Explanation
Council Variance Application: CV21-028
APPLICANT: Gary Hartman; 3351 Karl Road; Columbus, OH 43224.
PROPOSED USE: Shipping containers for accessory storage.
NORTH LINDEN AREA COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: Disapproval Approval.
CITY DEPARTMENTS' RECOMMENDATION: Disapproval. The lot is developed with a single-unit dwelling and a detached garage in the R-3, Residential District. There are two is one existing shipping containers adjacent to the garage for which a zoning code violation was issued in September 2020. The applicant proposes to legitimize existing conditions for the containers to be used for accessory storage. A Council variance is necessary to allow the use of salvaged shipping containers for storage on a residential lot. A vVariances to reduce the required vision clearance for the driveway, and reduced building lines along Urana Avenue from 10 feet to 7 feet for the shipping containers 5 feet for an 8 foot tall privacy fence and to zero feet for the existing dwelling is are included in the request. The site is located within the planning boundaries of the North Linden Neighborhood Plan Amendment (2014), which recommends “Low-Medium Density Residential” land uses at this location. Staff does not support this request noting that the use of shipping containers on a residential lot as accessory structures for the storage of personal property is not consistent with the residential character of the neighborhood. There is currently a working draft of an update to the The Zoning Code that was updated in June of 2022 to will explicitly prohibit the use of shipping containers as accessory storage structures on residential lots as they are industrial in nature and incompatible with neighboring residential properties. Staff encourages the owner to instead utilize sheds or similar outbuildings which are permitted, and because they are more ordinarily appurtenant to a dwelli...
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