Explanation
Rezoning Application: Z25-022
APPLICANT: Chris Vallette; 72 Mill Street; Gahanna, OH 43230.
PROPOSED USE: Commercial and institutional development.
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval (6-0) on August 14, 2025.
NORTH LINDEN AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site consists of one parcel developed with a plant nursery in the CPD, Commercial Planned Development District, the C-1, Commercial District, and the R-3, Residential District. The requested CPD, Commercial Planned Development District brings the existing nursery into alignment with zoning, and will allow for commercial development as reflected in the submitted CPD text and site plan. The proposed CPD district is consistent with the “Community (Commercial)” land use recommendations of the North Linden Neighborhood Plan Amendment (2014). The proposal also includes additional bicycle parking consistent with Columbus Citywide Planning Policies (C2P2) Design Guidelines (2018). Concurrent Council variance (Ordinance #2695-2025; CV25-040) proposes to allow storage uses on the site, as shown on the submitted site plan.
Title
To rezone 1156 OAKLAND PARK AVE. (43224), being 9.07± acres located at the northeast corner of Oakland Park Avenue and Atwood Terrace, From: CPD, Commercial Planned Development District, C-1, Commercial District, and R-3, Residential District, To: CPD, Commercial Planned Development District (Rezoning #Z25-022).
Body
WHEREAS, application #Z25-022 is on file with the Department of Building and Zoning Services requesting rezoning of 9.07± acres from CPD, Commercial Planned Development District, C-1, Commercial District, and R-3, Residential District, to CPD, Commercial Planned Development District; and
WHEREAS, the Development Commission recommends approval of said zoning change; and
WHEREAS, the North Linden 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 is consistent with both the North Linden Neighborhood Plan Amendment and C2P2 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:
1156 OAKLAND PARK AVE. (43224), being 9.07± acres located at the northeast corner of Oakland Park Avenue and Atwood Terrace, and being more particularly described as follows:
Situated in the State of Ohio, County of Franklin, City of Columbus, being part of Lot 3 of Quarter Township 1, Township 1, Range 18, United States Military District, containing 9.108 acres more or less, being all of the residual of a 7.517 acre tract of land conveyed to Reiner Investments, Ltd. in D.B. 3718, Pg. 808 as Tract No. 2, all of a tract of land also conveyed to Reiner Investments, Ltd. in said document as Tract No. 1, and all of a 0.708 acre tract of land conveyed to Reiner Investments, Ltd. in I.N. 200704040057810, said 9.108 acres being more particularly described as follows:
Beginning for reference at a mag nail set on the centerline intersection of Oakland Park Avenue (60’ R/W) as established in Road Record 6, Pg. 195 and Atwood Terrace (50’ R/W) as shown in P.B. 17, Pg. 114;
Thence S 86° 06’ 47” E, across the right-of-way of said Atwood Terrace (50’ R/W) and with the centerline of said Oakland Park Avenue (60’ R/W), 25.00 feet to a mag nail set on the southwest corner of said Tract No. 2 and the True Point of Beginning;
Thence N 04° 34' 34" E, with the easterly right-of-way line of said Atwood Terrace (50’ R/W) and the west line of said Tract No. 2, 706.81 feet to a current northwest corner of said Tract No. 2 and the southwest corner of a tract of land conveyed to Oakland Nursery, Inc. in I.N. 202208050114067 referencing a bent 3/4" iron pipe found;
Thence with the common line of said Tract No. 2 and said Oakland Nursery, Inc. tract the following two (2) courses and distances:
1. S 86° 23' 28" E, 150.00 feet to an iron pin set;
2. N 04° 34' 52" E, 119.76 feet to an iron pin set on the northeast corner of said Oakland Nursery, Inc. tract, a current northwest corner of said Tract No. 2, and being on the south line of a 7.243 acre tract of land conveyed to The Board of Education of the City School District of Columbus, Ohio in D.B. 1625, Pg. 180 and D.B. 1619, Pg. 341;
Thence S 86° 23' 28" E, with the north lines of said Tract No. 2 and said Tract No. 1 and the south line of said 7.243 acre tract, 351.03 feet to an iron pin set on the northeast corner of said Tract No. 1 and the northwest corner of Lot 13 as numbered and delineated for Oak Park Addition No. 7 in P.B. 23, Pg. 32;
Thence S 04° 34' 34" W, with the east lines of said Tract No. 1 and said 0.708 acre tract, the west line of said Lot 13, the west lines of Lots 1-12 as numbered and delineated for said plat, and across the right-of-way of Oakland Park Avenue (60’ R/W) (passing a point referencing a 5/8” rebar (S=0.76 feet, E=1.63 feet) at 649.00 feet and a point referencing a 3/4" iron pipe found (N=0.47 feet, W=0.49 feet) at 799.00 feet), 829.00 feet to a mag nail set on the centerline of said Oakland Park Avenue (60’ R/W), the southeast corner of said 0.708 acre tract, and the southwest corner of said Oak Park Addition No. 7;
Thence N 86° 06' 47" W, with the south lines of said 0.708 acre tract and said Tract No. 2 and the centerline of said Oakland Park Avenue (60’ R/W), 501.00 feet to the Point of Beginning, containing 9.108 acres more or less, inclusive of the present right-of-way of Oakland Park Avenue (60’ R/W) which occupies 0.345 acres more or less.
To Rezone From: CPD, Commercial Planned Development District, C-1, Commercial District, and R-3, Residential 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 titled, “OAKLAND NURSERY SITE 07-29-25,” dated July 29, 2025, and said text titled, “DEVELOPMENT TEXT,” dated October 1, 2025, and signed by Chris Vallette, Applicant, and the text reading as follows:
DEVELOPMENT TEXT
EXISTING ZONING: CPD, C-1, R-3
PROPOSED ZONING: CPD, Commercial Planned Development District
PROPERTY ADDRESS: 1156 OAKLAND PARK AVE
ACREAGE: +/- 9.073 Acres
PARCELs: 010-082045
APPLICANT: Chris Vallette c/o DSA Architects. 72 Mill Street Gahanna Ohio 43230
OWNER: Mark Reiner c/o Reiner Investments LP. 1156 Oakland Park Ave, Columbus Ohio 43224
DATE OF TEXT: October 1, 2025
APPLICATION NUMBER: Z25-022
1. INTRODUCTION: The subject property at Oakland Park Ave. is approximately 9.07 acres and located on the North/ West corner of Oakland Park Ave. and Atwood Terrace. The 010-082045 Site is currently zoned CPD, Commercial Planned Development District, C-1, Commercial District, and R-3, Residential District. The site currently operates as outdoor sales and storage for the nursery.
The Site is situated within the boundary of the North Linden Area Commission. The Site is not a registered historic site or district. The overall site has operated for years as a nursery. In fact, the house that used to be on the South / East corner of the site was occupied by Mr. Mark Reiner’s Grandmother. His parents at one time lived in what is now the sales offices building on the property. The family has been in this neighborhood for many years and the business has grown around them
The Applicant proposes maintaining the site as developed. The purpose of this application is to legitimize the site’s existing nonconforming and non-compliant nursery use and expand the site’s permitted uses to include CPD uses which are appropriate for the neighborhood.
2. PERMITTED USES: Uses of Section 3361.02, With a CPD, commercial planned development district, no buildings nor premises shall be used and no buildings shall be erected which are arranged, intended, or designed to be used for other than a use permitted in the I-institutional, C-1, C-2, C-3, or C-4 commercial districts.
3. 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 3361 of the Columbus City Code.
A. Density, Height, Lot and/or Setback Commitments.
1. Existing building setback from Atwood Terrace shall be a minimum of 25’-0”.
2. Existing parking setback from Atwood Terrace shall be a minimum of 10’-0”.
3. Existing building setback from Oakland Park shall be a minimum of 40’-0”.
4. Existing parking setback from Oakland Park shall be a minimum of 10’-0”.
B. Access, Loading, Parking and/or Traffic Related Commitments.
1. The number of provided parking spaces is reduced to 110 spaces as shown on the submitted site plan (See Section 3.H.1).
2. The number of provided bicycle spaces is reduced to 2 racks or “4 spaces” as shown on the submitted site plan (See Section 3.H.2).
3. The applicant shall dedicate 30 feet of right-of-way from centerline along the Oakland Park Avenue frontage of the site.”
C. Buffering, Landscaping, Open Space, and/or Screening Commitments.
N/A
D. Building design and/or Interior-Exterior treatment commitments.
N/A
E. Dumpsters, Lighting, Outdoor Display Areas and/or Environmental Commitments.
There will be no provided screening for the dumpster area on all sides for the existing development (See Sections 3.H.3 and 3.H.4).
F. Graphics and Signage Commitments.
Graphics on the Site will comply with the Graphics Code, Article 15, Title 33 of the Columbus City Code as it applies to the C-4, Commercial District. Variances to sign requirements shall be submitted to the Columbus Graphics Commission or master graphic plan for the Site may be submitted to the Columbus Graphics Commission for consideration.
G. Miscellaneous Commitments.
The subject site shall be in accordance with the attached Site Plan OAKLAND NURSERY SITE 07-29-25 and dated 07-29-25. The Site Plan may be slightly adjusted to reflect engineering, topographical or other site data developed at the time that development and engineering plans are 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 a designee, upon submission of the appropriate data regarding the proposed adjustment.
H. Modification of Code Standards.
1. Section 3312.49, Required parking, The reduction of the required 667 parking spaces to the 110 spaces shown.
2. Section 3312.49(C), The reduction of the required 10 bicycle racks to the 2 racks “4 spaces” shown.
3. 3321.01 - Dumpster area. This section shall be modified to eliminate the requirement for the dumpster area to be screened from view on all sides for the existing development. To allow no screening at the dumpster on the site for 2-6-yard dumpsters on the North side of the site.
4. 3321.01 - Dumpster area. This section shall be modified to eliminate the requirement for the dumpster area to be screened from view on all sides for the existing development. To allow no screening on the site for a 30-yard dumpster in the staging area near the Southwest side.
5. A variance to 3363.41 - Storage, is included in concurrent CV25-040 to allow storage in the 100’ setback required for adjacent residential property, and to allow vehicle storage in the 30’ storage setback along Atwood Terrace.
I. Other CPD Requirements.
1. Natural Environment: The environment is for indoor and outdoor sales of garden and nursery plants
and supplies. This includes a large area of outdoor sales for contractors and retail.
2. Existing Land Use: This is an outdoor garden center.
3. Circulation: There is customer parking along with a staging area for bulk pick-up. There is also an area for contractors to also pick up bulk and large items. The outdoor showroom has large paths and drives for trucks and loaders to move through.
4. Visual Form of the Environment: A well-maintained garden center in a small neighborhood.
5. Visibility: Several panting areas and tress surround the property. There is also fabric covered chain-link fence around the nonpublic area.
6. Proposed Development: No change to the development. The garden center has expanded over time. This process is to bring the site into compliance.
7. Behavior Patterns: Spring and falls bring the most customers to the nursery.
8. Emissions: Other than when gas fired equipment to move material or product and customers cars there is no extra ordinary emissions.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.