Far Northwest Coalition

APRIL 2001 FNWC MINUTES

APRIL 2001 FNWC MINUTES

FAR NORTHWEST COALITION MEETING MINUTES
APRIL 25, 2001

The Far Northwest Coalition (FNWC) held its regular meeting at the Northwest Library on Hard Road. Board members present for the meeting were John Best, Ann Brodeur, Ed Kromer and John Murley. This did not represent a quorum and the minutes of the previous meeting were tabled.

John Best opened the meeting by updating the members on several planning and zoning issues impacting residents within the area.

The vacant property adjacent to the library went to closing on 16 April, construction will begin shortly on 11 new homes.
Permits for renovation and additions to the car wash at Smokey Row and Hard Road were approved. The FNWC had voted in favor of the improvements at an earlier meeting.
The Giant Eagle store, proposed for construction at the northwest corner of Hard and Sawmill Roads, submitted revised plans to the Dublin Planning and Zoning Board. The revised plans met the city’s specifications, and are to be approved
Capital Improvement Project No. 702, a plan for a storm water handling improvement has been cancelled. This project would have impacted easements in the back yards of 25 private residences. Letters were sent to the residents on 9 March, on which the residents could note their support or opposition of the project. Only a handful of residents voiced any opinion. As a "no response" was counted as opposed, the project was cancelled.
A group is proposing an innerbelt Metro Park, to be located at the old quarry adjacent to Upper Arlington. This would add to parkland in the Northwest, which is currently strong for development but lacking in parks. John will obtain more information on this endeavor.
The board has previously discussed possible code enforcement on the issue of gas stations emitting large volumes of light. David Elmer, hired by the city as the Director of Standards, says the standards don’t specify a maximum light intensity. In fact the only reference to lighting in the standards refers to minimum lighting standards. Apparently nothing can be done about existing development.

Tim Mentel, the featured speaker, arrived about 7:30. Tim is with Paving the Way, a traffic management clearinghouse created in 1990 as a cooperative effort by the Federal Highway Administration, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and the City of Columbus to improve the planning and communication of construction projects. Tim is frequently a guest on local news and talk programs, explaining forthcoming road projects.
Tim handed out a Glove Box Guide, the 2001 listing of construction projects in Central Ohio. Although 58 projects are scheduled this year, the good news for residents in the Northwest is that most major projects affecting our area are completed and/or winding down.
Tim responded to questions from the board, addressing issues such as the capacity problem on northbound Sawmill, north of the new SPUI interchange with 270. Unfortunately, the fix, which involves widening Sawmill north of 270 to Sawbury, is not scheduled until 2003.
A project to improve Hard Road between Smokey Row and Linworth is being reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration. Construction is scheduled to begin late in 2002, and the project has about a one-year completion schedule.
Another proposal that would impact the residents of the area involves the widening of 161, between 315 and Sawmill Road. Although the FHA, ODOT, and the city favor this project, Worthington has said "no". No completion date is projected.
Money, or the lack thereof, is a problem affecting improvements to Smokey Row and Snouffer. This project is on hold due to expenditures by the city to comply with requirements for wheel chair ramps throughout the city. This lack of money has also put improvements to the Polaris Parkway/I-71 interchange on hold.
Other major projects include the closing of 33 to north and south traffic at Lane, due to the roadway washing out, the replacement of the Linworth bridge over 270 for 90 days, the improvement of the Linworth Rd./Wilson Bridge intersection, and the closing of I-670 downtown early in 2002.

At the conclusion of Tim’s presentation, John mentioned that he’d attended a meeting to discuss improvements to mass transit. COTA will be presenting another levy proposal to allow for expansion of bus routes and the construction of a light rail system from High Street through downtown, northward through the 3rd/4th Street corridor to the fairgrounds, then extended along the existing CSX/ Norfolk Southern right of ways with a terminus at Lazelle Road. If the levy is approved, construction could begin in 2004, and trains could be operating by 2006.

After some discussion of this subject by the board, the meeting adjourned.

Ed Kromer
Acting Secretary