PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION

            CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD

TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010

 

PLANNING AND ZONING WORK SESSION

6:30 P.M.

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER:  Mr. Blake opened the Planning and Zoning Work Session at 6:30 P.M. with the following members present:  Mr. Hackworth, Mr. Binkley, Mr. Blake, Mrs. Evans and Mr. Bosch.  Mr. Sauer was on vacation and Mr. Nicholas had a family emergency.  Others present were Mayor O’Brien, Cristie Hammond, Gavin Blair, Susan Crotty, Greg Bachman, Lance Schultz, Joe Henderson and Karen Risher.

 

2.         SCHEDULED MATTERS:

 

            A.        Discussion regarding Refugee Road Corridor Study.  Mr. Schultz stated he would give a 10 to 15 minute presentation on the Refugee Road Corridor Study and then open the session for questions and comments.  In 2005 City Council adopted the Growth Management Plan.  One of the recommendations in that plan was to recommend focus area land use plans.  In 2009 City Council adopted the Diley Road Corridor Study. This was prepared by a consultant. With a tight budget last year and this year, Council recommended that staff prepare the Refugee Road Corridor Study and Plan and we are in the process of doing that.

 

Mr. Schultz stated this will be similar to the Diley Road Corridor Study and the final product will include land use plans for each target area, a site plan for each target area and design guidelines for each target area. The Refugee Road Corridor Study is divided into two distinct, different study areas. The eastern portion is located at the north and east of the Refugee Road and Milnor Road intersection. This area was annexed into the City five or six years ago and consists of about 110 acres. Sycamore Creek Church is located in this area and the remainder of the parcels are vacant.

 

Mr. Schultz stated in the western portion of the study area, the portion at the eastern boundary is focused on the Hill Road and Refugee Road intersection and then extends west past the Police Station to the western border of the City.  As we move forward we can discuss whether or not we want to increase the area included in the study.

 

Mr. Schultz reviewed the existing land use conditions exhibit.  In the eastern portion there is a church and the remainder is vacant. The western portion around the intersection of Refugee and Hill Roads is focused on commercial and is typical urban development with Giant Eagle, Kroger, CVS and the former Big Bear. As you head west it becomes single family homes on large lots with the Nicodemus, Ebright and Carl Smith properties being zoned residential, the police station, condos and apartments are zoned C-2 and west of the Police Station there are single family homes on larges lots and this area is zoned agricultural.

 

Mr. Schultz reviewed the zoning districts within the eastern portion.  The Sycamore Creek Church property is divided into two zoning districts. One is C-2 which allows residential use, multi family use and commercial uses. The western portion of the church property was rezoned to PR-10 about five years ago.  Beazer Homes came in with a 90 unit detached single family condo development.  This has been approved however it has not been constructed.  The northern portion of the site is the Schottenstein site with an annexation agreement that allows approximately one hundred two family homes. The area adjacent to Refugee Road is the Gillian property and that is zoned commercial.  The zoning on the eastern portion of the study area is already established. 

 

The western portion around the intersection of Refugee and Hill Roads is commercial.  As you head west the Ebright, Nicodemus and Carl Smith properties are residential, the Police Station and condos are zoned C-2 which allows condos, multifamily and commercial use, and west of the Police Station there are several parcels that are zoned agricultural.  Mr. Schultz reviewed and identified the eight land uses in the Refugee Road Corridor as agriculture, unbuilt, large lot single family residential, commercial/office, approved/unbuilt commercial, green space, churches, multifamily and approved/partially built multi-family. In addition there is civic land space recently acquired by the City with a water tower being proposed for a small portion of this area.

 

Mr. Schultz reviewed the transportation exhibits of the Refugee Road Corridor.  Refugee Road is a minor arterial. On the eastern portion there is a proposed traffic signal at Springcreek Drive.  This part of the Access Management Plan tries to funnel all of the traffic access to the traffic signal. There is one curb cut that goes to the church. Refugee Road is a Fairfield County road and they control the curb cuts in this area. The only curb cut the City can control is where the future traffic signal will be. This traffic signal is to be constructed when traffic warrants. This was established when Springcreek Subdivision was approved ten or more years ago in Violet Township and has since been annexed into the City.

 

The western portion of the corridor has three traffic signals, at Hill Road, Windmiller Drive and Fuller’s Way. The Thoroughfare Plan identifies Stonecreek Drive, currently stubbed at Lifestyle Fitness, to extend to Fuller’s Way to take pressure off of the intersection.  The northern portion of this site includes the Ebright and Nicodemus parcels and has access roads that would connect into the future extended Stonecreek Drive. The intent of the Access Management Plan is to funnel all of the access points to a traffic signal.  On the southern portion of this site, the Access Management Plan extends the road behind CME Credit Union to the Carl Smith property. There would be a single curb cut to access this property. The parcel west of the Police Station shows two curb cuts accessing those parcels.  On the Thoroughfare Plan it shows a road that would come along the Police Station’s western property line, cross the tracks and go down to Long Road.  There is some contradiction between the Access Management Plan and the Thoroughfare Plan and that is something we want to clean up with this study. 

 

Mr. Schultz reviewed a section of a “complete street” that is something the City Engineer would like to implement throughout the City and particularly in the area between Fuller’s Way and Windmiller Drive where there would be a 14 foot median, two lanes, a tree lawn on each side and also on one side a ten foot multi-use path and on the other side a six foot concrete walk.

 

Mr. Schultz reviewed the environmental conditions on the eastern section. It is bisected by the Springcreek ditch. There are also stream setbacks that the City adopted per the City of Columbus’s storm water requirements.  There are also five or six natural ponds located in this area. In the western portion of the study area Blacklick Creek forms the northwest boundary and there is a floodplain on the Nicodemus property that encompasses about 20 acres of the approximately 100 acres in the Nicodemus property. The floodplain could be developed and depending on the elevations there could be an expense for that. That will be investigated further with the City Engineer as the City moves along with this. The southern portion of the site is bisected by Georges Creek.  The Windmiller Pond located just west of Windmiller Drive is a natural pond. In general, there are environmental features that need to be preserved throughout the corridor however it doesn’t appear there are very many deal breakers there. There may be additional information as to wetlands and hazardous waste sites in the area as we move forward.

 

Mr. Schultz reviewed the Potential Development and Redevelopment Exhibit and identified the potential redevelopment properties, sites that may redevelop as the market turns, older commercial sites that may be renovated or redeveloped as we move forward, areas that are vacant and either being farmed or are undeveloped and the areas that have been approved for development that has not yet occurred. On the eastern portion of the study area is an approximately 90 unit condominium development that has not been constructed.  The older commercial sites in front of Giant Eagle and around CVS were identified as sites that may be renovated or redeveloped in the future.  Along the north is the Equity site and they haven’t completed the office yet.  On Refugee Road next to CME Credit Union there are a few sites that Berry and Miller have approved buildings that haven’t been built yet. The Portrait Homes property has been foreclosed and the rear portion of that property is now listed for sale. Mr. Blake clarified that this is now bank owned by Wells Fargo and C.B. Richard Ellis is the realtor.

 

Mr. Schultz reviewed the draft target areas and they can be combined or enlarged as we move forward.  Site plans and design guidelines will be provided for each of the target areas and the target areas were assembled in a manner so that site plans can be prepared. The first target area in the eastern section consists of four parcels that total approximately 110 acres. The second target area consists of four or five parcels in front of Giant Eagle that are somewhat dated and there is a good chance for renovation or redevelopment in the future and it is important that we have guidelines in place for access and design. Across the street near CVS there are a lot of older subdivided parcels that may experience redevelopment. In the western portion, the Hill Road Plaza area, Taco Bell and Sunoco area consists of approximately 15 acres and we may see redevelopment there in the future. The largest target area is the Ebright / Nicodemus parcel.  If the Ebright development is approved this land will be taken off the total acreage.  The Carl Smith property includes the site behind World Gym that was donated to the City, also a couple of out parcels. The next area is the parcels west of the police station and is approximately 100 acres, including the Portrait Homes site.

 

Mr. Schultz stated the draft vision of the Refugee Road Corridor Study Plan is similar to that of the Diley Road vision and has been modified to fit Refugee Road.  The next steps will be to summarize findings from tonight’s meeting, to prepare draft land use plans for each target area, draft concept plans, draft guidelines and after these are prepared there will be a public meeting or meetings to discuss those plans in late summer or early fall. This concluded the presentation and Mr. Blake opened the discussion portion of the work session.

 

Mrs. Evans clarified that a few years ago Mr. Carl Smith was not interested in developing his property. A developer of the area next to CME Credit Union wanted to put a curb cut onto Mr. Smith’s property and at that time Mr. Smith was not interested in that.  Mrs. Evans also clarified that Mrs. Nicodemus stated in 2009 that as long as she is alive she is not interested in developing her property.

 

Mr. Hackworth clarified that in 2005 the Thoroughfare Plan and the Access Management were updated and at that time the Thoroughfare Plan showed a connection along the western boundary of the Police Station that would go down to Long Road.  The Access Management Plan showed it going to Fuller’s Way.  Mr. Schultz stated that based on conversations he had with the previous engineering consultants and City Engineer Greg Bachman, Fuller’s Way is the location Stonecreek Drive will be extended to.  Mr. Bachman stated it makes more sense to connect to Fuller’s Way because there is an existing traffic signal there. The previous plan showed that road extending south and crossing the railroad track. There is only a  very slim chance that an additional crossing would be approved. It would be cost prohibitive to go over or under the railroad track.  Mr. Hackworth inquired if there are grants the City can get to get over or under the tracks.  Mr. Bachman there are grants available that would be perhaps an 80% grant, however after the engineering and environmental  fees etc. are paid it ends up being more like a 50% grant. 

 

Mr. Hackworth clarified there are two bike paths on this conceptual plan. Mr. Bachman indicated an area with a curb lane that would be 14 feet wide is what most communities have been using for a shared lane between vehicles and bicycles. Mr. Blake clarified it would not be striped, there will be a symbol on the roadway indicating it is a shared lane.  Mr. Bachman indicated the path of the off road bike path that will be coming along Hines Road from Columbus, then crossing Hines Road and going along  Blacklick Creek to Portman Park.  They will go underneath Refugee Road in the area of the railroad trestle.  There will also be a spur in Farmstead Subdivision in Columbus. Mr. Bachman stated that Columbus Metro Parks has plans to build this bike path this year and in the future he would like to take a bike path along Refugee Road and tie into that.

 

Mr. Hackworth clarified that the area on Refugee Road east near North High School is already approved for condo’s and is not part of an annexation agreement. Mr. Schultz stated if they do not build condo’s they can come in with a new plan.  Mr. Blake clarified that the area zoned for condos is also zoned commercial.  Mr. Schultz stated that a commercial plan has not yet come before the City for this area.  Mr. Schultz identified the Schottenstein parcel on the map and stated this is part of an annexation agreement for two family units. Mr. Hackworth clarified that the City is locked in to that and if the owner sells the property the annexation agreement would go with the land. Mr. Schultz stated he had a conversation with Mr. Howard Schottenstein a couple of years ago regarding making this commercial and Mr. Schottenstein did not want to discuss it at that time. Mr. Hackworth clarified that the area of Refugee east of Hill Road will not get a bike path anytime soon and that a large portion of that area is not in the City.  Mr. Bachman stated there area a lot of curb cuts for drive ways in that area and safety could be a factor.

 

Mr. Binkley clarified that the insurance company and Orthopedic Laser Technology located between the Equity Property and Taco Bell are not included in this.  Mr. Schultz stated this area can be included.  Mr. Binkley clarified that a regional storm water management plan is not planned for this area. Mr. Bachman stated this is something that could be looked into.

 

Mr. Hackworth clarified that if the Nicodemus property came in for residential and they did it as a straight subdivision they would lose lots due to not being able to utilize the floodplain area, however if they came in with a planned development for residential they could cluster the houses on parcels not in the floodplain and then use the floodplain area for green space.  Mr. Hackworth clarified that Windmiller Pond is a natural pond. Mr. Hackworth clarified that Mr. Carl Smith is not interested in developing his property at this time. Mr. Schultz stated that Mr. Henderson has done an inventory of the acreage in the City that is built upon for commercial or office use and that totals 325 acres.  The Diley Road corridor has 450 acres and there are 150 acres of that located in the City that are vacant.   In the Refugee Road corridor there are 140 acres that are vacant, and 273 acres that are single family with large lots. We have about 880 acres in the City that can be developed so there is a lot of potential for growth.

 

Mayor O’Brien stated he has spoken with some of the owners of the properties in target area six and seven and they advised him that they had been approached by elected officials during the growth spurt back in the 1990’s and they were convinced at that time that the City wanted this area to be R4 because that was the money maker.  The owners stated that zoning has not really done anything for them as they have not sold any lots. Mayor O’Brien stated as recent as last fall they are still very eager to hear a plan from the City, or what the potential options are for that area.  They could then talk amongst themselves.  They are only a few owners there and they talk with each other, many of them are related. They might be willing do some sort of lot assemblage to help that area develop. Mr. Schultz indicated the site where Grace Brethren Church came in about a year ago for a conditional use so they have these under option or they may own these parcels now.  The eastern portion of target area seven could be a church.  Mr. Schultz clarified the area between target area six and seven is currently designated for City park land.  Mayor O’Brien stated he felt we should stay flexible with the land the City owns.  Mr. Schultz stated that the land behind Metro Fitness was donated to the City and a water tower will be put on a small portion of it.  It is zoned commercial today and City owned and one of the things that will be discussed as we move forward is whether this should remain commercial or be a City park.  Mr. Blake clarified there are approximately five or six developable acres and the water tower will take about 1/5 of an acre.

 

Mr. Hackworth clarified that target areas four, five, six and seven would be non residential uses.  Mr. Schultz stated that approximately 95% will be non- residential.  There may be some areas where residential would be more appropriate, such as the southern portion of area six, south of the creek and next to Windmiller Subdivision.  To span the creek may be expensive and the subdivision already has two stubs into that parcel so at one time the intent was likely for this to be residential. Mr. Hackworth clarified the location of the stream buffer.

 

Mrs. Hammond clarified there are approximately 40 acres vacant to the rear of Portrait Homes. Mr. Schultz stated the road system was built and they built the first phase of homes, maybe 40 to 50 condos.  Mr. Binkley clarified the area that is in Franklin County and that there is not a public wastewater system available in the Franklin County portion of this area. Mayor O’Brien clarified that in the area below the tracks, back in 2005 or 2006 Service Committee had a hydrologist come in and explain the area between Long Road and Refugee Road.  It would be difficult to get water drained off of that site if there is development around it. However, that does open the door for us to discuss if we should incorporate that into a bigger plan such as natural wetlands.

 

Mr. Hackworth clarified that there are approximately 800 acres that can be redeveloped in the Diley Road and Refugee Road corridor, land that is vacant, farms or large lot single family. Mr. Hackworth also clarified that west of the police station there would be a pump station, an area that is approximately 40 acres and would almost have to be developed together with a pumping station that would service that area.  Mr. Hackworth clarified that for any kind of commercial development the EPA would require water and sewer and this area is in Franklin County.

Mr. Binkley inquired if the area around Kroger and some of the vacant lots should be included in this study.  Mr. Schultz clarified that the Diley Road corridor study identifies the Schaffner parcel and includes the Pizza Cottage.  Mr. Schultz stated those lots could be included and maybe this is the time to put some design guidelines for those lots that abut Windmiller.  Mrs. Hammond stated it would be nice to include the area of Kroger, Pizza Cottage and the lots along Windmiller.  Mr. Schultz stated that would close the gap between the Diley Road corridor and the Refugee Road corridor. Mr. Hackworth stated he would recommend the best use for the area would be C-         2.  Mr. Schultz stated it could also be recommended that it be office instead of commercial. Mr. Schultz that could be a recommendation, the owner would have to agree to that.

Mr. Hackworth stated due to costs we probably will not have another north-south road that crosses the railroad tracks.  Mr. Bosch stated they are a lot more susceptible to a new crossing if you close another crossing along the rail line.

 

3.         ADJOURNMENT.  There being nothing further, the Planning and Zoning Work Session closed at 7:27 P.M. on June 8, 2010.

 

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

____________________________

Karen Risher, Administrative clerk

 

ATTEST:

 

____________________________________

Lance Schultz, Planning and Zoning Director