Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV25-132
APPLICANT: U-Haul of Central Ohio, Inc.; c/o David Perry, Agent; David Perry Company, Inc.; 411 East Town Street, 1st Floor; Columbus; OH 43215.
PROPOSED USE: Self-storage facility.
FAR SOUTH COLUMBUS AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site consists of one parcel developed with a vacant big-box retail store in the RAC, Regional Activity Center District. The requested Council variance allows the existing building to be converted into a self-storage facility, and also allows two new single-story self-storage buildings adjacent to an outparcel along South High Street. A Council variance is required because the RAC district does not allow storage uses, including self-storage facilities. The site is located within the boundaries of the Columbus Growth Strategy (2026), which recommends “Mixed Use 3” land uses at this location. Staff supports the requested self-storage facility as the existing vacant big-box retail building will be repurposed, and the proposal includes building elevations and a site plan that demonstrate elevated building materials and new landscaping to screen the proposed new storage buildings from the right-of-way. As the new buildings do not directly front South High Street, the variances are acceptable.
Title
To grant a Variance from the provisions of Sections 34.E.20.100.A, Uses; 34.E.20.030.C.1, General Requirements; 34.E.20.090.C, Building Placement; 34.E.20.090.D, Building Form; 34.E.20.090.F, Façade Transparency; 34.E.20.090.G, On-Site Parking; and 34.G.20.030, Landscaping, of the Columbus City Codes; for the property located at 3579 S. HIGH ST. (43207), to allow a self-storage facility with reduced development standards in the RAC, Regional Activity Center District (Council Variance #CV25-132).
Body
WHEREAS, by application #CV25-132, the owner of the property at 3579 S. HIGH ST. (43207), is requesting a Council variance to allow a self-storage facility with reduced development standards in the RAC, Regional Activity Center District; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.E.20.100.A, Uses, does not allow self-storage facilities in the RAC, Regional Activity Center District, while the applicant proposes a self-storage facility within an existing vacant retail building along with two new storage buildings, as shown on the submitted site plan and building elevations; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.E.20.030.C.1, General Requirements, requires each building provide at least one building entry along each abutting street or open space, while the applicant proposes no entry on the east side of the proposed storage buildings in the parking lot; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.E.20.090.C, Building placement, allows a maximum front building setback of 30 feet and that 70 percent of the total length of the building façade be within or abutting the façade zone, while the applicant proposes an increased front building setback of 62 feet f; and to eliminate the façade zone; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.E.20.090.D, Building Form, requires principal and secondary non-residential buildings to have a minimum ground-floor height of 14 feet, and a minimum ground-floor depth of 12 feet, while the applicant proposes a reduced ground-floor height of eight feet, and to eliminate ground-floor depth for the two proposed storage buildings; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.E.20.090.F, Facade Transparency, requires a minimum façade transparency of 60percent along the front of a non-residential building, while the applicant proposes to eliminate façade transparency for the two proposed storage buildings; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.E.20.090.G, On-Site Parking, does not allow circulation aisles to be located between the principal building and adjacent streets, while the applicant proposes to maintain the existing circulation aisle between the proposed storage buildings and South High Street; and
WHEREAS, Section 34.G.20.030.A, Landscaping, requires the area between the building façade and front or side street parcel line be landscaped at a minimum of 70% when a building has a setback of greater than five feet, while the applicant proposes to eliminate the required landscaping in the area between the two new storage buildings and front setback; and
WHEREAS, the Far South Columbus Area Commission recommends approval; and
WHEREAS, the City Departments recommend approval as the applicant has included building elevations and a site plan that demonstrate elevated building materials and new landscaping to screen the new storage buildings from the right-of-way, and note that the proposed new buildings do not directly front South High Street; and
WHEREAS, said ordinance requires separate submission for all applicable permits and a Certificate of Occupancy for the proposed self-storage facility; 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 3579 S. HIGH ST. (43207), 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 34.E.20.100.A, Uses; 34.E.20.030.C.1, General Requirements; 34.E.20.090.C, Building Placement; 34.E.20.090.D, Building Form; 34.E.20.090.F, Façade Transparency; 34.E.20.090.G, On-Site Parking; and 34.G.20.030.A, Landscaping, of the Columbus City Codes; is hereby granted for the property located at 3579 S. HIGH ST. (43207), insofar as said sections prohibit a self-storage facility in the RAC, Regional Activity Center District; with no building entry on the east side of the proposed storage buildings located in the existing parking lot; with an increased front building setback from 30 to 62 feet, and to eliminate the façade zone; reduced minimum ground floor height from 14 to eight feet, and a reduced minimum ground floor depth from 12 to zero feet for the new storage buildings; reduced façade transparency from 60 to zero percent for the new storage buildings; a circulation aisle between the new storage buildings and front street;; and no landscaping between the new storage buildings and front setback to the existing circulation aisle; said property being more particularly described as follows:
3579 S. HIGH ST. (43207), being 13.5± acres on the west side of South High Street, 665± feet south of Williams Avenue, and being more particularly described as follows:
Situated in the State of Ohio, County of Franklin, City of Columbus, located in Section 16, Township 4, Range 22, Congress Lands East of Scioto River, being all of the remainder of that 15.0422 acre tract conveyed to Great Southern Owner, LLC by deed of record in Instrument Number 201001150005830 and all of that 0.298 acre tract conveyed to Great Southern Owner, LLC (all references refer to the records of the Recorder’s Office, Franklin County, Ohio) and being described as follows:
Beginning, for reference, at the intersection of the centerline of Obetz Road with the original centerline of U.S. Route 23 (South High Street) (width varies)(SEC. 00.00-5.37) of record in Plat Book 17, Page 400;
Thence North 18° 29' 30" East, with the original centerline of said U.S. Route 23 (South High Street), a distance of 1840.19 feet to a point;
Thence North 18° 57' 00" East, continuing with the original centerline of said U.S. Route 23 (South High Street), a distance of 215.64 feet to the southeasterly corner of that 1.114 acre tract conveyed to Great Southern Owner, LLC by deed of record in Instrument Number 202307180071723, a northeasterly corner of that 10.833 acre tract conveyed to Great Southern Owner, LLC by deed of record in Instrument Number 201001150005830;
Thence with lines common to said 1.114 acre and 10.833 acre tracts, the following courses and distances:
North 71° 03’ 00” West, a distance of 249.00 feet to the southwesterly corner of said 1.114 acre tract, a northeasterly corner of said 10.833 acre tract; and
North 18° 57’ 00” East, a distance of 94.53 feet to a southeasterly corner of said 15.0422 acre tract, a northeasterly corner of said 10.833 acre tract, being the TRUE POINT OF BEGINNING;
Thence with lines common to said 15.0422 acre and 10.833 acre tracts, the following courses and distances:
North 71° 25' 48" West, a distance of 524.71 feet to a point;
South 18° 34' 12" West, a distance of 39.38 feet to a point; and
North 71° 25' 48" West, a distance of 424.40 feet to a point;
Thence North 18° 33' 24" East, with the westerly line of said 15.0422 acre tract, a distance of 552.71 feet to a point;
Thence South 86° 18' 16" East, with the northerly line of said 15.0422 acre tract, a distance of 774.26 feet to a point at the northwesterly corner of that 2.6923 acre tract conveyed to Great Southern Shoppers City, Inc. by deed of record in Instrument Number 201001150005827;
Thence with lines common to said 15.0422 acre and 2.6923 acre tracts, the following courses and distances:
South 19° 01' 29" West, a distance of 183.57 feet to a point;
South 70° 58' 31" East, a distance of 58.75 feet to a point; and
South 27° 24' 15" East, a distance of 21.27 feet to a point at a southeasterly corner of the remainder of said 2.6923 acre tract, the westerly corner of said 0.298 acre tract;
Thence with the lines common to said 0.298 acre tract and the remainder of said 2.6923 acre tract, the following courses and distances:
South 60° 11' 40" East, a distance of 46.54 feet to a point;
South 37° 28' 44" East, a distance of 45.34 feet to a point; and
South 67° 08' 49" East, a distance of 297.94 feet to a point in the original centerline of said U.S. Route 23 (South High Street);
Thence South 18° 57' 00" West, with the original centerline of said U.S. Route 23 (South High Street), an easterly line of said 0.298 acre tract, a distance of 37.71 feet to a point at the northeasterly corner of that 1.1174 acre tract conveyed to Great Southern Shoppers City, Inc. by deed of record in Instrument Number 201001150005827;
Thence North 67° 03' 40" West, with the line common to said 0.298 acre and 1.1174 acre tracts, a distance of 249.77 feet to a point at the northerly common corner of said 15.0422 acre and 1.1174 acre tracts;
Thence South 18° 56' 20" West, with the line common to said 15.0422 acre and 1.1174 acre tracts, a distance of 204.46 feet to a point at the westerly common corner of said 1.1174 acre tract and that 0.761 acre tract conveyed to Great Southern Owner, LLC by deed of record in Instrument Number 202307180071723;
Thence South 18° 53' 47" West, with the line common to said 15.0422 acre and 0.761 acre tracts, a distance of 133.13 feet to a point at the westerly common corner of said 0.761 acre and 1.114 acre tracts;
Thence South 18° 57' 00" West, with the line common to said 15.0422 acre and 1.114 acre tracts, a distance of 100.37 feet to the TRUE POINT OF BEGINNING, containing 13.5 acres, more or less.
Address: 3579 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43207
Parcel Number: 010-243926
SECTION 2. That this ordinance is conditioned on and shall remain in effect only for so long as said property is used for the proposed self-storage facility, or those uses allowed in the RAC, Regional Activity Center District.
SECTION 3. That this ordinance is further conditioned on the subject site being developed in general conformance with the site plan titled, “SITE ZONING PLAN,” and building elevations titled, “COMPOSITE RENDERING,” both dated June 10, 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 a Certificate of Occupancy for the self-storage facility.
SECTION 5. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.