Far Northwest Coalition

JULY 2004 FNWC MINUTES

FAR NORTHWEST COALITION ( FNWC )

FAR NORTHWEST COALITION
P. O. BOX 340285 COLUMBUS, OH 43234

July 29, 2004

The Far Northwest Coalition (FNWC) met for its regularly scheduled meeting at the Northwest Library. Members present of the FNWC Board were John Best, John Murley, Kelly Thompson and Rich Herner.

Best advised the group that the Hard/Smoky Row Road intersection is supposed to be completed in a little over a month from now. Based on the current status of the intersection, members doubted that the work will be completed in a month. He also noted that there will be a temporary closure of St. Rt. 315, which will probably result in more traffic using Smoky Row.

Best noted that he had called the agent representing CarMax but had not received a return call. He had also spoken to Bill Halley on the Thompson Street property. Halley said they were doing some adjustments to the plat but the City Engineer’s office was slower than they had anticipated. He said they still plan to proceed with the project, just waiting on the City now.

Best also said he had contact with the owner of DSI Architects about the request for a council variance on the property on Dublin-Granville Road. They are apparently looking to sell the property to a CPA firm, and have the office use as such for that property.

Best then discussed with the group the email he had posted to members concerning the anticipated revision to the Northwest Plan. He said he had met with others from the Northwest Civic Association, as well as a planner from the City. He said he will try & get the planner to the next FNWC meeting to discuss various issues, such as bike paths, preservation of scenic corridors and the indicated timetable in the document. Best also noted that he had requested, and received, a report from the City, comparing the property usage in the northwest area of Columbus to that listed in the Northwest Plan. He said he would share that information with the group at the next meeting.

It was mentioned by Best, that ODOT is scheduled to attend the next FNWC meeting also, to discuss replacement lamps for lights in the corridor, as well as the planned noise walls.

Kelvin Trefz then made a presentation to the group concerning a variance request from Linworth United Methodist Church to build a columbarium (cemetery for cremated bodies) on their property located at 7070 Bent Tree Boulevard. He had letters from some of the adjacent property owners stating they had no objections to the request. He advised the FNWC that the City had told him that if the FNWC was not in agreement to allow the variance, the City would turn it down summarily since the current zoning precludes a cemetery usage.



Trefz said the plan is for a stone wall, with up to 300 niches for the remains to be deposited. They plan to use one acre of ground for the columbarium. The outside of the wall, facing the street will be built up with a grassy mound, with small shrubs and trees on the mound. The back side will hold the remains. So, from the street, only the landscaping would be visible. The wall would extend out from the church building along the portico facing Bent Tree. The wall would be a maximum of 4 feet high, with bronze name plates for the tombstones; all of the same size and nature. They are looking to sell 50 or so plots to begin with and add to the wall in stages as the number of plots sold increased. The plots would be open to anyone, not just members of the church. Once they started to become full, they would probably then limit usage to members only.

Trefz agreed to put in writing the issues discussed; namely, the maximum height of the wall, fact that the wall would be mounded and landscaped and have a stone facade, bronze nameplates, all similar in nature, initial usage would be near the current church, rather than out in front. In addition, he will provide letters from the other adjacent property owners with their agreement to the project. This information will be presented to the FNWC in time for its next meeting.

Melody Ward and Brian Thornton then made a presentation to the group for a variance request to put two entrance signs on one lot at 954 Hard Road. This is the entrance to the new subdivision of Oldstone Crossing, at the northwest corner of Hard and Linworth Roads. The northeast corner would apparently not be conducive for the other sign because of location and topography. This way, the subdivision signs would be visible from both directions on Hard Road, as well as from Linworth Road. The additional sign is to be identical to the current existing sign in size, appearance and materials. There will be low level lighting on both signs. They will be located approximately 30 feet apart, since Thornton said they did not want to disturb the current trees on the lot. It was discussed with Thornton, the landscaper, about trying to somehow tie his work with that of MI Homes across the street. He said he has been approached by both developers about landscaping both areas, but plans are still not completed on either part.

The FNWC then tabled the columbarium request from Linworth United Methodist Church for further information. All seemed to be in favor of allowing the variance for the additional sign at 954 Hard Road, assuming that there would not be a 3rd sign at the location on the other corner.

There being no further business to come before the FNWC, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,


Rich Herner
FNWC Secretary