Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Call this evening's meeting of the planning commission to order. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Roll call, please. Mrs. Clancy here. Mr. Wagner here. Mrs. Trepto here. Mr. Basik here. Mr. Dulak.

All right. May I have a motion to approve the minutes for the September 10th meeting? I motion to approve the PC9-09-25 minutes. I'll second. It's been moved and seconded that we approve the minutes. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Motion carries.

Any old business? New business. Moving along. All right. Thank you. Um, first application is PC25-6-26. Uh this is a reszoning application for 3605 and 3625 Marsh Road. Property is about 2.2 acres and it's currently zoned R2 residential and they're proposing to reszone this property to C4 general business. Uh according to the application, the purpose for reszoning is just to diversify the marketing opportunities for the property. Uh so some of the uses by right for C4 include retail, office, laboratories, personal services which is like salons, uh restaurants, fitness clubs and according to the code the C4 is established to accommodate a wide range of commercial development along with outdoor storage as a conditional use in select areas in a manner that does not disrupt or intrude upon residential areas. uh the existing zoning R2 the only permitted use by right is single family residential uh there's there's a list of additional conditional uses under the R2 which includes uh duplexes multif family they can do a PUD uh family homes and group homes for persons with disabilities and daycarees um so existing on the property there are two 16 unit buildings and last approved use for it was assisted living facility which was back in 2011. Um the comprehensive plan designates this property as medium density residential that that's a screenshot a blurry screenshot from our comprehensive plan just showing the property outline in red. Um that is a medium density

designation. And then I know we're working on the code update. So if the code is updated and we uh revised the zoning map and the zoning districts, this would be incorporated as a C3 district under under the new code. So we go again, we consolidate our commercial districts. We have C1, C2, C3. So it' be designated as C3 which would match the surrounding properties. And that's all I have for this. Happy to answer any questions. Any questions? Anyone here who would like to speak toward it?

Want to come up?

Have to turn that on. Just push the button. State your name and address. Jessica Odinweller, 7:30 Graanby Place East, Westerville, Ohio. And are you about to say the truth? Whole truth. Nothing but the truth. So help me God. You got it. Yes, sir. Thank you. Can you just give us a little overview of what you're trying to do here?

Yes, sir. So, I work for a company. I am vice president of operations at Sciota Properties, uh, located in Powell, Ohio. We have over 200 or 2,200 properties nationwide. This is one property that we owned. Uh we actually bought it in 2017 and it was previously uh leased out to a company called uh Sevita where they provided um group home uh facilities for people with disabilities.

And so they vacated the property in January of this year and so we are looking for more diversity of what we can do with this property. Uh as you can imagine a single family residential zoning does not fit for us to have some more diversity here. Uh since then we've done a lot of improvements to the property. I went and visited today. We're going to be doing more, I'll tell you that. Uh but uh we are looking to reszone this to a C3 as Zach had mentioned. Uh so that we can look to bring some more diversity to the area that's more suitable to uh the neighboring properties uh particularly on Kent Road. So this would be this is not going to be a restaurant. We're not looking for that. We are looking for

No, no more Mexican Mexican restaurants. I actually just ate at one just down the street. That was great. Um but uh we are looking more so for like serviceoriented uh medical office uh administrative office uses is as it is more prone to that. If you see the property it has a lot of walls, a lot of medical exam rooms. So it is really fitting for a medical use if we can find that here in this area. And I think it would be a great use for your surrounding residential. Uh but I do ask that it be reszoned uh to have that commercial uh availability. Okay. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Any questions?

Yes, ma'am. I mean, when you open it up to commercial, just about anything can be built here. So, have you talked to any of the residents? Because there's one right across the street and depending on what goes in there, there could be noise, there could be lights. um it could be disturbing to them and I know you don't know you can't control it but has that been taken into consideration because it's mostly residential around you?

Yes, ma'am. Uh quick response to that is we have not talked to the neighbors. However, we are not looking to build on this property. We are not looking to reconstruct this property. We are going to keep it as it is. So additional lighting and all of that nature would not be necessary. Uh and the parking there is very minimal if you will. So the come and go is more of a service related to appointments if you will. So that in its nature does limit the amount of traffic that would actually be coming through to and from that property. But I understand the concern and we absolutely are happy to reach out to the neighbors to address these concerns if they have any. Uh but we have not directly reached out to them as of yet. Any other questions?

Thank you so much. Thank you.

Um I'll make a motion to approve application PC 26 um as presented. [Applause] Second. It's been moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? Roll call, please. Mrs. Clancy, yes. Mr. Wagner, yes. Mrs. Trepto, yes. Mr. Basik, yes. Motion carries. Next item, please. Zach.

Thank you. And you don't have to stick around for this if you want, but um but yeah, it might be very exciting. You just have you have no idea what might occur. Don't think I'm really ready. Yeah. Uh just as a reminder, this will go to council on October 9th for a first reading.

Okay. So, uh moving on to PC2-27. Uh this property is sorry uh this property is on Graham Road. It's the Graham Square Plaza uh about four and a half acres zone C3 community retail. This is for a site plan for a new Aldi location and for a parking variance. Uh so just to orient you orient you Walmart's to the north. You have the Cleveland Clinic location uh just to the west. Uh and this whole plaza was split up uh I think about a year ago. is split up maybe even less than that. So the Aldi location will be on the west side of the plaza.

So this is showing the demolition plan of that west side. So basically where Save a Lot was located and I think it's two tent spaces over will be demolished. Uh parking will be there will be some new parking added and repaved uh in the rest of the area. So that's the demolition plan uh which is to demo 15,000 ft of the building and then they construct a 20,000 square foot Aldi location. Um so the parking is kind of split up. There's parcel A which is Aldi and the rest of the plaza building. You have parcel B which is fifth bank and parcel C is vacant which is only parking. Um there will be a shared parking arrangement between Aldi and the property owner but also keep in mind all these par all these parcels are owned by the same owner as well. So based on the square footage of Aldi they would need to provide about 80 parking spaces. So in parcel A they only have this only has 19 spaces. Uh there are only nine existing they be installing about 10. Um with all the other uses considered, they had to provide around 200 parking spaces. Um and then parcel B which again fit third bank or 84 spaces existing. They would add an additional 10 which is highlighted in yellow. Then parcel C has about 54 parking spaces. Uh so there is a variance to not provide the amount of required spaces on parcel A. Um there is again going to be a shared parking arrangement. Uh but per code you can only do 50% of the required parking as shared. So just variance to not provide the minimum number of parking spaces. And the building elevations um showing a

significant upgrade in how that end of the building will look. Um overall gray tones um it'll be I think it's a aluminum panels which will be a a walnut color signage which I'll talk about later on. Um only two wall signs will be installed. They meet the code requirements for those signs. And then on top of this um they will also be giving the entire plaza a facelift to the rest of the elevation. So this is what it currently looks like. And then the elevation below is what it will look like. So again, uh I think it's they can clarify more on how that will look, but I think it's mostly um a lot of new paint and uh just a revision of materials and um you know, some of the features on that facade. And this is the other side of the of the plaza which is where Cafe Play was located on the east side. Again, signs uh currently they have those two uh monument signs that have just been like painted over. So, those will finally be replaced and they'll just have two 76 foot wall signs on the building which comply with the code requirements. So, Um, I'll just leave this up. Um, but again, it's for a site plan approval and the variance for the amount of parking. Thank you.

State your name and address, please. Yep. Patrick Valerius, um, 1429 Railside Drive, Columbus, Ohio. Welcome. Good evening. Thank you for having us. What you're about to say is be the truth. Yes. Thank you. Okay, go ahead.

Obviously, Aldi's excited for this project. Uh we got Russ, our director of real estate back there as well, but this one's a hometown uh hitter for me. I grew up right on the uh border of Stoke Kent. So, um this know this very area very well. So, yeah, Zach kind of did most most of my job here just explaining, yep, we're going to request approval for about a 20,000 foot Aldi in the old Save A Lot area. Um it it also comes with the working with the ownership handinand. They're going to revamp some of the center. Um smooth out some ephus, new paint to match, make everything, you know, just give it a good facelift. Um and that also comes with um the signage and things like that as well. Um the scope of work is we're we're going to demo the existing save lot space and

so that's going to be completely correct. Yes. demo the save lot space in one of the tenants that used to be there. It used to be a chiropractor's office, right? Um so completely demo it. Um grade a pad and then build up a new Aldi store. What is the size of the save a lot? I want to say the save a lot is 15 11,000. Yeah, 11 or 12,000 and then the chiropractor's maybe. What is the size of the Aldi on Fish Creek? Um, that one is I want to say that was renovated in 2016 to expand to about 18,000. Okay.

And our prototypical right now is just under 19 or under 20. So, it's about 19. And how many parking spaces are the are there at Fish Creek? Fish Creek. I'm not too sure about that. We try to hit around 90 to 95 now, but Fish Creek might be always full. Yes. Problem is there's not enough. That's part of getting this store in as well. That will alleviate some of the uh some of the demand that's going to the Stoke store hopefully. But maybe I spent many years in the grocery business. So, but yeah, unfortunately that uh that store was necessarily the case.

Yeah, that store was uh the Fish Creek one was constructed in like 2002. Um and then renovate. That's the second location for it. That's the second location for the Pitch Creek store, right? Yeah. But yeah, that that that one that's there currently was constructed in 2002, renovated in 2016, and it's it's probably, you know, I don't know what the parking demands back then were, but might be a little little underserved, but hopefully this will alleviate most of that. It's sometimes difficult to get parking. Yeah. Yeah, that's a hot area right now. So, but I'll interject a little bit. I promise I'll tell the whole truth.

First, you have to state your name. My name is Russ White, director of real estate. Uh 9135 Plane City, Georgeville Road, Plane City, Ohio. Um but Pat, what you're about to say will be the truth. It is. Thank you. Uh Pat's 100% correct. Our old spec used to be our old requirement was 75 parking spaces. We internally upgraded that to 95 7 to 10 years ago, I'm guessing. Um, so knowing when that store was built, it very well could be undersized on parking. This site, as Pat was getting ready to mention, parcel C, we have cross parking and we have that as a no build area. So the parking spaces in park in parcel C that you see can't change. So the landlord can't go put a

cold brew or coffee or any other user out there to adjust that parking. So okay, we should be well parked here. and a traditional Aldi 25 cents. And bring your cart back. Bring your quarter and you can get your quarter back when you put your cart back. Thank you. 27 years with Aldi. I think I pushed less than five carts back myself when I was visiting the store cuz if you don't take yours back, the next customer takes it back for you. Get your quarter. Yeah, you get your quarter.

You're fine. Russ knows the history of all the uh prototypes. Um but yeah, so like yeah, Russ was like Russ was saying, partial C. Um there's a no build zone and it's a protected parking field. It also kind of extends in front of the a little bit of the eastern portion of the site as well. So those what's kind of there now can't be really changed too much. Okay, good.

And then yeah, just parking wise, uh just looking at the area we're going um all the zoning requirement wise is 80 spaces. The banks is 22, so 102 required spaces. There's 165 now after we add the new uh 19 spaces. And then I was looking at the whole center just based on you know retail requirements. Uh the whole center and the auto zone and the valve of lean right there needs about 257 spaces. When you combine all the parcels of what's existing there and what we're going to do, there's 310 parking spaces. So okay, cross parking should not be an issue um on this one at all.

Good. Um but yeah then um other than that yeah constructing the new building and then we're having the two uh 75 square foot building signs uh one facing Gilbert, one facing Graham and then um the ownership will also repaint the shared monument sign and kind of give it the same facelift as um what's going on on the building facade and we'll just put our tenant panel there and then a single tenant panel on uh Gilbert as well. Okay. So, is there a timeline on the construction or

um right now we hopefully with fast approvals, we're looking to start construction and demo in uh December and then it will probably be a Q2 or Q3 of uh 26. So, yeah, we move pretty fast uh once we get get in the ground. Okay. Thank you. I just want to say I'm really excited to see something move in this center and it's getting a facelift. Yay. Yes, we're just excited. Maybe maybe they'll get more tenants now. Yeah, that that's the hope. Uh you get a larger tenant like us than it you know

former store that was there. Yeah, we for sure will buy a dozen times like three or less. Yeah, we would show up on the site. We were looking at the site and be like three cars in the parking lot. We're like there must not be getting Yep. much volume, but we we've done a few save lots uh in the recent uh few last year or two. So, okay. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Any other questions? Any other discussion? Anything? uh on emails. Jane, is there a motion?

Oh, shared parking agreement. Yes. I'd like to make a motion to approve uh PC 202527, the slate plan for uh 911 Graham Road, the sight of the new Aldi. Also, conditional uh approval for the uh shared parking agreement on the properties with um the whole property, parcel B and parcel, sorry, parcel B and parcel C. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Any other discussions? Roll call, please. Mrs. Clancy, yes. Mr. Wagner, yes. Mrs. Trepto, yes. Mr. Basic,

yes. Motion carries.

Some people want to go back. If you'd like, we're going to have a zoning code update if you want to stay for it. [Music] No one ever wants to stay for that. No,

that'll be good for that. Thank you. That's unusual business. Chicago Falls. Yeah, that's what I was gonna say. They're gonna get a ton of people through Chicago. That's referring to, you know, friends and they don't want to trip out and go like Yeah. And they'll still have their share, but Yeah. This goes to a different It's like Yeah, exactly.

All right, Zach. All right, item three. Uh, so just want to remind everyone, uh, I think in the next meeting we'll have the formal application for the new zoning code. Um, so yeah, just reminder, um, review all the materials that are out there. If you have any questions, let us know. I don't think there's going to be any major changes since we've last discussed them. I think the biggest one is um we got more feedback from the public and the steering committee and we're going to keep the residential lot sizes the same as they are instead of reducing them significantly just going to be the same. So not going to be any changes to that at all. Um, you know, we've added things, we've added some regulations for like chicken coops, natural landscape areas, you know, just to address those items that have come up a lot over the last couple years, uh, to make sure we have code for that. Yeah. Fences. Um, you know, so if there's anything out there that you feel that we haven't addressed yet or if you have any outstanding questions about it, we can discuss it now or if you think of it, you know, before the next meeting.

Chicken coop conversation was very interesting. What's that? I thought the chicken coupe conversation at the last meeting was really Yeah. I I think we have good code because of it now. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But yeah, again, if you have any any thoughts right now or if you have them before the meeting on I think the 14th, let us know. Uh the consultant will come in and present that for the meeting. So, did at the meeting yesterday, did anybody have any big complaints? Uh there's one person who was concerned about the residential lot sizes, but once we found out that we're keeping them the same, then good. He thinks it's a great code now. So

good. Yeah. Uh, honestly, just we've only got positive feedback. So, okay. Yeah. So, yeah. Any any questions now about the code? Do you think we address everything?

No, I I really think we have addressed everything. Over the last few years, I've been keeping a list of things that have needed change and I think we've accomplished all that. Yeah. So, and we're not going to accommodate every single scenario or situation. Um, but that's why we have variances. And if it if it's another thing that becomes an issue over the next year, because we'll still be evaluating it once it's adopted, making sure it's working correctly, if we need to make little adjustments in a year, then we'll do that. Yeah. So, once it approves, once we approve it, we go to council for what? Three.

Yeah. And then if they approve that they're a third one then is household do the who writes the actual like you change all that they do contract um yes so we use um American Legal for online code we'll we'll uh we'll just send it to American Legal and they'll upload online for us and we just basically just take out the old one put in the new one once it passes council they do that like yeah council's office will do that. Where is American Legal? What's that? Where is American Legal? It's a It's a national company.

Yeah. Yeah. I see. Yeah. Um Yeah. I think the intent right now is so right now we plan on having the third reading in December. If it's adopted in December, typically it becomes effective 30 days later. We'll probably make the effective date maybe two months later just so we'll we'll have time to update our fees also to make sure it aligns with the new code and the permits and update our online permits, make sure everything's corrected for that. So, what's that?

Early next year. Yeah. Yep. I have a question that's not related to that. Okay. How long is it going to be before we get a real sign in the front and get rid of that piece of that's out there? I just got an email from them today. They're just uh they're they're working with their masonry company right now and they're just figuring out what materials we want them to use and which which color of brick, you know, several months away. What's that? So, we're still several months away. I I don't have an actual timeline yet, but guess months.

Is there any way that we can get that thing removed? The orange thing, a zoning violation. [Laughter] Yeah. We'll just drag a trailer over to the yard. Yeah, that's not a bad idea. I can charge people for political ants. There you go. I'm hoping we we can get done in time for the holidays, though. I hope. Yeah, that would be nice. Yeah. Thank you.

No, they'll find a need for it. will have it right next to the other one. Sorry. All right. Anything else? Nope. Uh, yeah. I just appreciate you guys, you know, through this whole code update process. It's been a long 19 months now, so very close to being done. Thank you. A motion for adjournment. Second.

It's been moved and seconded to adjurnn. All in favor signify by saying I. I.