Planning Commission

City of Gahanna 200 South Hamilton Road Gahanna, Ohio 43230 Meeting Minutes Wednesday, October 23, 2013 7:00 PM City Hall Planning Commission GAHANNA’S VISION is… … to be an innovative model community that values its rich heritage, pursues high standards and promotes respect among its citizens. GAHANNA’S MISSION is… … to ensure an exceptional quality of life by providing comprehensive services, financial stability, and well-planned development which preserves the natural environment, in order that city government will continue Donald R. Shepherd, Chair David K. Andrews, Vice Chair Jennifer Tisone Price Kristin E. Rosan Thomas J. Wester Joe Keehner Bobbie Burba Donna L. Jernigan, MMC, Sr. Deputy Clerk of Council All meetings and meeting agendas are subject to last minute changes. Please contact the Clerk’s Office at 614-342-4090 to confirm the date and time of this meeting or to request any special accommodations. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes October 23, 2013 A. CALL MEETING TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. SWEARING IN OF NEWLY APPOINTED PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER ELIZABETH A. (BOBBIE) BURBA. Assistant City Attorney, Thomas L. Weber, gave the oath of office to Burba. Everyone welcomed Burba to the Planning Commission. Gahanna Planning Commission met in Regular Session in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 200 South Hamilton Road, Gahanna, Ohio on Wednesday October 23, 2013. Vice Chair David Andrews called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with the Pledge of allegiance led by Commission Member Price. Agenda for this meeting was published on October 18, 2013. ROLL CALL: Present 7 - Donald R. Shepherd, David K. Andrews, Kristin E. Rosan, Joe Keehner, Thomas J. Wester, Jennifer Tisone Price, and Bobbie Burba B. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA. C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - Regular Meeting October 9, 2013. A motion was made by Shepherd, seconded by Rosan, that the minutes of the October 9, 2013 meeting be approved. ROLL CALL: Voting yes: Shepherd, Rosan, Wester, Keehner, Burba, Price, Andrews. D. HEARING OF VISITORS - ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA - None. E. APPLICATIONS/PUBLIC HEARINGS: Andrews read the rules that will govern tonight's public hearings. Tom Weber, Assistant City Attorney, gave an oath to all persons wishing to address the Commission tonight. Two people came in after the oath was given and Weber administered the oath to them before they spoke. CU-0005-2013 To consider a Conditional Use application to allow outdoor sale of seasonal floral merchandise; for property located at 1365 Stoneridge Lane; The Kroger Co., Lindsey Taylor, applicant. Gard said this is for outdoor sales and storage of seasonal merchandise; has been on the books for quite some time; after the Kroger remodel there was an issue with the fire suppression sprinkler City of Gahanna Page 1 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes October 23, 2013 system, and that went on for a long time; has now been inspected and approved so we can proceed with this application; their previous conditional use for outdoor sales expired in December of 2012. Chair called the public hearing to order at 7:07 p.m. Jordan Horan, representing Kroger, said we are asking that you approve the conditional use for our outdoor seasonal merchandise; it did take a while to get the suppression system approved but it is fine now; had some issues with the contractor; asking for a conditional use to extend through December 2015 for our outdoor sales and storage; we are asking for your approval. Chair asked for opponents; there were none. Chair asked for questions from the Commission and there were none. Chair closed the public hearing at 7:10 p.m. A motion was made by Price, seconded by Rosan, to approve CU-0005-2013 for the Kroger store at 1365 Stoneridge Lane to run through December 31, 2015. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- Shepherd, Andrews, Rosan, Keehner, Wester, Price and Burba FDP-0008-201 To consider a Final Development Plan for Creekside District 3 Apartments; for property located at 152 Mill Street; Strathmore Development Company, Andy Johnson, applicant. Chair said we will consider FDP-0008-2013, V-0016-2013, FPU-0002-2013 and DR-0027-2013 together. Gard said the location of the building is where the car wash is at 152 Mill Street in Olde Gahanna; showed relation to North Street, Mill Street and the alley that would be behind the project; not a lot of vegetation can be saved; will have new landscaping; here are pictures of the site from different side perspectives; showed existing structure; showed footprint for the garage structure which is below grade, not underground; showed site plan for the apartments; there will be a plaza in the front with trees and planters which is mirrored on the east side with a smaller plaza; will be 32 units; showed floor plan and elevations; 1st floor plan is on the right and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor plans on the left; they are proposing 4 entrances; 2 on the north side and two on the south side; showed relationship with Creekside building A across the street; showed some projects not in Gahanna, but similar in nature to the proposed project; proposed apartments would have a very modern look; small portion of the site is actually in the 100 year flood plain so that is why there is a flood plain use permit; City of Gahanna Page 2 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes October 23, 2013 variances are numerous and necessary to the project to go forward; FDP states that there will be 32 units on the site and one of the variances is for parking; they will not have the 2 spaces per unit as is required by code; the certificate of appropriateness indicates the exterior finish will be brick and corrugated metal siding; there will be 21 trees installed and shrubs. Chair opened the public hearing at 7:17 p.m., and called for proponents. Ron Calhoun, Strathmore Development, 81 Mill Street, said what we have before you this evening is basically taking the existing car wash site and creating some density; have had great success with the Creekside project and we are finishing that up with 95 residential units; these units would be larger in terms of average; think this fits for an urban infill project; will be happy to answer any questions. Chair asked for proponents. Douglas Dachenbach, 159 N. High Street, said I own property at 159 N. High and 73 North Street immediately east of the car wash; I bought the properties in 1976; parking has always been a major problem through the entire area; we are all still suffering from that; had to put up 2 hour parking limit signs for businesses on High Street; that is a great concern to me; realistically an upscale multiple family development will have multiple cars per unit; if you drive down the alley by the car wash it is very narrow; will have to relocate electrical; there is a sewer line that runs down the center of the down alley; that will become an access problem if you are allowed to go that close up to the property line; the south side and the east side are really close to existing structures, and that could be a problem for the fire department; concerned on the south side if there is a fire and getting to the 3rd and 4th floors with a ladder truck could have a building collapse; why put our firemen at risk for this facility; concerned about the historic church building on High Street, and you can't touch that; I was looking at the 2002 Olde Gahanna study, and this doesn't really match into that study; feel we would be asking for problems, and we don't need this; this is not appropriate at this time. Commission member Shepherd left at 7:24 p.m. Calhoun said I think the two major points that were made was one about the fire department access, and I believe you received a letter in your packet from the fire department that we reviewed the project with them and they have no objections; in terms of the historic church close by in case of fire, this will be a fully sprinklered building, and the fire department prides themselves on very few people dyeing in a fully City of Gahanna Page 3 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes October 23, 2013 sprinklered building; in regard to parking I think our ratio is about 1.7 versus a 2 and that certainly fits in the urban land institute parking criteria that we are seeing nationwide as more people work from home and use public transportation; is market driven and more appropriate for the use. Rosan said I have serious concerns about the density; the 4 stories and the number of units per acre; the fact that nearly the entire parcel with limited exception will be covered by a 4 story building with the exception of the building across the street; it is not similar to anything else surrounding it; my question is did you give any kind of consideration to something that is slightly smaller; 3 story; a little more green space; not requiring all the variances; I am wondering if not so massive a project would reduce the variances and perhaps make it fit in a little better; could still be urban, but fit in a little better with all the buildings. Calhoun said we did look at that in terms of lesser units, but it takes a certain amount of density to support a project; I also believe that as we worked with staff on the various variances that the variances are really set up in terms of the way the zoning is for a greenfield multi family project and not an urban infill project; so when you see an urban project the variances to lot lines and so forth, lot coverage, you typically don't have those in an urban fill project which this is; I don't think it is fair to count the number of variances with this. Gard said there is actually a glitch in the code that requires X standards for multi family, but then you turn the page and for site planning it gives you a whole different set of standards, so that is something we are going to have to reconcile, but since there were both in the code both sections were addressed by the necessary variances. Calhoun said I believe under the site planning standards we needed very few if any variances. Gard said the multi family standards became the hang up. Rosan said so what I am understanding is that the developer would not consider a less dense project, and Calhoun said that is correct. After question from Wester, Calhoun said the proposed building is not as tall or as close to the right of way as the Creekside Plaza project; is about 20% less in height. Wester said the first floor at 100' that is still about 10' above pavement line. Calhoun said that is probably about right since we are doing the parking underneath where we are out in front basically creating a brownfield type look entrance; we are hiding that the first floor is up; there is a difference of grade on the eastside; did not want people driving down the alley and looking straight in at someone's dinner table. Wester said you have a right of way line shown; you show a 5' parking setback but somewhere I thought I read that there is less than 5' from the right of way line; is that from City City of Gahanna Page 4 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes October 23, 2013 right of way. Calhoun said that is correct and I believe that is because the parking structure foundation is out to that so it is really the parking slid out underneath there thus being the need for the variance. Wester said what keeps the right of way from sliding underneath there during construction. Calhoun said the foundation. Wester asked the foundation of what. Calhoun said there is a good slope there; the below grade foundation is going to be 5' below the alley and that wall will be a structural component. Wester said but during construction what keeps that alley where it is now; are you going to sheet pile it; are you going to tear the alley up and then replace it? Calhoun said it would not be our intent to tear the alley out; my suspicion is that we will end up with some type of shoring in order to keep it stable and safe. Keehner asked where the images for the building came from; does not look like anything in the Olde Gahanna Vision Plan; said renderings are problematic; question using 4 stories especially since the 4 stories are going to be flat; most of the images in the OGVP show pitched roofs; maybe if you came with 2 story apartments on the 3rd and 4th floors where it was pitched and the scale was different that might work; style is a little bit generic so I wonder where you came up with that; looks more like Grandview than Olde Gahanna; detailing is more like art deco; building it in Olde Gahanna would be questionable; don't know if it would contribute to the sense of place of Olde Gahanna visually; would be fine across from Clark Commons, but not here; also how is having an 8' wall along the sidewalk creating a pedestrian friendly neighborhood. Calhoun said I will try and answer all of your questions; the purpose of having the step planters there is so we do not have to have an 8' wall; we are trying to step it back; this project is not as tall as the Creekside Plaza; as an infill project we wanted to create a contemporary project; we, along with OHM, did not want every building to look the same down Mill Street; that was our objective. Andy Johnson, OHM, said we did go for a different look; wanted some variety; wanted to appeal to young urban professionals. There was question about retail on the 1st floor. Calhoun said we have been involved in the Creekside Plaza project for about 1 1/2 years and it is gaining a lot of traction and momentum, but the piece that is lagging behind is the street front retail in building A , so until that is filled there is not the demand; the residential is going faster than we can supply units. Wester asked if a traffic study had been performed; what will these 32 units do to the traffic in the morning; has that been studied. Wetherholt said we do not know at this point, and Wester said we City of Gahanna Page 5 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes October 23, 2013 need this information. Andrews said we do want to take this to workshop; I agree also that this in no way is like anything in the OGVP; I realize that the OGVP is not set in stone; I am intrigued by the design but wonder if it would not look outdated in 15 to 20 years. Rosan said it appears on one of the drawings, at least from the north elevation, that on the east side of the building the end of the balconies are 1 or 2' from the right of way, and that is the alley Dr. Dachenbach talked about being really concerned about apparatus being able to get to and through that alley; I would be interested to go back to the fire department and see if they have additional comments or they stand by their original comments; whether they fully appreciated how close that alley is; are closing in on that alley and with the density have a great concern; also concerned about stormwater discharge and the applicant addressing the comments of the Urban Conservationist; also the police comments about video surveillance in the surrounding parking areas; like to see all of this addressed a workshop. Chair closed the public hearing at 7:52 p.m. It was agreed that the applications would be heard in workshop at 6:30 p.m. on November 13th. A motion was made by Rosan, seconded by Price, that this Final Development Plan be Postponed to Date Certain to the Planning Commission, due back on 11/20/2013. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- Shepherd, Andrews, Rosan, Keehner, Wester, Price and Burba V-0016-2013 To consider a Variance Application to vary the following sections : 1163.02(a) to allow fewer than 2 parking spaces per unit; 1150.10(a)(1) to allow a building setback of less than 15’ for the eastern façade; 1150.10(b)(1)(2) to allow below grade parking and allow it to be located less than 5’ from right-of-way; and 1150.08(e)(1)(2)(3)(5)(6)(7); to vary the development standards for a multi-family use project; for Creekside District Apartments; for property located at 152 Mill Street; Strathmore Development Company, Andy Johnson, applicant. A motion was made by Rosan, seconded by Price, that this Variance be Postponed to Date Certain to the Planning Commission, due back on 11/13/2013. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- Shepherd, Andrews, Rosan, Keehner, Wester, Price and Burba DR-0027-2013 To consider a Certificate of Appropriateness for Site Plan and Building Design for Creekside District Apartments; for property located at 152 Mill Street; Strathmore Development, Andy Johnson, applicant. City of Gahanna Page 6 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes October 23, 2013 This Design Review was Postponed to Date Certain to the Planning Commission due back on 11/20/2013. Yes: 7- Shepherd, Andrews, Rosan, Keehner, Wester, Price and Burba FPU-0002-201 To consider a Final Development Plan for Creekside District 3 Apartments; for property located at 152 Mill Street; Strathmore Development Company, Andy Johnson, applicant. This Flood Plain Use Permit was Postponed to Date Certain to the Planning Commission due back on 11/20/2013. Yes: 7- Shepherd, Andrews, Rosan, Keehner, Wester, Price and Burba F. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - None. G. NEW BUSINESS - None. H. OFFICIAL REPORTS: City Attorney - None. City Engineer - None. Department of Development - None. Chair - None. Andrews welcomed Burba to the Commission. I. CORRESPONDENCE AND ACTIONS. J. POLL MEMBERS FOR COMMENT. Keehner said I went to the opening of the one room school house; has been a community effort; a Gahanna teacher started the whole process; had community support in financing; is a strong indication of the spirit of Gahanna and sense of community. K.. ADJOURNMENT - 7:58 p.m.; Motion by Wester. City of Gahanna Page 7 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes October 23, 2013 Isobel L. Sherwood, MMC Clerk of Council APPROVED by the Planning Commission, this day of 2013. Donald R. Shepherd City of Gahanna Page 8