Far Northwest Coalition

MARCH 2011 FNWC MINUTES

Far Northwest Coalition

Columbus, OH

March 30, 2011

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

Several residents were in attendance to hear about the apartment complex project proposed for the corner of Smoky Row and Snouffer Roads.  Best noted that the developers had pulled the item from the FNWC agenda for this month.  He said major concerns of the proposal are density and the resulting traffic problems.  He said a minimum of adding a left turn lane would be necessary, and a commitment to widen Snouffer Road.  He said the Casto complex on Billingsley Road was 280 units and was supposed to have a left turn lane added, but nothing has ever been completed there; the City did not follow up and force the issue.  He said the City should commit dollars into infrastructure improvements if it is going to allow additional development in the area. He also noted that the same developers who are proposing the Smoky Row/Snouffer project built the condo units adjacent to Chapman Elementary on Sawmill Road, near the Delaware County line.  That was supposed to be a right in and right out only drive, per the plans, but drivers still make left turns in and out of the complex.  He said restrictive language can be put into the zoning text but it is up to the City to enforce the text language. 

Herner stated that he has been in attendance at several grassroots meetings about the proposed project and that there is an organized opposition to it, including having hired an attorney and talking to traffic engineers.  He said several civic groups that would be impacted on Snouffer Road have banded together in opposition; including Brookside Woods and Brookside Estates, Whispering Pines, Stilson Highlands and Asheville Commons.  It was noted that these groups represent over a thousand homes in the area.  Other groups are also in the process of being contacted, including the other Stilson areas, as well as Olentangy Highlands.   He noted that the developers had, in addition to pulling the item from the FNWC agenda, also pulled it from the Perry Township Trustee meeting agenda last week.  He then outlined the proposed layout of the project, including the detention pond on the corner, the single entrance on Snouffer Road and that the church entrance to Snouffer Road will also be eliminated.  He reiterated the density and traffic issues, as well as the concern for maintenance of these units down the road.  He noted that the owners have a right to develop their land but any project needs to be more in line with the wishes of the local community; perhaps developing condo units there with much lower density would be preferable.

Best then expressed his displeasure with code enforcement; the fact that they do not seem to be doing much in this area of town.  He said there is no indication that anyone is handling any of the issues in this area, particularly advertising signs that have been placed in the right-of-way. 

Zachary Klein, Columbus City Council member, then introduced himself and his assistant, Gretchen Jones, to those in attendance.  He is an attorney with Jones Day.  He said he is trying to get around to the commissions and city groups all over town.  He lives in Italian Village but has good friends in this area, so he is familiar with this part of town.  He noted that he is on City Council Committees for Development, as well as Recreation & Parks. 

Suzanne Miller then made a presentation to the FNWC requesting a variance for her property located at 7506 Gatestone Lane.  Her home sits on a corner lot and they are proposing to put an addition onto the house on the north side, which will add a family room and a 2^nd floor master suite.  The request is for a 2’ variance on the side yard setback, from 30’ to 28’.  The addition would bump her house out 2 more feet on the side facing one of the streets (no adjacent home on that side), hence the 30’ initial setback requirement.  She showed detailed plans and drawings of the proposed addition, as well as pictures of the property, and then indicating where the new addition would be located.  She said there are no site line issues at the corner, and that she has the support of all her neighbors within the 125’ notification area. 

The FNWC then discussed the variance request from the BP station located at 7310 Sawmill Road (corner of Sawmill & Sawbury) to replace the current gas price sign with a digital electronic one.  The graphic display itself should not be modified, other than the change to the digital display.  It was noted that it seems that the Graphics Division seems to approve these signs without input from the local communities.  It seems that all the request does is replace a backlit sign with an electronic one.  There was more general discussion about these types of signs popping up all over town, and not for the better.  The feeling was that there should be no scrolling or flashing on these types of signs, since it is difficult enough now to drive in the area, without the additional distraction of drivers trying to read flashing or scrolling signs.

Maureen Lorenz of the City Rec & Parks Dept. then made a presentation to the group concerning the park project on Hard Road.  She said she has been in meetings with local residents and what she showed the group is what she called the preliminary, final proposal.  She said she hopes to have one more meeting with the group that has been involved on the design to adopt the final plan.  She said she hopes then to have the project out for bid in May and have digging started in August and plant in the fall.  Some areas of the park would then be open to the public in the spring next year.  She said they would hopefully be able to install the parking lot and walking trail in August, with the planting then being done after that in the fall.  The playing fields would not be available for another year, allowing them to grow in properly before use.

She showed the group the proposal, which includes 2 soccer fields, an 88 car parking lot (40 cars per field) on the east side, an 8’ wide paved walking trail (quarter mile in length and connected to Worthington Hills and Olde Stone Crossing residential areas) around the fields and a playground area.  There would be no walking trails thru the wooded area yet, the feeling being that more study needs to be done on that area.  She noted that the request and demand seems to be for soccer fields, which is why they were included.  The fields will be built to drain and all storm water will be retained on site.  She then said that they are working on the playground area and the associated equipment and may ask to use some of the Parkland Dedication Ordinance funds to help defray the costs for the equipment.  She also noted that there would be no basketball or tennis courts on the site for now, since they do not usually put those in without the presence of a rec center.    

A few residents then asked some questions about the location of the parking lot on the east side, adjacent to the Old Stone Crossing residential development.  They asked about property values next to parks and Ms. Lorenz noted that studies have been done showing that properties adjacent to well-kept parks have higher valuations than other comparable properties.  She said they have looked at several different locations for the parking lot on the property and always come back to the same spot on the east side as the best location. 

The FNWC then discussed the variance request from Suzanne Miller concerning her property addition.  It was moved and seconded to support the variance request for the property located at 7506 Gatestone Lane to reduce the setback requirement from 30’ to 28’, as presented.  Motion passed.

The FNWC had more discussion on the BP station sign variance request.  It was again noted that signs like these are popping up all over town and they should not be accepted as the norm.  There was discussion about precedents being set and that possibly the group not agree to the request.  After additional discussion, it was moved and seconded to support the variance request for the property located at 7310 Sawmill Road to allow the replacement of a backlit gas price sign with a static, digital electronic gas price only sign, subject to the condition that there be no scrolling or flashing on the sign; a static gas price only should be displayed.  Motion passed.

After review, it was moved and seconded, to approve the minutes, as presented, from the prior meeting held January 26, 2011.  Motion passed.

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

Respectfully submitted,

Rich Herner

FNWC Secretary