Explanation
Council Variance Amendment: CV91-0046C
APPLICANT: City of Columbus; c/o Laura MacGregor Comek & Larry James, Attorneys; Crabbe, Brown & James LLP; 500 South Front Street, Suite 1200; Columbus, OH 43215.
PROPOSED USE: Theater and accessory assembly, retail and office commercial uses.
NEAR EAST AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The applicant is requesting a Council variance to allow expansion and renovation of the Lincoln Theater, continuing the theater and various assembly, retail, and office commercial uses in the R-2F, Residential District. The site was rezoned from the C-4, Commercial District to the R-2F, Residential District as part of the 1974 Model Cities rezoning. Ordinance #1242-93, passed May 24, 1993 (CV91-0046B) permits the uses proposed by this ordinance, and established limitations on the allowable area for each use and off-site parking requirements. This variance is required to allow the proposed expansion of the theater onto the R-2F lot to the south, and will add variances for building height, R-2F Residential District yard and area standards, and Urban Commercial overlay standards as they apply to parking and building design requirements. The requested variance will also change the size limitations of the permitted uses, and will reduce the previously approved off-site parking requirements. This council variance amendment is intended to preserve all prior approvals for use and development of the site, while also accommodating the theatre's expansion and renovation, returning the theatre to its intended and former use as a focal point for the community. As part of the approval for the theater expansion, Ordinance #822-94 is also being amended (Ordinance #0910-2007, Z93-052B), to reconfigure the parking lot and to allow expansion of the Lincoln Theater onto the eastern portion of ...
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