Far Northwest Coalition

FEB 2004 FNWC MINUTES

FAR NORTHWEST COALITION ( FNWC )

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

February 25, 2004

The Far Northwest Coalition (FNWC) met for its regularly scheduled meeting at the Northwest Library. Members present of the FNWC Board were John Best, Kelly Thompson, Scott Fair,
John Murley and Rich Herner. It was noted that FNWC dues of $25.00 will be due next month.

John Best opened the meeting with an introduction of the FNWC Board members to the group in attendance. The FNWC briefly discussed the Minutes from the last two meetings. It was then moved, and seconded to approve the Minutes from the November 25, 2003 and the January 28, 2004 meetings as presented. Motion carried.

Best then advised the FNWC Board that he had paid the post office box fee of $68.00 for the group from his pocket. It was moved and seconded to authorize John Best to reimburse himself for the $68.00 fee paid to the post office. Motion carried.

The group was then notified by Best, that the TND hearing concerning the property on St. Rt. 161 in Linworth had been withdrawn from the March agenda for the Northwest Civic Association. It will reappear on the agenda at the April meeting. He also notified the group that the Charlie’s Steakery sign was now in place and that it should be the only sign on that building.

Best then briefly discussed the proposed $600 million bond package to be announced by the City of Columbus. He hoped there would be funds available in the package to develop the parkland recently purchased here in the far northwest part of town on Hard Road.

Michelle Williams, the City liaison to this area, announced that she has an intern from OSU working with her now and he is available to work on projects here in the local community. She also noted that applications for the Mildred Henderson Community Service Award were available on the City’s web site. She also said she will be meeting with City traffic engineers next week to discuss traffic issues concerning the TND in Linworth.

Michelle then advised the group that Columbus will be hosting the Regional Neighborhood Network Conference in September this year. Attendees will be from Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio. She said that local civic groups will be able to have a booth and talk about their group and its projects on the Friday evening of the conference. If the FNWC is interested in participating, we should contact her for additional information.

Jeff Pharion of City Code Enforcement was also in attendance. He was asked about the electronic sign on the Immke property on Sawmill. He said the high rise sign is already in question but he thinks the City may have given a permit for the electronic sign incorrectly. He said he will look into the situation again.

Rich Herner then gave a short review of the meeting of the I-270 North Central Outerbelt Study meeting. He spoke to the alternatives being presented by ODOT for each of the I-270 intersections from St. Rt. 315 to I-71, as well as north Route 23 and the possible timing for each.

Bill Halley and Pat Bigler then made a presentation to the FNWC concerning the rezoning request for property located at 6208 Thompson Street. The request is to go from a RR zoning to a PUD-4 to allow the construction of 12 single family residences. The specific property in question is about a 3.5 acre parcel accessed from McVey Boulevard in Brookside Estates. It is part of a larger parcel that had been ready for rezoning approval previously but was pulled by the owner before final approval was given. This parcel is located on the north edge of the full piece and was originally to have 8 housing units but the request is to now have 12 units on the same piece of land. RR requires 80 foot frontage and a 10,000 sq. ft. minimum lot size. The proposal is to have the 80 foot frontage but the lots will not meet the minimum size because of the higher density and consequently the rezoning request.

The homes are to be 1,800 to 2,700 sq. feet for a ranch to story and a half single family units. The targeted market would be empty nesters and pricing is to be in the $300,000 to $340,000 range. The plat will have a private road and be maintained by the homeowners association required by the PUD. Drainage issues were mentioned but the builder did not think it would be much of an problem. Site lines were also mentioned since the access to the property is located on a hill and just around a sharp curve.

All the presenters had was a plat map to show the anticipated lots. They said they needed to go to Perry Township and Franklin County but did not think they would have to go back to the Development Commission, because of the previous discussions.

Jill Tangeman and Mike Kenney then presented their request to rezone the property located at 8354 & 8400 Sawmill Road, which had been tabled from the previous meeting for additional information. The request is to rezone the 4.48 acre plot from residential to L-AR-12 to allow the construction of single family condominium units on the property. John Best noted that he had spoken to the Dublin City Schools and that the win/win agreement was still in place thru June and currently being renegotiated. As of now, the subject property would go to the Columbus Schools and it was estimated that the development would contribute about 8 students from K-12 to the school system. He said he had also spoken to Columbus Schools about the minimal number of students, as well as possible traffic issues with a bus. He said Columbus had yet to formally respond to him but the final decision was up to the superintendent.

Kenney noted that he had dropped the number of proposed units from 54 to 52 since the last meeting, at the suggestion of the FNWC. He also committed to matching the street lights on Berber Road so the development would better blend into the surrounding community. He also agreed to limit the number of possible rental units as well as the addition of a sidewalk fronting Sawmill Road, along with limiting the number of units that could be used as sales models at any one time. He said that he had moved the location of the buildings 5-10 feet to the north to allow for additional green space abutting the homes to the south.

It was noted by Tangeman that the City had looked at the present traffic patterns and, since the last FNWC meeting, had prohibited left turns from the site. There can only be right turns out. Kenney noted that appropriate barriers would be put in place to prohibit someone from going left from the site. The residents tho voiced their concern that this may increase the use of the Chapman Elementary drive to pull into and turn around, so residents of the development could then exit to the left onto Sawmill Road. Tangeman noted that once the approved PUD in Dublin (across the street) is in place, there will be a traffic light at the Berber/Sawmill intersection which may help the traffic situation.

Those in attendance also mentioned a concern over building materials to be used, as well as the height of some of the proposed screening. Kenney agreed to put in the text that a certain percentage of natural materials be used in construction. He also noted that signage had yet to be approved by the graphics commission. A further reduction in the number of units was mentioned but Kenney said he could not reduce the number any more and make the project financially feasible. He also said he will have to make a considerable donation to the Parks & Rec Department under the Parklands Ordinance. It was noted that the rezoning request was to go to the development Commission on March 11.


The FNWC then discussed the rezoning request; specifically mentioning the building materials question and the fact that the backs of the units would have like materials facing the adjacent residential areas. It was noted that the landscaping had been improved considerably and that the right turn only egress was an important issue. At that point, Kenney agreed to put in the text that he would use 50% natural materials on the front of the units.

It was then moved, and seconded, that the FNWC approve the rezoning request for the property located at 8354 & 8400 Sawmill Road from residential to L-AR-12, for the purpose of building single family condominium units as presented. The approval being subject to the verbal agreements of the owner being added to the PUD text that natural building materials will be used on at least 50% of the front of each building along with a non-white, muted vinyl in an alternating pattern; that no more than two (2) units would be used as model homes at any one time along with the right turn out only traffic pattern as presented. After additional discussion, the motion was passed.

The FNWC then discussed the request to rezone the 6208 Thompson Street property fronting on McVey Boulevard; specifically the fact that the presenters did not feel the request would have to go back thru the Development Commission. The FNWC felt that the request was enough of a change that the Development Commission should rehear the case, along with the fact that the FNWC did not have an opportunity to review the PUD text for this proposal.

It was moved, and seconded, that the FNWC table the rezoning request for the 6208 Thompson Street property until the developers make another presentation to the FNWC, including the PUD text, and give written notice to the adjacent property owners prior to the FNWC presentation. Motion was passed.

It was then moved, and seconded, to reappoint the same officers of the FNWC for another year, with one exception; officers for 2004 will be – John Best, President; John Murley, Vice President; Rich Herner, Secretary and Kelly Thompson, Treasurer. Motion passed.

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

Respectfully submitted,

Rich Herner
FNWC Secretary