PICKERINGTON CITY COUNCIL
CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD
TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010
7:00 P.M.
PUBLIC HEARING
OPEN DISCUSSION REGARDING PROPOSED
REZONING OF LOT 1, WILLOW POND SUBDIVISION
1. Call
to Order. Mayor O’Brien opened
Public Hearing at 7:00 P.M.
2. Roll
Call: Roll call was taken with Mrs.
Sanders, Mr. Blair, Mr. Sauer, Mrs. Hammond, Mr. Barletta, and Mayor O’Brien
present. Mr. Fix arrived at 7:05 P.M.,
and Mr. Wisniewski was absent as he was out of the country. Others present were: Chief Mike Taylor, Lynda Yartin, Greg Bachman, Phil Hartmann, Ed Drobina, Chris Schornack, Lance Schultz, Jim Kopp, Nancy Ross, Tammy Osler, Patrice
Hess, Kathy Smith, Nate Ellis, Carol Carter, Jim Ebright, Dick Brahm, Doug
Matty, Melanie Wollenberg, and others.
3.
Purpose
of the Public Hearing: To allow citizens a chance to voice any
concerns and/or questions regarding the proposed rezoning of Lot 1, Willow Pond Subdivision, from C-3
(Community Commercial) to R-4 (Residential).
4. Presentation
to Council:
A. Mr. Schultz stated the Planning and
Zoning Commission reviewed and approved this proposed rezoning on March 9,
2010, and Service Committee also reviewed and approved it on March 17,
2010. Mr. Schultz stated this site sits
on the northwest corner of Hill Road North and Pruden Drive, just south of the railroad tracks. He stated the applicant is proposing to
rezone it from Community Commercial to Residential for two model homes.
5. Resident
Comments/Questions:
A. Tammy Osler. Mrs. Osler stated she lives in the Willow
Pond subdivision and she and her husband had both attended the public hearing
before the Planning and Zoning Commission and expressed their support for this
rezoning. She stated their concerns revolved
around the traffic issues because to make a left-hand turn from their
subdivision onto Hill Road is nearly impossible and if a commercial business were added in there
they felt it would make it impossible at certain times of the day. She stated they like the looks of the
entrance to the subdivision and she did not feel that a commercial business
right there would be beneficial to that look, and further there is a playground
almost directly across from this lot and children play there on a regular
basis. She stated she would not like to
see any additional traffic on Pruden Drive that would bring traffic directly by that
playground. Mrs. Osler stated further
she understood the Circle K on the corner had been robbed recently at 10:00
P.M. in the evening, and she felt that was relatively early and she would not
want a commercial business where the same thing could happen located less than
a block from her home. Mrs. Osler stated
she had provided a letter to the Clerk and requested that be attached to the
minutes. (Attachment 1 to these minutes.)
B. Nancy Ross. Mrs. Ross stated she was not able to attend
the public hearing before Planning and Zoning Commission; however, she had
e-mailed some council members with her concerns with this property. Mrs. Ross stated she has lived in Willow Pond
for the past ten years and she would like to see the area that is being
proposed for rezoning remain a green space and not developed. She stated she would be saddened to see a
commercial or residential that might not end up looking not up to quality put in
there, especially if we are wanting to put in a new bike path. She stated that area just coming into the old
Pickerington would be much better left as a green space instead of putting in
two more houses or a commercial development.
C. Dick Brahm. Mr. Brahm stated he is an attorney and is
present on behalf of Homewood, the property owner. Mr. Brahm
stated this property was zoned C-3 in 1994 and there have been no offers on
that property since that time. He
further stated the only access to this property is on Pruden Drive so any commercial traffic that came off of
that tract would end up going on the essential residential piece. Mr. Brahm stated south from the railroad
tracks, while there have been some commercial uses, they have been placed in
existing houses. He stated the C-3
Commercial zoning is a high intensity district which at the current time would
allow a gas station use, a bar, retail business, commercial entertainment, a
restaurant, and a hotel. He stated all
of these would generate significantly more traffic and push more traffic on
what is essentially a residential street.
Mr. Brahm stated in changing this to two single-family residences they
can meet all of the engineering requirements the engineer has asked for, such
as setting the two driveways at least 100 feet away from Hill Road, and the entrance features can be maintained
along Hill
Road. Mr. Brahm stated they believed the
appropriate use would be to change this to a residential zoning for the two
homes.
6. Council Questions/Comments: Mrs.
Hammond inquired how much buffering would be between the street and the houses,
and Mr. Schultz stated they would be required to meet the front yard setback
along Hill
Road
and Pruden
Drive. Mr. Sauer clarified the homes that would be
put in there would have to follow our residential design guidelines and that
would ensure the quality of the structures being put in there. Mrs. Sanders stated she has observed numerous
children on that playground and she was glad that Homewood wanted to do this rather than a gas station
or McDonald’s or something. Mr. Barletta
stated he felt this was a good compromise for this property as it would go
along with the neighborhood as residential and not commercial.
7. Adjournment. There being nothing further, Mayor O’Brien
closed the public hearing at 7:11 P.M., April 20, 2010.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
_______________________________
Lynda
D. Yartin, Municipal Clerk
ATTEST:
________________________________
Mitch
O’Brien, Mayor