Explanation
Rezoning Application Z26-001
APPLICANT: Elissa Gunsorek; c/o Sean Mentel, Atty.; 250 East Town Street, Suite 200; Columbus, OH 43215.
PROPOSED USE: Fuel sales and limited commercial development.
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval (5-0) on May 14, 2026.
FAR EAST AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site consists of one undeveloped parcel in the M-2, Manufacturing District. The requested CPD, Commercial Planned Development District will allow limited commercial development, including fuel sales. The development text establishes appropriate use restrictions and includes supplemental development standards addressing building and parking setbacks, and screening, as well as a commitment to develop the site in accordance with the submitted site plan. The requested CPD district is consistent with the Columbus Growth Strategy’s (2026) “Industrial & Warehouse” land use recommendation. Additionally, the Columbus Growth Strategy mixed use design guidelines recommend that a high level of landscaping and screening be provided between rights-of-way and parking lots, as well as buffering and screening between residential and non-residential uses. The request is consistent with these guidelines, as demonstrated with the submitted site plan.
Title
To rezone 181 BUSINESS CENTER DR. (43004), being 2.76± acres located at the northwest corner of Business Center Drive and North Brice Road, From: M-2, Manufacturing District, To: CPD, Commercial Planned Development District (Rezoning #Z26-001).
Body
WHEREAS, application #Z26-001 is on file with the Department of Building and Zoning Services requesting rezoning of 2.76± acres from M-2, Manufacturing District, to CPD, Commercial Planned Development District; and
WHEREAS, the Development Commission recommends approval of said zoning change; and
WHEREAS, the Far East Area Commission recommends approval of said zoning change; and
WHEREAS, the City Departments recommend approval of said zoning change because the requested CPD, Commercial Planned Development District allows uses that are consistent with the Columbus Growth Strategy’s recommendation of “Industrial & Warehouse” land uses at this location and includes site plan that demonstrates consistency with recommended design guidelines; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Official Zoning Map of the City of Columbus, as adopted by Ordinance No. 0179 -03, passed February 24, 2003, and as subsequently amended, is hereby revised by changing the zoning of the property as follows:
181 BUSINESS CENTER DR. (43004), being 2.76± acres located at the northwest corner of Business Center Drive and North Brice Road, and being more particularly described as follows:
Situated in the State of Ohio, County of Franklin, City of Columbus, lying in Quarter Township 4. Township 1, Range 16, United States Military Lands, being part of Lot 2 of EAST BROAD BUSINESS CENTER, of record in Plat Book 58, Page 38, part of a vacated portion of Brice Road, of record in Plat Book 70. Page 47 and being part of the 3.290 acre tract of land (Tract One) conveyed to 225 Business Center Drive, LLC, by deed of record in Instrument Number 201406270081972, records of the Recorder’s Office, Franklin County, Ohio and being bounded and more particularly described as follows:
Beginning at a 3/4 inch iron pin found, in the northerly line of Brice Road, and being the southwesterly corner of said 3.290 acre tract, and at the southwesterly corner of the vacated portion of Brice Road (20 feet wide), of record in Plat Book 70, Page 47 (originally dedicated as 80 feet wide by P.B. 58, Pg. 38), said point being referenced South 04° 15' 25" West, a distance of 20.80 feet from a point at the southerly common corner of said Lot 2 and Lot 6 of COLUMBUS INDUSTRIAL PARK, of record in Plat Book 48, Page 79
Thence North 04° 15' 25" East, a distance of 166.80 feet, along the westerly line of said 3.290 acre tract, and along the line common to said Lots 2 and 6, to a 3/4 inch iron pin found;
Thence North 03° 32' 06" East, a distance of 214.20 feet, continuing along the line common to said Lots 2 and 6 and said 3.290 acre tract, to an iron pin set;
Thence South 86° 03' 51" East, a distance of 353.78 feet, across said 3.290 acre tract and said Lot 2, to an iron pin set in the easterly line of said 3.290 acre tract and the westerly right-of-way line of Business Center Drive (50 feet wide, Plat Book 75, Page 7);
Thence with the easterly line of said 3.290 acre tract and the westerly right-of-way line of said Business Center Drive, the following four (4) courses and distances:
1. South 03° 32' 06" West, a distance of 74.01 feet, to an iron pin set at a point of curvature;
2. With the arc of a curve to the left, having a central angle of 15° 14' 06", a radius of 325.00 feet, and an arc length of 86.42 feet, a chord bearing and distance of South 04° 04' 57" East, 86.16 feet, to an iron pin set at a point of tangency;
3. South 11° 42' 00" East, a distance of 64.88 feet, to an iron pin set at a point of curvature;
4. With the arc of a curve to the right, having a central angle of 90° 00' 00", a radius of 50.00 feet, and an arc length of 78.54 feet, a chord bearing and distance of South 33° 18' 00" West, 70.71 feet, to a 3/4 inch iron pin found at a point of tangency in the northerly right-of-way line of said Brice Road;
Thence South 78° 18' 00" West, a distance of 361.96 feet, along the northerly right-of-way line of said Brice Road and the southerly line of said 3.290 acre tract, to the Point of Beginning, containing 2.760 acres, more or less, and being subject to all easements, restrictions and rights-of-way of record.
To Rezone From: M-2, Manufacturing District,
To: CPD, Commercial Planned Development District.
SECTION 2. That a Height District of thirty-five (35) feet is hereby established on the CPD, Commercial Planned Development District on this property.
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 official 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 site plan being titled, “SITE PLAN FOR BRICE ROAD COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT,” dated May 20, 2026, and text titled, “CPD DEVELOPMENT TEXT,” dated May 14, 2026, both signed by Sean Mentel, Attorney for the Applicant, and the text reading as follows:
CPD DEVELOPMENT TEXT
Existing Zoning: M-2, Manufacturing District
Proposed Zoning: CPD, Commercial Planned Development District
Property Address: 181 Business Center Drive, Blacklick, Ohio 43004
Applicant: Elissa Gunsorek; 7833 Morse Road, New Albany, Ohio, 43054
Owner: 225 Business Center Land Owner, LLC; 225 Business Center Drive, Blacklick, Ohio 43004
Date of Text: May 14, 2026
Application Number: Z26-001
INTRODUCTION: The site is +2.76 acres on the north side of Brice Road, east of Taylor Station Road and west of Business Center Drive. Applicant proposes to develop the site with a warehouse, gas station, and convenience store/quick service restaurant. The site plan titled "Site Plan for Brice Road Commercial Development," hereafter "Site Plan," is submitted with this application as the site development plan.
1. PERMITTED USES: The permitted uses shall be office, retail, commercial, retail fuel sales, and convenience store/quick service restaurant as permitted by Chapter 3356, C-4 Regional Scale Commercial Development, and Chapter 3357, C-5 Highway Oriented Commercial Development.
2. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS: Unless otherwise indicated on the Site Plan or in this written text, the applicable development standards shall be those standards contained in Chapter 3356, C-4 Regional Scale Commercial District, Chapter 3357, Highway Oriented Commercial Development, Chapter 3312, Off-Street Parking and Loading, and Chapter 3321, General Site Development Standards, of the City of Columbus Code, as applicable and depicted on the Site Plan.
A. Density, Height, Lot, and/or Setback Commitments:
1. The minimum building set back shall be 50’ as depicted on the Site Plan.
2. The minimum parking set back shall be 10’ as depicted on the Site Plan.
B. Access, Loading, Parking and/or other Traffic Related Commitments:
N/A
C. Buffering, Landscaping, Open Space, and/or Screening Commitments:
All screening shown on the Site Plan shall comply with Chapter 3321.05.
D. Building Design and/or Exterior Treatment Commitments:
N/A
E. Dumpsters, Lighting, Outdoor Display Areas, and/or other Environmental Commitments:
N/A
F. Graphics and Signage Commitments:
All graphics shall conform to Article 15 of the Columbus Graphics Code, as it applies to the C-4 Regional Scale Commercial Development. Any variance to applicable sign requirements shall be submitted to the Columbus Graphics Commission.
G. Miscellaneous Commitments:
The site shall be developed in accordance with the submitted Site Plan, titled “SITE PLAN FOR BRICE ROAD COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT,” dated 5/11/26, and signed by Sean Mentel, Attorney for the Applicant. The Site Plan may be slightly adjusted to reflect engineering, topographical, or other site data developed at the time of final development and engineering plans completed. Any slight adjustment to the 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.
H. Modification of Code Standards.
N/A
I. Other CPD Requirements.
1. Natural Environment: The natural environment is relatively flat, undeveloped land.
2. Existing Land Use: The existing use is undeveloped land.
3. Circulation: Ingress and Egress shall be from Brice Road to the South and Business Center Drive to the East.
4. Visual Form of the Environment: Currently undeveloped land surrounded by multifamily residential to the South, manufacturing, warehousing and logistics to the West, office and commercial uses to the North and commercial uses to the East.
5. Visibility: The property is on the corner of Brice Road and Business Center Drive and visible from both roads.
6. Proposed Development: Fueling Station and a commercial/office building.
7. Behavior Patterns: The property will integrate with the surrounding commercial, warehousing and office uses.
8. Emissions: The property shall conform to the City of Columbus requirements as further controlled by the Development Standards of the Site Plan and Development Text.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.