Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV26-027
APPLICANT: Moo Moo Express Car Wash; c/o Dave Perry, Agent; David Perry Company; 411 East Town Street, Floor 1; Columbus, OH 43215 and Donald Plank, Atty.; Plank Law Firm; 411 East Town Street, Floor 2; Columbus, OH 43215.
PROPOSED USE: Automatic car wash.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site consists of one undeveloped parcel, and a small portion of another parcel developed with a parking lot, both in the CPD, Commercial Planned Development District. The requested Council variance will allow development of an automatic car wash facility. A Council variance is required because an automatic car wash is a C-5, Commercial District use which is not allowed by this CPD district. The proposed use is commercial in nature, consistent with both the adjacent uses along this portion of Dublin Road, and with the Columbus Growth Strategy (2026), which recommends “Mixed-Use 3” land uses at this location. The submitted site plan and landscaping plan demonstrate sufficient screening from public right-of-way and the addition of several trees to the subject site.
Title
To grant a Variance from the provisions of Sections 3356.03, C-4 permitted uses; 3361.02, Permitted uses; and 3312.09, Aisle, of the Columbus City Codes; for the property located at 988 DUBLIN RD. (43215), to allow an automatic car wash with reduced aisle width in the CPD, Commercial Planned Development District (Council Variance #CV26-027).
Body
WHEREAS, by application #CV26-027, the owner of the property at 988 DUBLIN RD. (43215), is requesting a Council variance to allow an automatic car wash with reduced aisle width in the CPD, Commercial Planned Development District; and
WHEREAS, Section 3356.03, C-4 Permitted uses, does not allow car wash uses, while the applicant proposes an automatic car wash; and
WHEREAS, Section 3361.02, CPD Permitted uses, specifies limited C-4, Commercial District uses, and does not allow C-5, Commercial District uses, while the applicant proposes an automatic car wash, which is considered to be a C-5 district use; and
WHEREAS, Section 3312.09, Aisle, requires a minimum 20 foot wide aisle width for 90 degree parking spaces, while the applicant proposes an internal property line through the drive aisle on the north side of the building, subject to total code required aisle width being provided, as depicted on the submitted site plan; and
WHEREAS, the City Departments recommend approval because the proposal is consistent with both the Columbus Growth Strategy’s land use recommendation and adjacent commercial uses along this portion of Dublin Road; and
WHEREAS, said ordinance requires separate submission for all applicable permits and Certificates of Occupancy for the proposed automatic car wash; and
WHEREAS, said variances will not adversely affect the surrounding property or surrounding neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, the granting of said variances 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 988 DUBLIN RD. (43215), 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 3356.03, C-4 permitted uses; 3361.02, Permitted uses; and 3312.09, Aisle, of the Columbus City Codes; is hereby granted for the property located at 988 DUBLIN RD. (43215), insofar as said sections prohibit an automatic car wash in the CPD, Commercial Planned Development District; and a reduced aisle width on the north side of the building due to an internal property line, subject to total code required aisle width being provided, said property being more particularly described as follows:
988 DUBLIN RD. (43215), being 1.23± acres located on the north side of Dublin Road, 1,920± feet east of Grandview Avenue, and being more particularly described as follows:
1.232 ACRE; ZONING BOUNDARY
Situate in the State of Ohio, County of Franklin, City of Columbus, being in Section 12, Township 1 North, Range 23 West, Refugee Lands, being part of Lot 1 of the Plat of Jefferson Zollinger Heirs Farm, of record in Plat Book 8, Page 1, being all of a 0.712 acre tract and part of a 3.760 acre tract, both as conveyed to 810 Grandview LLC in Instrument Number 202109140162543, all records being of the Recorder’s Office, Franklin County, Ohio, and being more particularly bounded and described as follows:
BEGINNING at the southeasterly corner of said 3.760 acre tract;
Thence along the southerly lines of said 3.760 acre and 0.712 acre tracts, North 65°33’03” West, 350.68 feet to the southwesterly corner of said 0.712 acre tract;
Thence along the westerly line of said 0.712 acre tract, North 03°53’34” East, 113.44 feet to the northwesterly corner of said 0.712 acre tract, being on a southerly line of said 3.760 acre tract;
Thence along the northerly line of said 0.712 acre tract and the southerly line of said 3.760 acre tract, South 67°01’55” East, 2.66 feet to a point;
Thence across said 3.760 acre tract, the following two (2) courses:
1) North 09°22’51” East, 38.42 feet to a point;
2) South 65°33’03” East, 385.09 feet to a point on the easterly line of said 3.760 acre tract;
Thence along the easterly lines of said 3.760 acre tract, the following two (2) courses:
1) South 03°42’09” West, 30.83 feet to an easterly corner thereof;
2) South 23°31’53” West, 114.57 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING, containing 1.232 acres, more or less.
SECTION 2. That this ordinance is conditioned on and shall remain in effect only for so long as said property is used for an automatic car wash, or those uses allowed in the CPD, Commercial Planned Development District as approved by Ordinance #1995-2021 (Z21-021), passed on August 25, 2021.
SECTION 3. That this ordinance is further conditioned on the subject site being developed in general conformance with the site plans titled, "988 DUBLIN ROAD ZONING SITE PLAN," and "ZONING LANDSCAPE PLAN," both dated April 20, 2026, and signed by David B. Perry, Agent for the Applicant, and Donald Plank, Attorney for 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 Certificates of Occupancy for the proposed automatic car wash.
SECTION 5. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.