Explanation
Rezoning Application Z25-008
APPLICANT: Vermilion Acquisitions Ohio, LLC; c/o Stephen M. Griffith, Jr., Atty.; 425 Walnut Street, Suite 1800; Cincinnati, OH 45202.
PROPOSED USE: Assisted living facility.
DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval (5-0) on June 12, 2025.
FAR EAST AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site consists of two parcels, each developed with a single-unit dwelling in the R, Rural District. The requested CPD, Commercial Planned Development District will allow for the development of an assisted living facility. The development text includes appropriate use restrictions and supplemental development standards, as well as commitments to develop the site in accordance with the submitted site plan, landscape plan, and building elevations. The proposal is consistent with the “Employment Center” land use recommendation of the Far East Land Use Plan (2018). Although Columbus Citywide Planning Policies (C2P2) Design Guidelines (2018) note that parking should be located to the rear of the facility and be hidden from view to the greatest extent possible, the proposed use of the property and the level of screening along the McNaughten Road frontage are mitigating factors of support. The proposal is otherwise consistent with C2P2 Commercial Design Guidelines.
Title
To rezone 171 MCNAUGHTEN RD. (43213), being 6.4± acres located on the west side of McNaughten Road; 1,100± feet south of East Broad Street, From: R, Rural District, To: CPD, Commercial Planned Development District (Rezoning #Z25-008).
Body
WHEREAS, application #Z25-008 is on file with the Department of Building and Zoning Services requesting rezoning of 6.4± acres from R, Rural 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 is consistent with the Far East Land Use Plan’s recommendation of “Employment Center” land uses, and includes a site design that is generally consistent with C2P2 Commercial 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:
171 MCNAUGHTEN RD. (43213), being 6.4± acres located on the west side of McNaughten Road; 1,100± feet south of East Broad Street, and being more particularly described as follows:
Situated in Half Section 2, Township 12, Range 21, Refugee Lands, Truro Township, Franklin County, Ohio, and being all of the properties conveyed to Woodford L. Holzbacher & Judy S. Holzbacher by deeds recorded in Deed Book 2993, Page 501 and Instrument Number 201202280027428 and being all of the The Franklin County Commissioners tract by deed recorded in Instrument Number 201707130095777, a part of that tract conveyed to the City of Columbus by deed recorded in Instrument Number 196812260028862, and a portion of McNaughten Road (Width Varies), and is more particularly described as follows:
COMMENCING, at the intersection of the centerline of McNaughten Road (Width Varies) and the centerline of Broad Street (Width Varies);
THENCE, with the centerline of McNaughten Road (width varies) S03°52'47"W 1161.72 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING, said point being the southeast corner of that tract conveyed to the County of Franklin, Ohio by deed of record in Instrument #200409280226332;
THENCE, leaving said centerline S85°57'13"E 30.00 feet to a point in the westerly line of a 0.075 acre tract conveyed to the City of Columbus recorded in Official Record 30602J05 and in the corporation line of the City of Columbus and Truro Township as established by Ordinance Number 62-95 recorded in Official Record 28616A01;
THENCE, with said corporation line and corporation line established by Ordinance Number 0107-2018 recorded in Instrument #201802210024126 and with the westerly line of said 0.075 acre tract and a tract conveyed to 198 McNaughten, LLC (Instrument #201910180138964) S03°52'47"W 505.01 feet to a point at the common corner of said 198 McNaughten, LLC and The Franklin County Commissioners (Instrument #201707130095777) tracts, being in the northerly line of Gardenia Properties, LLC tract as recorded in (Instrument #202005210069936);
THENCE, with the common line of The Franklin County Commissioners and Gardenia Properties, LLC and the Corporation Line of City of Columbus and Truro Township as established by Ordinance Number 1444-76 recorded in Miscellaneous Book 167, Page 1 N85°55'54"W 60.00 feet to a point in the west right-of-way line of McNaughten Road and in the easterly line of the City of Columbus Corporation line by Ordinance Number 1528-68, recorded in Miscellaneous Book 146, Page 410;
THENCE, with said right-of-way line and said Corporation Line N03°52'47"E 121.95 feet to a point in the common line of City of Columbus (Instrument #196812260028862) and Woodford L. Holzbacher & Judy S. Holzbacher (Instrument #201202280027428);
THENCE, with the common line of Holzbacher and City of Columbus tracts and said corporation line N85°45'04"W 651.81 feet to a point in a common line with Mount Carmel Health (Instrument # 199005310104682), being in the Corporation Line of City of Columbus and Truro Township as established by Ordinance Number 679-56 and being the common corner of said City of Columbus and Holzbacher tracts;
THENCE, with said corporation line and the common line of Holzbacher, Woodford L. Holzbacher & Judy S. Holzbacher (Deed Book 2993, Page 601) and Mount Carmel Health (Instrument #199005310104682) N03°52'47"E 380.73 feet to a point at the common corner of Holzbacher and Mount Carmel Health (Instrument# 199302170070437) tracts;
THENCE, leaving said corporation line and with the common line of Holzbacher and Mount Carmel Health tracts S85°57'13"E 711.80 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING containing 6.4 acres more or less.
To Rezone From: R, Rural District,
To: CPD, Commercial Planned Development District.
SECTION 2. That a Height District of sixty (60) 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 plans titled, “SITE PLAN,” and “LANDSCAPE PLAN, DETAILS AND NOTES,” and building elevations titled “A4.1, CENTRAL AND NORTH WING ELEVATIONS,” “A4.2, WEST WING ELEVATIONS,” and “A4.3, CENTRAL AND EAST WING ELEVATIONS,” all dated June 4, 2025, and signed by Todd Wiltse, Architect for the Applicant, and text titled, “COMMERCIAL PLAN DEVELOPMENT TEXT,” dated June 27, 2025, signed by Stephen M. Griffith Jr., Agent for the Applicant, and the text reading as follows:
COMMERCIAL PLAN DEVELOPMENT TEXT
Application: Z25-008
Address: 171 McNaughten Road, Columbus
Parcel(s): 263-00269-00; 263-000270-00
Property Size: +/- 6.4 acres
Current District: R
Proposed District: CPD
Area Commission: Far East Area Commission
Owner(s): Judy and Woodford Holzbacher
Applicant: Vermilion Acquisitions Ohio LLC
Agent: Stephen M. Griffith, Jr., Taft Law
Date: June 27, 2025
I. Introduction:
The subject properties (the “Land”) consisting of 2 parcels are located on the west side of McNaughten Road, south of Sister Nancy Ganse Lane. The Land contains approximately 6.4 acres.
The existing Land is improved with a pair of vacant residential buildings. The applicant proposes to construct a new 95,000 S.F. +/- assisted living facility with 70 parking spaces.
The Land is located within the boundaries of the Far East Area Commission. The Land is bounded by L-C-2 limited commercial to the north, R-1 residential to the south, CPD commercial planned development to the west, and L-AR-12 limited apartment residential to the east.
II. Permitted Uses:
A. A home for the aging within Sections 3349.03 - Permitted Uses and 3361.02 - Permitted Uses, of the Columbus City Code and the H-60 Height District shall be permitted, including a maintenance shed shown on the site plan.
III. Development Standards: Unless otherwise indicated in this Text or on the submitted development plan (“CPD Site Plan”), the applicable development standards are contained in Chapter 3361, Planned or Regional Commercial Development of the Columbus City Code shall apply.
A. Density, Height, Lot and/or Setback Commitments:
1. The maximum building height shall be 39 feet.
2. The two parcels shall be consolidated into one 6.4-acre parcel before construction of the assisted living facility begins.
3. The building setback shall be 75 feet from the McNaughten Road right of way.
4. The parking setback shall be 25 feet from the McNaughten Road right of way.
B. Access, Loading, Parking, and/or other Traffic Related Commitments:
1. The minimum number of parking spaces required shall be 70. Such number is a variance from the requirements of Section 3312.49, Table 2. Section 3312.49, Table 2 would require ninety parking spaces for this use.
2. The minimum number of EV capable spaces shall be 11. That is at least 0.15 of the 70 spaces. The use of the property will be affordable multi-unit residential housing as provided in Section 3312.57. Section 3312.57 requires that at least 0.15 of the parking spaces for affordable multi-unit residential housing be EV capable.
3. A new 11’ foot wide Shared Access Easement shall be established along McNaughten Road to allow access through the site for a multi-modal path unless room for such 11” 11’ wide Shared Access Path could be located within part of the property dedicated to the City of Columbus to widen the right of way width for McNaughten Road to fifty feet.
C. Buffering, Landscaping, Open Space and/or Screening Commitments:
Parking lot screening: 4’-0” high ornamental metal fence with 4’-0” minimum wide landscaped area. Additionally, the southern property line shall have a 20’planted buffer with 75% opacity screening and a height of five feet.
D. Building, Design, and/or Interior-Exterior Treatment Commitments:
N/A
E. Dumpsters, Lighting, Outdoor Areas, and/or other Environmental Commitments:
Masonry trash enclosure. The enclosure shall have a height of six feet, four inches and 100% opacity screening on all four sides.
F. Graphic and Signage Commitments:
All graphics shall conform to Article 15 of the Columbus Graphics Code, as it applies to the C-4, Commercial District. Any variance to applicable sign standards shall be submitted to the Columbus Graphics Commission.
G. CPD Criteria:
1. Natural Environment. This is a metropolitan area and there is no natural environment.
2. Existing Land Use. The Land is improved with two (2) residences and one (1) detached garage, all of which are vacant. All buildings will be demolished and removed as part of the development plan.
3. Transportation and Circulation. The Land is accessed from McNaughten Road via a proposed new driveway.
4. Visual Form of the Environment. The visual form of the environment is a mixed commercial and residential corridor. The proposed improvements are within the character of the current environment.
5. View and Visibility. The Land is visible from McNaughten Road.
6. Proposed Development. The Applicant proposes a new 95,000 S.F. +/- assisted living facility with 70 parking spaces.
7. Behavior Patterns. McNaughten Road is a developed commercial and residential corridor.
8. Emission. No adverse effect from emissions shall result from the proposed development.
H. Modification of Code Standards:
The minimum number of parking spaces required shall be 70. Such number is a variance from the requirements of Section 3312.49, Table 2. Section 3312.49, Table 2 would require ninety parking spaces for this use.
I. Miscellaneous Commitments:
1. The land shall be developed in accordance with the submitted site plan titled “SITE PLAN” and the submitted landscape plan titled “LANDSCAPE PLAN, DETAILS, AND NOTES,” both dated June 4, 2025. 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. The landscape plan may be adjusted slightly to accommodate utilities and/or storm water management. 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 their designee, upon submission of the appropriate data regarding the proposed adjustment.
2. The building shall be developed in accordance with the submitted building elevations titled “A4.1, Central and North Wing Elevations, A4.2 West Wing Elevations, and A4.3, Central and East Wing Elevations,” each dated June 4, 2025. The building elevations 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 building elevations shall be subject to review and approval by the Director of the Department of Building and Zoning Services, or a designee, upon submission of the appropriate data regarding proposed adjustment.
3. Applicant shall comply as applicable with the Parkland Dedication Ordinance (PDO) in conjunction with the final Site Compliance Plan.
SECTION 4. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.