Explanation
BACKGROUND:
On November 24, 2003, Columbus City Council adopted the Olentangy River Road Urban Design Plan. This plan provides recommendations pertaining to streetscape improvements, site redevelopment and community involvement for the portion of Olentangy River Road from Lane Avenue to West North Broadway.
Specifically, the Olentangy River Road Urban Design Plan recommends that the Regional Commercial Overlay (RCO) be applied to Olentangy River Road from Lane Avenue to West North Broadway. The purpose of the RCO is to establish additional and specific zoning standards. These standards are designed to: 1) establish consistent and appropriate setbacks to improve the traffic safety and aesthetics of the corridor, 2) reduce the amount and improve the visual quality of surface parking adjacent to the public right-of-way, 3) create safe pedestrian access on and between lots and to the public right-of-way, 4) establish safe access to lots and encourage adequate internal circulation, through shared access and appropriate spacing between entrances, and 5) create a defined "edge" along the public right-of-way through consistent screening of adjacent surface parking lots and to provide landscaping in the interior of parking lots.
The Planning Division worked cooperatively with a steering committee consisting of area businesses and property owners to develop the Olentangy River Road Urban Design Plan. Additionally, a public open house was held on February 24, 2004 to present the idea of applying the Regional Commercial Overlay to Olentangy River Road. All impacted property owners were invited to the meeting.
This overlay is intended to work in conjunction with The Olentangy River Road Special Graphics Control Area. The special graphics control area standards are proposed in a companion piece of legislation.
FISCAL IMPACT: No funding is required for this legislation.
Title
To supplement the Columbus City Codes, 1959, by the modification of Chapter 3372, Planning Overlay, in order to create the "Olentangy River Road Regional Commercial Overlay" for that portion of the Olentangy River Road from Lane Avenue to West North Broadway (map attached).
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council adopted the Olentangy River Road Urban Design Plan in November 2003. The plan recommends the application of the Regional Commercial Overlay (RCO) to Olentangy River Road from Lane Avenue to West North Broadway; and
WHEREAS, the creation of a zoning overlay with additional and specific standards and requirements will serve to enhance the corridor's character, facilitate streetscape continuity, and encourage pedestrian-friendly development; and
WHEREAS, these standards will address building and parking setbacks, site redevelopment, pedestrian and site access, landscaping and screening, and site lighting; and
WHEREAS, theses standards will work in conjunction with the standards contained in the Olentangy River Road Special Graphics Control Area; and
WHEREAS, the provisions contained in the overlay will apply to all properties identified on the attached map (Exhibit A); and
WHEREAS, the provisions contained in the RCO will be reviewed and modified as appropriate and necessary in order to continue to meet the intended goals of the overlay; and
WHEREAS, the standards have been reviewed by the community-at-large at a public meeting and have been recommended by Columbus Development Commission for adoption by City Council; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Columbus City Codes, 1959, are hereby supplemented by the enactment of a new sub-chapter entitled "Olentangy River Road Regional Commercial Overlay," consisting of section 3372.978 to read as follows:
3372.978 Olentangy River Road Regional Commercial Overlay
The provisions of the Regional Commercial Overlay (RCO) shall apply to all properties indicated on Exhibit A, "Boundary of the Olentangy River Road Regional Commercial Overlay".
In addition to the standards and requirements imposed by the RCO, development and redevelopment within the Olentangy River Road Regional Commercial Overlay must adhere to the standards and requirements of the Olentangy River Road Urban Design Plan.
Section 2. That the existing Section 3372.905 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, is hereby amended to read as follows:
3372.905 Overlay areas.
The boundaries of the Regional Commercial Overlay areas are part of the Official Zoning Map and shall be described in separate sections beginning with C.C. 3372.950 and ending with C.C. 3372.999. For the purposes and requirements of a Regional Commercial Overlay area, the term "primary street" means:
Morse Road
Olentangy River Road
Section 3. That the existing Section 3372.908 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, is hereby amended to read as follows:
3372.908 Site redevelopment.
A. For sites that contain more than one (1) lot, with each lot being ten acres or more and developed under common standards for signage, lighting, landscaping, parking, access and/or circulation, a master plan must be submitted to, and approved by, the Columbus Development Commission. The master plan must address the standards and requirements described in Sections 3372.909 through 3372.915. Master plans must also address applicable standards of city-adopted plans for the area. For sites along Morse Road, master plan must also address the standards contained in the Morse Road Design Study.
Section 4. That the existing Section 3372.912 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, is hereby amended to read as follows:
3372.912 Landscape and screening.
The intent of the requirements contained below is to provide adequate screening of parking lots, to create a defined "edge" along streets within the overlay boundaries, and to provide interior parking lot landscaping.
Tree plantings, landscaping, and screening are required along street frontages and in the interior of parking lots; the following standards are required:
A. Species must be installed and maintained as follows:
1. Deciduous trees must be a minimum of two and one-half (2.5) inches in caliper. as measured four (4) feet from top of soil level;
2. Ornamental trees must be a minimum of two (2) inches in caliper, as measured four (4) feet from top of soil level;
3. Tree canopies must be maintained at a minimum of eight (8) feet from the ground;
4. Hedges and shrubs may be deciduous or evergreen but must be a minimum of twenty-four (24) inches in height and width with an expected height of thirty-six (36) inches within three (3) years; and
5. All plants and landscaped areas must be maintained in a neat and healthy condition. Replacement plants must be planted no later than the next planting season; and must also meet the size requirements herein.
B. A surface parking lot of six thousand (6,000) square feet or more or which contain twenty (20) or more parking spaces, must include five (5) percent of the parking lot in interior landscaping.
C. Landscaped islands must be installed within the interior of a parking lot in accordance with the following standards:
1. One landscape island is required for every twenty (20) parking spaces. If a site, due to its size and configuration, cannot meet this standard, two (2) landscape peninsulas may be substituted for one (1) landscape island;
2. All landscaped islands must have a minimum width of five (5) feet; and
3. Landscaped islands do not need to be uniformly spaced, but must be contained within and dispersed throughout the interior of a parking lot. Landscaped islands that define a main entranceway and separate parking areas can count towards the required five (5) percent interior landscaping.
D. A tree must be planted within the interior of a parking lot at a ratio of one (1) tree for every ten (10) parking spaces. All trees must be planted within a landscape island or peninsula.
E. A minimum three (3)-foot high continuous row of planted shrubs must be planted to screen surface parking lots from a public street to an overall opacity of seventy-five (75) percent when in leaf. Ornamental plantings, in addition to the above requirement, are not prohibited. Such row of shrubs cannot exceed two hundred (200) lineal feet without incorporating one or more of the following changes in treatment:
1. A different species of shrub;
2. A masonry pier with a minimum height of forty-eight (48) inches. For Morse Road properties "Morse Road Stone" (Native Ohio Limestone, horizontally coursed with flush raked mortar joints. Any caps on walls or piers should be continuous natural stone caps.) must be used as the masonry material; The "Morse Road Stone" (Native Ohio Limestone, horizontally coursed with flush raked mortar joints. Any caps on walls or piers should be continuous natural stone caps.) must be used as the masonry material;
3. A three-foot masonry wall. For Morse Road properties "Morse Road Stone" (Native Ohio Limestone, horizontally coursed with flush raked mortar joints. Any caps on walls or piers should be continuous natural stone caps.) must be used as the masonry material; or The "Morse Road Stone" (Native Ohio Limestone, horizontally coursed with flush raked mortar joints. Any caps on walls or piers should be continuous natural stone caps) must be used as the masonry material; or
4. Access drive, that is compliant with all standards herein.
The following shrub species are recommended. They have been selected based on their aesthetic appearance, mature height and hardiness.
Scientific Name |
Common Name |
Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea 'rose glow' Rose Glow Barberry |
|
Corneus serica 'kelseyi' |
Compact redosier Dogwood |
Euonymus alata 'Compacta' |
Dwarf Burningbush |
Juniperisi chinesis 'Sea Green' |
Sea Green Juniper |
Myrica pensylvasnica |
Northern Bayberry |
Viburnum carlesii |
Koreanspice Vibernum |
Viburnum x burkwoodii 'Mohawk" |
Mohawk Viburnum |
Spiraea x bumalda 'Anthony Waterer' |
Anthony Waterer Spiraea |
Syringa meyeri 'Palibin' |
Miss Kim Lilac |
F. An auto dealership* is not required to landscape, plant trees, or otherwise screen areas used solely for new and used automobile display and inventory areas, but must maintain perennial plantings or a minimum twenty-four (24) inch high continuous hedge or shrub on any perimeter, which faces or abuts a public street. Employee and customer parking must be landscaped, planted and screened to the standards of this section. Areas used for the storage of cars awaiting repair must be screened to the standards of this section if they abut a public street. All display, inventory, parking, and storage areas must be clearly delineated on a site plan.
* Means the use of any building, lot, or other premise for the display and sale of new or used automobiles generally but may include light trucks or vans, and which may include any vehicle preparation or repair work conducted as an accessory use.
G. Loading areas that are visible from a public right-of-way must be fully screened by structures and/or landscaped to a minimum height of six (6) feet and to a minimum of ninety (90) percent opacity.
H. A dumpster must be fully screened on three sides to a minimum height of six (6) feet or a height equal to that of the dumpster, which ever is greater and must maintain a minimum ninety (90) percent opacity. The open side must not be viewable from a public right-of-way or be oriented toward a contiguous residential use or district. All measurements are from established grade.
Section 5. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period provided by law.