City planning officials have given initial approval to a rezoning request that would allow a higher density of residential housing in a 19-acre property near Taylor Road.
Joli Development is seeking to rezone property at 3272 Taylor Road from Residential: Single Family 2 (RS2) to Residential: Single Family 4 (RS4) in order to develop a new subdivision known as “Sunset Trails.”
The Columbus Plan Commission voted 10-1 Wednesday to forward the request to the Columbus City Council with a favorable recommendation and some suggested commitments, including holding the subdivision to a maximum of 90 lots.
City Council Liaison David Bush, R-District 3, was the one “no” vote. He told The Republic he will discuss his reasons for opposition when the matter comes to the city council, which makes the final decision on rezoning applications. However, he declined to comment at this time.
City/county planning director Jeff Bergman said he would look to get the first reading of the rezoning ordinance on the council’s July 5 agenda. Ordinances must be passed on two readings to be fully approved.
Joli Development’s request was previously discussed at the commission’s May meeting but was tabled after a lengthy discussion and several public comments. According to Bergman, the commission did so in hopes of receiving additional information on the applicant’s “willingness and ability to address some of the concerns that the neighbors brought up during the public hearing.” Concerns from the public included housing density, traffic, tree preservation, open space and drainage.
“The commission, I think, specifically was interested in whether or not a road connection directly from the subdivision to Taylor Road was feasible,” said Bergman, “and they also wanted to know if including some amount of open space and/or tree preservation was feasible on this property.”
Attorney Jeff Rocker, who represents the applicant, has since provided an updated concept plan that includes about 13,000 square feet of green space, a connection to Taylor Road and a tree preservation line along the south board of the property. The plan labels certain areas of the land as designated for residential lots but does not show the boundaries of the individual lots.
“I would recommend that you add the following commitments,” Bergman told the commission. “That a minimum of 13,000 square feet of open space composed of preserved woods be provided, with the exact location subject to plan commission approval at the time of preliminary plat review; that a maximum of 90 lots be permitted at this location; and that a 15-foot tree preservation easement be established at the time of preliminary plat along the south and west property line where woods are present, with the exception to that easement being street and utility connections.”
Commissioner Zack Ellison’s motion to give a favorable recommendation to city council included the commitments stated by Bergman, along with an additional stipulation that a connection to Taylor Road be included in the development.
A few members of the public spoke during the time for comment at Wednesday’s meeting. Topics of discussion included affordability of the potential new housing, density allowed under RS4, impact on the neighboring residents, whether or not commissioners had visited the property and potential traffic congestion without a Taylor Road connection.
Justin Albers, who lives north of the subject property, emailed The Republic and other city officials with his concerns about the development and said he’s begun a neighborhood petition against the rezoning request, which had gotten 150 signatures as of June 3.
