A developer seeking approval to rezone land on Columbus’ west side for duplexes in the Tipton Lakes area is also proposing to double the number of lots for the project.
Spring Hill Development, which is seeking to rezone 26.79 acres, is proposing a development that would bring 20 duplexes targeted to individuals 55 and older. The proposed project, known as the Village of Tipton Lakes, would be located on the west side of Tipton Lakes Boulevard, north of Goeller Road.
The rezoning request, which will be considered by the Columbus City Council at 6 p.m. Tuesday, is the first of two appearances planned by the company before the city this week.
The rezoning, if approved, would change the designation of 9.99 acres from Residential Single Family 2 to Residential Two Family and 16.8 acres from Residential Single Family 2, Residential Single Family 3 and Residential Two Family to Residential Single Family 3.
Spring Hill Development is also seeking to double the number of lots from 20 to 40 as part of a revised preliminary plat application that will go before the Columbus Plan Commission during its 4 p.m. Wednesday meeting.
However, that is contingent on whether the rezoning is approved by the council, said Jeff Bergman, city-county planning director.
The rezoning request received a favorable recommendation from the plan commission in a 6-3 vote last month, despite concerns from nearby residents who cited worries over increased traffic and reduced property values. City Councilman Frank Jerome was one of the three plan commission members who voted against the project.
If the number of lots for the proposed Village of Tipton Lakes project increases from 20 to 40, that would result in 159 lots on 81.19 acres, which includes the existing lots in the Spring Hill subdivision, said Jeffrey Bush, who has developed land in Tipton Lakes for more than 25 years.
The duplexes would be priced at $400,000 to $450,000 per unit, Bush said. The duplexes would feature 2,000-square-foot, two-bedroom units with an option of an office or den.
However, the city-county planning department has recommended that the matter before the plan commission be continued to allow Spring Hill Development to justify a requested waiver under a section of the city’s subdivision control ordinance.
The ordinance establishes approval processes for subdivisions and how they are designed in regards to streets, sidewalks and other matters, Bergman said.
If proposed changes might have an impact on an existing subdivision, the subdivision control ordinance requires consent from 75 percent of property owners in that particular area.
Bergman said Spring Hill Development is seeking to waive that requirement, which is up to the discretion of the Columbus Plan Commission.
The continuance, if granted, would allow the applicant time to provide a justification why the requirement should be waived, Bergman said. However, if it is not, signatures from 59 homeowners would be required for the project to move forward, he said.
Ashish Gupta, who lives in the Heron Cove subdivision, is among the residents who are opposed to the project. Gupta said the proposed prices for the duplexes are higher than what the average single-family home in the area has sold for during the past two years.
“We believe they’re not going to sell,” he said.
If that occurs, that could result in lots sitting empty, resulting in homeowners’ property values being affected, said Gupta, who has lived in Tipton Lakes for more than five years. Traffic also remains a concern, he said.
A petition drive against the project has collected from more than 100 signatures from homeowners in the area, he said.
Gupta said he plans to attend Tuesday’s council meeting, noting that four or five residents are planning to speak on behalf of residents living in the area.
The Tipton Lakes Community Association voted last week to support the Village of Tipton Lakes project, said Staci Likens, executive director of the association. Tipton Lakes already has two duplexes, Harrison Green and Fontana, which are located near single-family homes, she said.
Board president Dan Slattery intends to speak to the council voicing support for the Village of Tipton Lakes, Likens said.
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What: Rezoning request involving 26.79 acres for proposed development that would bring 20 duplexes in Tipton Lakes
When: 6 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Columbus City Hall, 123 Washington St.
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