Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV06-029
APPLICANT: Bernard Radio LLC; c/o James M. Groner, Atty.; 10 West Broad Street, Suite 2100; Columbus, OH
43215.
PROPOSED USE: AM radio transmission facility.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site is undeveloped, and is zoned L-AR-3, Limited Apartment Residential District. The applicant requests a variance to allow an AM radio transmission facility for WVKO AM containing a transmission building and four (4) radio towers that are each approximately one hundred sixty (160) feet in height. Variances for height and stacked parking are also included in the request. The applicant's Hardship Statement indicates that the land on which the current transmission facility is located has been sold forcing the station to relocate effective May 31, 2006. The previous owners of the station applied for and received a construction permit from the Federal Communications Commission approximately twelve (12) months ago to relocate the transmission facility on the former Northland Mall site. That site, as well as the subject site, is owned by Columbus Urban Growth Corporation (CUGC). According to CUGC, the current development plans for the former Northland Mall site are not compatible with the construction of a radio station transmission facility, while there are no development plans at this time that would conflict with the construction of the facility on the subject site. Conditions from the Northland Community Council for fencing and landscaping along the north property line, maintaining the existing earthen mound near the north property line, and requesting that the towers only be used for an AM radio station have been incorporated onto the committed site plan. The site is located within Area 18 of The Northland Plan Volume I (2001) which recommends that land use conversions be accomplished through rezoning rather than the Council variance process; therefore this ordinance is conditioned on ...
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