Subject: (VAR-12-10-5788) Hardship variance to waive street frontage requirements at
5526 Schatulga Road.
PLANNING RECOMMENDATION: APPROVAL
PLANNING & ZONING HISTORY
Applicant: Moon, Meeks, Mason, & Vinson
Owner: Lafarge Building Materials, Inc.
Acreage: 19.54 total acres
Current Zoning Classification: HMI (Heavy Manufacturing / Industrial)
Current Use of Property: Concrete batching plant
Proposed Use of Property: Same
Planning District: E
Environmental Impacts: None
Traffic Impact: None
Planning Department Recommendation: APPROVAL based upon the fact that the
strict enforcement of the provisions of the Unified Development Ordinance is
not applicable to the subject property.
Reasonableness of Request: The proposed variance is reasonable because it
conforms to the existing character of the surrounding area with compatible
uses.
Council District: District 4 (Pugh)
APPLICANT?S PROPOSAL
This application is for a replat to subdivide 22 existing parcels of land into
1 parcel. The owners? intent is to combine the properties which comprise the
concrete batching plant. However, the Concrete Company only sold Lafarge the
portions of land that actually contain the batch plant, which does not include
road frontage. The new Lot 100 is served by a 40-feet access easement. This
is the access that has been in use for numerous years. The proposed replat is
consistent with the HMI (Heavy Manufacturing / Industrial) lot size requirement
of 15,000 square feet for newly created lots.
Section 7.3.5 (F2) of the Columbus Unified Development Ordinance states, ?all
lots shall front on a minimum of 25 feet of dedicated public right-of-way or
upon a right-of-way that has received the legal status as such.? The proposed
subdivision of the existing lot creates one lot, which does not meet the
minimum street frontage requirement as stated above.
VARIANCE CRITERIA
In order to grant the requested variances, the City Council must make a
decision that is based upon all of the following findings required by the
variance regulations of the Columbus Zoning Ordinance:
The granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the public safety,
health or welfare or injurious to other property;
As such, the granting of the proposed variance will not adversely affect the
character, livability, or appropriate development of abutting properties or the
surrounding area, and will not be detrimental to the public welfare or
injurious to other property.
The conditions upon which the request for a variance is based are unique to the
property for which the variance is sought and are not applicable generally to
other property;
Lot 100 would have access off of an existing 40-foot access easement. The
Concrete Company only sold property that is currently impacted by the existing
batch plant.
Because of the particular physical surroundings, shape or topographical
conditions of the specific property involved, a particular hardship to the
owner would result, as distinguished from a mere inconvenience, if the strict
letter of these regulations are carried out; and
There are no physical conditions that cause a hardship.
The variances will not in any manner vary the provisions of the Zoning
Ordinance, Comprehensive Plan or Official Map.
Granting of the variance will not vary the provisions of the Unified
Development Ordinance. It will not alter the existing character of the
subdivision and retain the scope of the Unified Development Ordinance and
Comprehensive Plan.
The granting of this variance to waive the minimum street frontage requirement
will not detract from the intent and spirit of the Zoning Ordinance and will
not adversely impact the overall objectives of the area as outlined in the
Comprehensive Plan.
Respectfully,