Planning Commission

200 South Hamilton Road City of Gahanna Gahanna, Ohio 43230 Meeting Minutes Planning Commission Thomas Shapaka, Chair James Mako, Vice Chair Michael Greenberg John Hicks Michael Suriano Michael Tamarkin Thomas J. Wester Pam Ripley, Deputy Clerk of Council Wednesday, September 27, 2023 7:00 PM City Hall, Council Chambers A. CALL MEETING TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/ROLL CALL Gahanna Planning Commission met in regular session on September 27, 2023. The agenda for this meeting was published on September 22, 2023. Chair Thomas Shapaka called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mako. Present 5 - John Hicks, James Mako, Thomas W. Shapaka, Michael Tamarkin, and Thomas J. Wester Absent 2 - Michael Greenberg, and Michael Suriano B. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA - NONE C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2023-0162 Planning Commission Minutes - Draft 9.13.2023 A motion was made by Hicks, seconded by Wester, that the Minutes of 9.13.2023 be Approved. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 4- Hicks, Mako, Shapaka and Wester Absent: 2- Greenberg and Suriano Abstain: 1- Tamarkin D. SWEAR IN APPLICANTS & SPEAKERS Assistant City Attorney Matt Roth administered an oath to those persons wishing to present testimony this evening. E. APPLICATIONS - PUBLIC COMMENT City of Gahanna Page 1 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes September 27, 2023 V-0020-2023 To consider a variance application to vary Sections 1150.04(f)(1) and 1150.04(f)(2) yard requirements of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Gahanna; for property located at 132 Shull Ave.; Parcel ID: 025-000183; Current Zoning OG-1; Garage addition; Edouard Petit, applicant. Director of Planning Michael Blackford provided a summary of the application; see attached staff presentation. The property is in zoning district Olde Gahanna - 1 (OG-1. Zoning code in OG-1 requires a 25-foot front yard and a 25-foot rear yard setback. This is a corner lot with only front and rear yards. The lot has a 50-foot width and 25-foot for a setback. In the area there are a lot of accessory structures that are on or near property lines. It is not uncommon in this part of the city. They are requesting the setbacks in order to add two additions. The addition on the west side of the property has a seven-foot setback from the north property line, that is a rear yard. The east addition is nine feet from the north property line. Blackford showed the site plan for the proposed additions. The established building line is already seven and nine feet. They are adding an additional building. If the variance is approved, it would be in character with the lot in keeping with the north property line. Variance criteria to consider; are there special circumstances or conditions applying to the land or the use. Would the variance granting be detrimental to the welfare of the community. Staff would say no. There is an existing housing pattern, development pattern with similar setbacks in this area. Staff recommends approval. It is a corner lot where we see variance requests more frequently than other types of lots because there are more requirements. This has been reviewed by the engineering staff and it doesn't appear obstruct or change any drainage. Chair opened public comment at 7:08 p.m. Applicant Edouard Petit 132 Shull Ave, Gahanna. Mr. Petit said on the west side of the home is an all-season room. It does not fit the house, the windows do not match, it is not insulated, the roof doesn't match the rest of the house. It is like a temporary structure. They want to make it more streamlined and incorporate it to make the house more balanced. It will be aligned with the front of the house, with the same windows. On the east side they will have the peak of the house meeting the peak of the garage. Aesthetically will be more pleasing with newer windows and all the siding will be matching. Clerk confirmed there were no comments from the public. Chair closed the public comment at 7:10 p.m. Chair called on questions from the Commission; Mako asked what the City of Gahanna Page 2 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes September 27, 2023 total square footage is they are adding on. Petit said in the Florida room they are adding two feet to the left and he thinks two feet to the front. The garage is a one-car garage, 200 sq. ft. Mako asked if there was any negative input from neighbors. Petit spoke with them, and they are happy with it. Shapaka said with the addition that will be done, the sunroom will be taken down and the siding that is on the right-hand side of the main entrance will match. Petit said it would match, with the exception of the stone around the entrance. A motion was made by Tamarkin, seconded by Wester, that the Variance be Approved. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5- Hicks, Mako, Shapaka, Tamarkin and Wester Absent: 2- Greenberg and Suriano F. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - NONE G. NEW BUSINESS - NONE H. OFFICIAL REPORTS Director of Planning Director of Planning - Blackford said that BZBA will hear an appeal on September 28, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. for Speedway Towing. Council Liaison Blackford said they had public engagement for the zoning code at the Mill Street Market. It was extremely well attended. He 200 - 300 people stopped. People were appreciative of going to that kind of event rather than a typical evening meeting. People were pleased. There were some boards up that had different development types that explained what the zoning code was. On the city’s website is an online survey that takes about 10 minutes. There have been 150 respondents already. It has been a very successful outreach from the two initiatives. The survey will be live until October 8, 2023. Staff is working on scheduling a more in-depth workshop with Planning Commission and City Council in October. The workshop will be with the zoning code rewrite consultant. City of Gahanna Page 3 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes September 27, 2023 Blackford said that in 2019 a Design Review application requesting to paint the building at Jefferson Woods Apartments on Shephard Street was approved. At the meeting it was discussed that there would be some additional landscaping installed. The applicant has reached out to let the city know they did install some building foundation plantings. Technically it is not required by code, but it was talked about at that hearing. I. CORRESPONDENCE AND ACTIONS - NONE J. POLL MEMBERS FOR COMMENT - NONE K. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 7:19 p.m. City of Gahanna Page 4