the eastbound approach to provide an eastbound left turn lane and an eastbound through / right lane.
2. Reconfigure the westbound approach to add a westbound left turn lane.
3. Reconfigure the northbound approach to have one southbound lane, one northbound left turn lane, and one northbound through / right lane.
4. Reconfigure the leftmost southbound approach lane to a left turn only lane.
5. The applicant shall be responsible for completing any additional analyses, including but not limited to an interchange operations study, that might be required by the Ohio Department of Transportation to implement these changes.
6. As part of detailed design or with any subsequent analyses that might be required, the applicant shall investigate the potential for the northbound and southbound movements to operate concurrently rather than as “split phase”.
(b) Two-way left turn lane striping shall be provided along West Mound Street between the Interstate 70 Ramps and Mount Calvary Avenue with 60 feet open transitions (as depicted in Figure 3B-7 of the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices) to left turn lanes.
(c) At the intersection of West Mound Street and South Yale Avenue / Site Drive C, a minimum of 50 feet of storage shall be provided for eastbound and westbound left turns with two-way left turn lane striping.
(d) The applicant shall be responsible for implementing the following changes at the intersection of West Mound Street and South Glenwood Avenue / Site Drive D if and when access is taken from Site Drive D to West Mound Street:
1. Reconfigure the eastbound approach to provide an eastbound left turn lane that maximizes available storage.
2. Reconfigure the westbound approach to provide a westbound left turn lane with a minimum of 50 feet of storage.
3. Reconstruct the south leg to provide full-access movements.
4. Add traffic signal infrastructure to signalize the northbound approach.
(e) At the intersection of West Mound Street and Mount Calvary Avenue, a westbound left turn lane will need to be provided with a minimum of 100 feet of storage.
(f) At the intersection of West Mound Street and South Souder Avenue, an eastbound left turn lane will need to be provided that maximizes available storage with a 60 foot back-to-back diverging taper.
(g) If the Department of Public Service determines that pavement resurfacing would be needed in order to implement the above commitments, the applicant shall be responsible for implementing such resurfacing.
4. Modifications to these access configurations or traffic commitments may be approved at the sole discretion of the Department of Public Service, without the requirement for modifications of this zoning text.
5. If area 9 is developed with a warehouse user, then the applicant shall install two speed bumps on Mt. Calvary Avenue south of Mound Street. The Department of Public Service, Division of Traffic Management may require additional speed humps on Reneck Street as part of this warehouse development and the applicant shall install those additional speed humps upon a final determination by the City.
C. Buffering, Landscaping, Open Space and/or Screening Commitments
1. Parking lot shade trees and landscaping shall be provided, per Section 3312.21 on all Areas 1, 2, 3and 4 at the time they are developed. Applicant requests a variance to this requirement for any parking to be provided on Areas 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, which areas may serve dual purposes from time to time.
2. A natural buffer shall be provided, where possible, along the Mount Calvary Avenue frontage of the site.
D. Building Design and/or Interior-Exterior Treatment Commitments
1. Any mechanical equipment or utility hardware on the roof of a building shall be screened from view from ground level.
2. Building materials shall be concrete block, brick, synthetic brick, concrete, stone, synthetic stone, EIFS, metal siding, metal, glass, acrylic, plexiglass, fiberglass, polycarbonate, wood, or a combination thereof.
3. Buildings in Areas 1 and 2 shall comply with the building design criteria contained in Community Commercial Overlay of the Columbus City Code. If new buildings are constructed in Areas 3 and 4 or if any of the existing buildings in said subareas are demolished, then any new building shall comply with the building design criteria contained in the Community Commercial Overlay of the Columbus City Code. For any addition that is added to the existing buildings in areas 1 and 2, such addition does not have to meet the building design criteria of the Community Commercial Overlay.
E. Dumpsters, Lighting, Outdoor Display Areas, and/or other Environmental Commitments
1. Any existing site lighting may be utilized in its existing location or may be relocated within the Site to serve reoriented lighting needs. Any new lighting required to supplement the existing lighting will match or blend with the existing lighting as nearly as possible. Newly installed lighting shall not exceed the height of existing light fixtures.
2. Accent lighting (up lighting) may be used for landscaping in the front of structures and ground signs, provided the fixtures are screened with landscaping to prevent glare.
3. Any new building-mounted area lighting within Area 9 shall be designed in such a way to prevent any off-site light spillage on the adjacent multi-family project.
4. Any new or relocated utility lines shall be installed underground unless the applicable utility company directs or requires otherwise.
F. Graphics and Signage Commitments
1. All graphics and signage shall comply with the Graphics Code, Article 15, Title 33, of the Columbus City Code as it applies to those uses designated as C-4 subject to the graphics standards of the city’s community commercial overlay, and any variances to those requirements will be submitted to the Columbus Graphics Commission in the form of a graphic plan for consideration.
G. Miscellaneous Commitments
1. The subject site shall be developed in accordance with the submitted CPD site plan. The CPD site plan may be slightly adjusted to reflect engineering, topographical, or other site data developed at the time the development and engineering plans are completed. Any adjustment to the CPD site plan shall be reviewed and may be approved by the director of the Department of Building and Zoning Services, or his or her designee, upon submission of the appropriate data regarding the proposed adjustment. The layout and building shapes shown on the CPD site plan are conceptual except for the layout and building shapes shown for Area 1 and 2.
2. A monetary contribution shall be made to the City of Columbus per the Parkland Dedication provisions of CCC Section 3318.13, at the rate of $400.00 per acre of land hereby being rezoned from a residential zoning district to a non-residential zoning district. Tree or other natural preservation areas may be donated to offset the required monetary contribution, subject to review and approval by the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department at the time of final plan approval. The monetary contribution shall be made at the time of site plan compliance.
3. Primary sidewalks within the development, constructed to provide pedestrians direct access to grandstand seating area, shall be constructed a minimum of five (5) feet wide. Secondary sidewalks provided for indirect or remote pedestrian access may be constructed at a minimum 4-foot width.
4. Pedestrian crosswalks and similar directional pavement markings and/or signage shall be utilized to guide pedestrians to designated walking areas and to alert motorists to pedestrian crossing areas. Signage or texturized/stamped sidewalks shall be provided at the entrances and exits of the parking lot to alert motorists to pedestrians. Any items within the public right-of-way are subject to the review and approval by the Department of Public Service, who may deny the use of such items if unacceptable materials or inappropriate uses of traffic control devices are proposed.
5. Shipping containers. The applicant proposes to secure the perimeter of the site by placing shipping containers in the areas shown on the submitted site plan. The shipping containers may also be modified to serve as additional office, retail and/or storage space. The applicant may commence installation of the shipping containers upon the effective date of the zoning ordinance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the developer of the multifamily site on Parcel 8 has not filed with the City of Columbus its application for final site plan compliance within two years after the effective date of the zoning ordinance or the entitlement ordinance, whichever occurs later, then the applicant shall remove all the shipping containers from the site. Otherwise, the applicant may elect to maintain some or all of the shipping containers on the site permanently, and replace the same as necessary, in the sole discretion of the applicant.
A. The exterior side of the shipping container that is adjacent to the perimeter of the site will be either painted or covered with a mesh screen.
b. The line of shipping containers shall be a minimum of two containers in height and may be two or three containers in depth.
c. The shipping containers may be stacked up to three containers in height, and/or individual containers may be placed on their ends vertically, provided that (i) such taller configurations shall constitute no more than 20% of the perimeter on any side the property, and (ii) the overall height of such configurations shall not exceed forty feet.
d. The shipping containers may be fitted with exterior site lighting.
e. The shipping containers shall not be used for residential purposes.
f. Plantings shall be installed on top of containers in such a way that the plantings shall grow over the exterior perimeter side of the containers facing the adjacent property along the east side of the site to provide more screening of the container
g. When work commences on the site, the applicant may elect to temporarily place a second row of containers around the stadium structure, to provide additional security for the conversion of the structure into usable space. Once the work on the stadium conversion has been completed, then this second row of shipping containers will be removed. This second row of containers shall be subject to the requirements of 5 (c), (d), and (e) above.
h. The shipping containers along the south property line may be replaced with mausoleum buildings in part or in whole.
6. The first phase of this development shall consist of rehabbing the two existing buildings on Mound Street and enclosing the backside of the bleacher section of the stadium structure to create usable space thereunder. The existing buildings will be used for offices, retail and/or restaurant purposes. The space underneath the bleachers will be used as office/retail space.
7. Park and Ride. Paved open areas in the development may be used for a “park and ride” operation, with public parking and shuttle transportation downtown. The park and ride area may also be used for autonomous vehicle testing. These uses shall be permitted for a period of 10 years from the effective date of the zoning ordinance or entitlement ordinance, whichever occurs later. Further, after 5 years from such effective date, these uses shall be limited to Areas 5,6 and/or 7. Notwithstanding the foregoing, these uses shall not be permitted if the developer of the multifamily site on Area 8 has not filed with the City of Columbus its application for final site plan compliance within two years after the effective date of the zoning ordinance or the entitlement ordinance, whichever occurs later.
H. CPD Requirements
1. Natural Environment.
The site is developed with a baseball stadium and parking lot, no longer in use.
2. Existing Land Use.
The site is currently unoccupied but is developed for and was previously used as Cooper Stadium, home of the Columbus Clippers.
3. Transportation and Circulation.
The site will be accessed from West Mound Street and Mt. Calvary Avenue, as shown on the submitted CPD site plan. The existing parking lot circulation and access points will provide contiguity among uses.
4. Visual Form of the Environment.
The existing uses/zoning of the surrounding properties are as follows:
West: Sunbelt Rentals, et al., zoned L-I, Limited Industrial, and AllWaste Tank Cleaning, zoned R, Rural
North: Commercial development zoned C-4 (tire service, gas station, etc.), with I-70 to the north
East: Cemetery, zoned R, Rural
South: Cemetery, zoned R, Rural and CMHA multi-family housing zoned AR-3
5. View and Visibility.
Significant consideration has been given to visibility and safety issues.
6. Proposed Development.
Applicant is proposing redevelopment of the site for mixed uses.
7. Behavior Patterns.
This area has existing traffic flows, including West Mound Street as the major thoroughfare, with direct access to I-70.
I. Modification of Code Standards
1. Section 3312.21 Landscape and Screening - to allow Areas 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to be developed without shade trees and landscape islands. Other parcels will provide curbed and landscaped islands.
2. Section 3312.25 Maneuvering - Maneuvering for parking spaces may cross parcel lines. Maneuvering for the parking spaces along the west side of the site may use the proposed street along the west side to access those parking spaces.
3. Section 3312.29 Parking Spaces - Parking spaces may cross parcel lines.
4. Section 3312.39 Striping and Marking - to allow site Areas 7 and 9 to be developed without parking space striping. The variance shall not apply to Area 9 if that subarea is developed with a warehouse use.
5. Section 3312.49 - Minimum number of parking spaces required. The total number of parking spaces shall be based on the overall development. Individual tax parcels will not be required to have the code required number of parking spaces so long as the overall development has sufficient parking as required by this zoning text.
6. Section 3321.03(c) Lighting - to allow for all existing lighting to be utilized in its existing location or relocated within the site to serve reoriented lighting needs, and to allow for any new lighting required to supplement the existing lighting to be of the same height as the tallest existing lighting and to match the style of the existing lighting as nearly as possible. Any new light standards placed within 25 feet of a residentially used or zoned property shall not exceed 14 feet in height, and any new light standard placed on a lot of 2 acres or less shall not exceed 18 feet in height.
7. Sections 3372.804 Setback, 3377.807 Landscaping and Screening, and 3372.809 Parking and Circulation of the Regional Commercial Overlay, should said sections become applicable to this site, shall not apply for the development of Areas 7, 8 and 9.
The undersigned, being the owner of the subject property together with the applicant in the subject application, or their authorized representatives does hereby agree singularly and collectively for themselves, their heirs, successors and assigns, to abide by above restrictions, conditions, and commitments regarding development of the subject property and for such purpose each state that he fully understands and acknowledges that none of the foregoing restrictions, conditions, or commitments shall in any manner act to negate, nullify, alter or modify any more restrictive provision of the Columbus City Code.
SECTION 2. That existing Section 3 of Ordinance #2677-2023, passed October 9, 2023 (Z19-060), is hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.