Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV19-110
APPLICANT: Homeport; c/o Laura MacGregor Comek, Atty.; 501 South High Street; Columbus, OH 43215.
PROPOSED USE: Multi-unit residential development.
COLUMBUS SOUTH SIDE AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Approval. The site, comprised of one parcel zoned in the C-4, Commercial, R-2, Residential and ARLD, Apartment Residential districts, is partially developed with a discount retail store. The requested Council variance will allow a 40-unit senior housing development to be constructed on the undeveloped part of the parcel. A variance is necessary because the C-4 and R-2 districts do not permit senior housing developments. The site is within the planning area of the South Side Plan (2014), which recommends “Community Commercial” uses for this location, including retail, office, hotel, or institutional uses. Additionally, the Plan includes early adoption of the Columbus Citywide Planning Policies (C2P2) Design Guidelines (2018), which state that connectivity between developments via public streets is encouraged, and where public streets are not feasible, pedestrian connections should be considered. This proposed development will be subject to a competitive funding process by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which requires certain land attributes including compliant zoning. Staff supports the Council variance process to assist in this state funding application process; however, this ordinance includes a condition that a Certificate of Zoning Clearance will not be issued until a follow-up rezoning to an appropriate zoning district has been completed. The Planning and Traffic Management Divisions do not object to this limited Council variance request, but have requested the following from the applicant when the follow-up rezoning application is filed: greater pedestrian connectivity, building elevations, and increased on-site landscaping and/or street trees...
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