Far Northwest Coalition

APRIL 2005 FNWC MINUTES

FAR NORTHWEST COALITION ( FNWC )

FAR NORTHWEST COALITION
P.O. BOX 340285 COLUMBUS, OH 43234-0285

April 27, 2005

The Far Northwest Coalition (FNWC) met for its regularly scheduled meeting at the Northwest Library. Members present of the FNWC Board were John Best, John Murley, Joe McCumber, Kelly Thompson and Rich Herner.

It was moved and seconded that the Minutes from the FNWC meeting held on March 30, 2005 be approved as presented. Motion passed.

Best updated the group on the Northwest Plan meeting that included planners from Dublin and Delaware County. The next meting will be May 12, at the Northwest Library, and will include representative parties involved in the Route 161 widening project.

Best noted that he and other representatives of local area groups met with City officials to discuss the TND proposed for the Linworth area. He said they will also be providing talking points for other groups to give to area residents.

Best said that the City had been back at Chapman Elementary again to complete a traffic study for a possible light in front of the school on Sawmill Road. He said the report should be available shortly. It was noted that flashing lights have been installed at the intersection, in conjunction with the school signs.

Best said he had also delivered flyers to major tenants in the area concerning the widening of Sawmill, north of I-270 and the changes planned for the Sawmill/Billingsley Road intersection. Best is to receive a copy of the blueprints, when available, and that work should start in the summer of 2006. It was also noted that the 2nd lane for the McDonald’s drive-thru window is being worked on now.

A question was asked by the group as to whether the special sale signs at CVS were within code or not, since it was changing the size of the graphic at the site. The group also discussed the trash in the local area, particularly along Smoky Row, Dublin-Granville Road and the wetlands area. Murley noted that he and his kids will be involved in a cleanup of the wetlands area the coming weekend. Best will contact the appropriate city departments on these issues.

Michael Heintz, representative for SBC/Ohio Bell again discussed with the FNWC his client’s request to rezone the property located at 2635 Billingsley Road from rural to C-4. The property has been annexed into the City of Columbus from Perry Township, and the normal course is for the current zoning classification to go along. This request would change the zoning to a more compatible class based upon the current usage. He noted that the FNWC had several questions about alternative uses for the property under the C-4 zoning and he had provided that list to members since the last meeting. He also provided the FNWC with an updated limitation text that he had received that day. It answered several other questions of the group; including lighting, street trees, right of way and graphics. The FNWC still had concerns over some of the other permitted uses such as a parking lot or garage and additional large towers on the site. It was noted that there already is one large tower on the site.

Beryl Danner and Gary Bruck of the Linworth United Methodist Church again discussed with the FNWC their request to construct a Columbarium on the church property located at the corner of Bent Tree and Federated. The wall itself would be of concrete block with a stone veneer to match the church. The wall would be well within any setback lines. They also provided signoffs from adjacent neighbors with visible site lines to the wall that were all in agreement with the plan. They noted that they would probably build the wall in stages, in line with demand for the burial sites.

Jeff Brown, as representative for Dennis Hyundai of Dublin, addressed the FNWC concerning the request of his client for a variance in the graphics code for the new dealership being built at 2441 Billingsley Road. He said the sign on Billingsley would be the standard low mounted ground sign, as prevalent in the neighborhood. It is to have a flowered monument base and Brown was to get additional information on that to the group. The variance has to do with the signs to face the interstate. They are looking for a sign along the interstate, comparable in size to the others in the area, as well as 3 other signs on the building that would be seen from I-270. The signs would all be blue in color and internally illuminated.

The signs facing I-270 would have a combined size of 151 sq. ft., while the code for that location would only allow 93.2 sq. ft. on that side of the building. In addition, the code only allows for either a street sign along the interstate or a graphic on the building but not both, as requested here. Brown noted that the other dealerships along this corridor have both building and street signs on their sites. This request is to go to the graphics commission on June 29.

The FNWC then discussed the two graphics variances requested by Dennis Hyundai. The size of the signs in relation to that permitted by code was particularly considered, as well as the request to have both a building sign and a road sign along the interstate. It was then moved, and seconded, that the graphics variance request by Dennis Hyundai of Dublin located at 2441 Billingsley Road be tabled for additional information. Motion passed.

The proposed Columbarium for Linworth United Methodist Church was then discussed and the possibility that the church could close or move from the site. It was moved and seconded, that the FNWC approve the request by the Linworth United Methodist Church to build a Columbarium on their site located at the corner of Bent Tree and Federated, as has been presented.

The FNWC then discussed the SBC/Ohio Bell request to rezone their property. Alternative uses were of particular concern to the group in case SBC would close or sell the facility. It was then moved and seconded that the FNWC give approval to the rezoning application of SBC/Ohio Bell for their property located at 2635 Billingsley Road to go from rural zoning to C-4, subject to updated the limitation text as presented by the applicant’s representative, and the further prohibition against other uses of the property as a parking lot or garage, or having any additional monolithic communications antennae placed on the property. Motion passed.

The group then discussed the proposed Wal-Mart for the Carriage Place Shopping Center and the fact that it had been approved by the Development Commission.

Officers for the current year were then considered and upon motion and second, current officers were reappointed for the coming year. Motion passed.

There being no further business to come before the FNWC, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Rich Herner
FNWC Secretary