Far Northwest Coalition

MAY 2015 FNWC MINUTES

Far Northwest Coalition
Columbus, OH

May 27, 2015

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

Jeff Brown made a presentation to the FNWC for the owner of Byers Subaru car dealership located at 2455 Billingsley Road. Byers would like a setback variance to reduce the front setback line facing Billingsley to 80’ from the current 200’. He presented the CPD text and layout and noted that business is good and they need more space.

FNWC members noted that this property is immediately across the street from residential homes but Brown replied those homes all have cars parked in the driveway and that the apartments to the east all park closer than the 80’ setback required of the other car dealers. The exception is Tobin who was granted the shorter setback using the argument that there were no residential properties across from his lot, only commercial properties.

Brown also made a presentation for Huntington Bank of a variance request for the property located at the northeast corner of Sawmill and Dublin-Granville Road, currently a closed Mexican restaurant. Huntington plans to raze the current building a put a new branch office on the corner. Brown presented a site plan and elevation drawings to the group. They plan to reface the current sign on the lot but the variance request concerns the other proposed graphics. They would like a sign on all four sides of the building, not just on the sides that have entrances, as under current code. In addition, they are requesting 20’ high signs which are not permitted under the current graphics overlay plan for the area.

After further discussion, particularly concerning the fact that residential properties were across the street from the Byers dealership; it was moved and seconded to oppose the variance request from Byers Subaru located at 2455 Billingsley Road to reduce the setback from Billingsley Road to 80’, based on the proximity of the single family residential properties immediately across the street from the subject property. Motion was unanimously approved.

The FNWC then discussed the request of Huntington National Bank for the graphics variance and the group felt that the signage should fall within the regional commercial overlay requirements. It was moved and seconded to not support the graphics variance request from Huntington National Bank for the property located at 3740 West Dublin-Granville Road (northeast corner of Sawmill and 161) as presented; particularly the 20’ high sign request, which is in contravention of the regional commercial overlay requirements. Motion was passed unanimously.

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

Respectfully submitted,



Rich Herner
FNWC Secretary