PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION

CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD

TUESDAY JUNE 14, 2011

PUBLIC HEARING

7:00 P.M.

1. CALL TO ORDER: Mr. Blake called the Public Hearing to order at 7:00 P.M.

2. ROLL CALL: Roll call was taken with the following members present: Mr. Binkley, Mr. Blake, Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Bosch, and Mr. Blair were present. Mrs. Evans and Mr. Hackworth were absent. Mr. Hackworth arrived at 7:10 P.M. Others present were: Joe Henderson, Mitch Banchefsky, Greg Bachman, Karen Risher, Justin Barker, Joy Davis, Ben Hoffman, Rocco Sabatino, Nellie Shaner, Tim Shaner, Stefanie Marshall, Tom Shook, Jack Marshall, Janet Thiede, and others.

3. Purpose of the Public Hearing: Mr. Blake stated the purpose of this Public Hearing is so that citizens, residents, and Commission members can voice any concerns and/or questions regarding the proposed Refugee Road Corridor Study.

4. PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION: Mr. Henderson introduced Justin Barker and stated he was a former intern with the City. Mr. Barker is a graduate student of Ohio State University. He has an undergraduate degree and a masters degree in Architecture. Mr. Henderson further stated that Mr. Barker came here in February for the sole purpose of finishing the Refugee Road Corridor Study. Mr. Barker has started an internship elsewhere, however, he will finish the process on this by going before the Commission tonight, again at next month’s Commission meeting for approval, then on to City Planning, Projects and Service Committee and finally on to Council for adoption. Mr. Henderson stated staff had been working on this for about 18 months. There was a pause in the middle due to staffing concerns and that is when Justin was brought on board.

Mr. Barker stated he initially was presented with the Growth Management Assessment and Study that was provided by McBride Dale Clarion in 2005 for future growth within the City and it identifies Diley Road and Refugee Road as two key areas in need of direction for their development. The Diley Road Corridor Study has been established. The Refugee Road Corridor Study presented tonight is divided into four categories and those are Balance, Collaboration, Access Management, and Connection. Balance discusses the balance between residential and non-residential use in the area, Collaboration discusses the land along Refugee Road that is shared between Violet Township, the City of Columbus, and Violet Township. Access Management discusses transportation access to Refugee Road, and Connection addresses the relationship of new development to the existing commercial and residential development. The demographic and market evaluation for the area was primarily taken from the Growth Management Assessment; however, it was modified to more reflect the 2010 census and recent housing trends.

Mr. Barker reviewed the Existing Conditions Analysis and stated it was divided into a western study area and an eastern study area, with the western study area being substantially larger. The existing land use map inventories the use that exists today and helps identify the potential uses there are for this area and the sites. Mr. Barker further stated the Transportation Map is a collaboration of the Access Management Plan and the Transportation Improvement Plan that are existing documents that the City already has and this helps to understand the existing traffic situation and how vehicles will enter and exit the site. The Environmental Map is a combination of GIS data from Fairfield County, information from the Environmental Protection Agency, and information from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. This helps identity the natural resources that need to be protected in the area and what possible road blocks this might cause for development over the years. Mr. Barker reviewed the goals and objectives that were also taken from the Growth Management Assessment and Study and stated this provided 10 very specific goals for the City to follow for future development. He reviewed the Development Map and stated there are areas indicated for future possible redevelopment or development and also areas that have an approved development for them but are not constructed or in the process of being constructed at this time.

Mr. Barker stated the next section is a Recommended Land Use Plan that would essentially establish what types of land uses would be preferred or suggested for the Refugee Road Corridor area. He reviewed the sites that have been labeled for future land use and those areas that are either currently under construction or have a small likelihood of actually changing in the near future. This information had been established by staff prior to his arrival and he took the information and applied it into the plan as well. The land is divided into eight target areas to further establish specific guidelines for the Refugee Road area. In each target area there are three divisions, Land Use, Transportation, and Environmental. Mr. Barker further stated the Land Use section mainly addresses issues such as non-residential design and the types of buildings for those lots.

The Transportation guidelines section establishes access management, implementation of bikeways within the area, and similar ideas. The environmental section established issues such as the creek and addressing any of the buffers that limit development. e ideHHe identified an area between Fuller’s Way and Windmiller Drive and stated there is a suggestion on how this could be redesigned to accommodate street trees, a street median, a multi purpose path on the north side, and a sidewalk on the south side to help create better pedestrian access along Refugee Road. The Implementation Guideline was established to provide recommendations on how these plans could be put into play in the future and any future developments could use this plan as another tool. He stated he would be happy to answer any questions.

5. Resident Questions/Comments: Mr. Jack Marshall stated he is a resident of Violet Township and clarified that this has nothing to do with the Gillian property. Mr. Henderson stated the Gillian property rezoning will be discussed at the regular Planning and Zoning meeting that starts at 7:30 and is not a consideration in this public hearing as they are two different issues. Mr. Tom Shook stated he is a resident of Violet Township and clarified that the western portion of this study covers the area from Milnor Road east to State Route 256.

Mr. Tim Shaner stated he is a resident of Violet Township and inquired if the change in zoning of the Gillian property was being done at the request of the City or the owner of the property. Mr. Henderson stated that this public hearing was not the change of zoning request, this is just to give the City a corridor study to see what we have, what potential there is for that area, and to be used as a road map for future development in that area. He further stated that the specific site he thinks Mr. Shaner is referring to that is going for rezoning is the Gillian property and that was at the request of the applicant. The applicant came in for a re-platting and in order to do that they also came in for a preliminary development plan which includes a rezoning aspect to it. That will be discussed at the Planning and Zoning meeting that follows this public hearing.

Mr. Blake clarified that over the years, when the City looks at an area in terms of future use, we feel that the City has to take into consideration the folks that are already there compared to the land that is vacant today, and how that vacant land will transition into new uses. This is basically a study of Refugee Road to look at what land is available, how it is zoned today, how it will possibly impact what is there, and how we see the best use of that land in the future. It is just a study and nothing that is set in stone. The same thing was done with the help of Violet Township on Diley Road as there were these same issues there. There were existing large lot homeowners, properties that were zoned manufacturing, some that were zoned commercial, some with multi-family residential zoning, and some with single family residential zoning. We like to look at the whole piece together and say that we don’t want to take a subdivision and put a huge commercial area right next to it and negatively impact those residents without looking at the whole picture. We try to come up with what are the best uses for those pieces of property and that is what this is and is just a plan at this point.

Mr. Shaner stated another question he has is what is the width of Springcreek Drive where it will cross Refugee Road to connect to the Gillian property? Mr. Hackworth stated it is sixty feet. Mr. Bachman stated it is a little wider than that. Mr. Hackworth stated the annexation law prior to 2001 allowed that type of annexation with a thin strip of land and it can no longer be done this way.

6. Council Questions/Comments: Mr. Blake stated Mr. Barker did a wonderful job on this and thanked him for the time he has spent on this. Mr. Blake clarified that all of the land in the study is within the City limits and none of the study are was within the City of Columbus or Violet Township. Mr. Henderson stated that on Refugee Road east of Milnor Road there is a portion that is in the City and we need to be sure we take a look at that. Mr. Blake clarified that when this study was worked on, there was consideration given to surrounding properties that are in Violet Township and the City of Columbus as far as transitions in uses from one property to another. Mr. Henderson stated there is a zoning map within the Study that shows the zoning and boundaries.

Mr. Binkley clarified that discussion regarding the transportation network to facilitate this development was on the western portion that is in the City limits. Joy Davis stated she is with Violet Township and that conversation regarding the eastern portion of Refugee Road and any future plans should take place with Fairfield County as that is a county road. Mr. Bachman stated he is the City Engineer and he has had conversation with Fairfield County and they are not contemplating widening Refugee Road at this time.

There being nothing further, Mr. Blake closed the public hearing at 7:19 P.M.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

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Karen I. Risher, Deputy City Clerk

ATTEST:

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Joseph P. Henderson, City Planner