Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV26-062
APPLICANT: Elford Development, Ltd. c/o Dave Perry, Agent; David Perry Company, Inc.; 411 East Town Street, 1st Floor; Columbus, OH 43215; and Donald Plank, Atty.; Plank Law Firm; 411 East Town Street, 2nd Floor; Columbus, OH 43215.
PROPOSED USE: Multi-unit residential development.
FAR EAST AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site consists of a portion of one parcel in the L-C-2, Limited Commercial District. The requested Council variance will allow multi-unit residential development with up to 104 dwelling units. A Council variance is required because the L-C-2 district only allows office uses, and the underlying C-2, Commercial District does not allow ground-floor residential uses. The site is recommended for “Business & Institutional Campus” land uses in the Columbus Growth Strategy (2026)(CGS), but is proposed to be rezoned to the CAC, Community Activity Center District which allows multi-unit residential development. Although there is inconsistency with the land use recommendation, staff recognized the presence of existing employment-based uses in the immediate vicinity as a mitigating factor for support of the proposed use and the proposed CAC district in Zone In. The proposed landscaping along the northern property line, which buffers the site from single-unit residential development to the north, and proposed street trees along the frontages of Taylor Station Road and Westbourne Avenue are additional factors for support of the proposed use. Additionally, the request aligns with the City’s objective of providing more housing in all neighborhoods. Due to timing constraints, it is not feasible for the applicant to wait for the project to be developed until the effective date of the proposed CAC district.
Title
To grant a Variance from the provisions of Sections 3353...
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