Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV18-089
APPLICANT: Whittier ABC Co., LLC, 8518 Stonechat Loop, Dublin, Ohio 43017.
PROPOSED USE: Mixed-use development.
COLUMBUS SOUTH SIDE AREA COMMISSSION RECOMMENDATION: Disapproval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS’ RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site is developed with a vacant appliance store which was rendered nonconforming with a city-sponsored down-zoning of the area to the R-2F, Residential District in 1999. The requested Council variance will permit the western half of the commercial building to be converted into 2,945 square feet of eating and drinking establishment space, and will permit the eastern half of the building to be replaced by a five-unit apartment building including 510 square feet of live/work office space. A Council variance is necessary because the R-2F, Residential District does not permit commercial uses nor does it permit more than two dwelling units on one lot. The request also incorporates variances for parking setback, required number of parking spaces (reduced from 48 to 5), vision clearance, area district requirements, lot coverage, building setback, and side yard standards. The site is within the planning area of the South Side Plan (2014) which recommends medium-high density residential uses (10-16 units/acre) at this location, however, the site has existing commercial uses and is located in a walkable, transit-served corridor. As such, the parking variance to provide one parking space per residential unit is appropriate. Additionally, there already exists a commercial parking deficit, and the total commercial square footage is being reduced. Finally, the building elevations reviewed by the Planning Division are consistent with the recommendations of the South Side Plan and the Columbus Citywide Planning Policies (C2P2) design guidelines.
Title
To grant a Variance from the provisions of Sections 3332.037, R-2F residential district; 3312.27(3), Parking setback line; 3312.49(C), Minimum numbers...
Click here for full text