UAC Meeting Minutes - March 19, 2008
University Area Commission
19 March 2008
Meeting Summary
Call to order: President Ian MacConnell called the meeting to order at 6:37 pm at the Community Room, Northwood and High, 2231 North High and asked for a moment of silence in remembrance of Mary Stuessy, former UAC Commissioner and neighborhood activist, and for good thoughts for the recovery of John Sauer, Doreen’s husband.
Members present: Richard Allen, Grayson Altha, Robert Caldwell (left 8:09 pm), Sean Cunningham, Elan Daniel, Ahmed Ebady, Emily Foster, Catherine Girves (arrived 6:42 pm), Seth Golding, Bill Graver (left 8:35 pm), David Hegley, Joyce Huges, Ron Hupman, Ian MacConnell, Joaquin Serantes,Richard Talbott, Lisabeth Warncke, Tom Wildman, Sharon Young, (Doreen Uhas Sauer, excused)
Minutes/corrections: No minutes were read or approved due to the secretary’s absence.
Minutes tabled until next month.
Treasurer’s report, Seth Golding: Balance is at $504.79 with some checks out.
Reports:
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City of Columbus, Police Report, Officer Geis: Spoke about spring break (SRM Initiative called “All Hands on Deck” with multiple positions covering University District, presence of many plain clothes/cars, etc. Arrest this evening at 4th and 8th Avenues. He has dropped stats off to UAC. Tom Wildman thanks Officer Geis for work done in conjunction with proposed letter to be approved and sent by UAC.
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City of Columbus Neighborhood Liaison, Steve Soble: Mayor had area commission appreciation official photo; passed out information on Mayor’s Great American clean up which will be March 29th at Weinland Park from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Council passed legislation for clean up for Columbus Coated Fabric Site. New substation is coming together. Steve Soble offered to take questions for Andy Bauman, Code Enforcement. An update sheet from Code Enforcement included updates for Upholstered furniture statistics; 1328-30 North 4th; new graffiti legislation; 2498 Medary; 39-45 West Dodridge; 1179-81 North Grant; 2400-2 Findley; 12-24 Hudson; 2210 Summit; Sales One properties; parking issues in area; 2619 North High. Questions and topics offered by commissioners included: building behind Marathon on NE corner of East and Hudson which has apparently been abandoned; June 5th curfew enforcement reminder which will involve Columbus police (2 groups affected—youngsters up to age 13 and young people aged 13-18. Will be given a 1st warning and on 3rd warning will be fined); commission asked for something in writing about curfew. Additional information: Mayor continues to speak about streetcars there now seems to be some revision from initial proposal; in Mayor’s State of City address, Weinland Park work and work of Commissioners Caldwell, Hughes, and Girves was mentioned.
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Campus Partners, Steve Sterrett: Reported that Campus Parrtners was excited about the potential of the Columbus Coated Fabric site—City Council has approved $14 million in city funds for infrastructure improvements, site was part of State of City address and will hope to leverage $80 million in private investment, Wagenbrenner working with city to identify public infrastructure improvements for building 500 units of market-rate housing for working families, first-time buyers, and those looking for homes beginning at $90,000. Other items reported on included: 150 new street lights in core area; free parenting classes at Schoenbaum Family Center; new officers at the Weinland Park Community Civic Association; OSU Extension and Godman Guild Open House on April 2; President Gee’s upcoming lecture on land grant institutions; Safety Committee and Refuse and Code Enforcement Committee meets; newspaper sales which will benefit homeless; area artist Dianne Efsic’s mural which was noted in New York Times article; and feature on University District in Business First. Question arose as to whether Campus Partners is seen as outreach for OSU. Answer: Campus Partners has not wanted to be seen as a department of OSU
Public Comments and Announcements: None
Presentations:
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Columbus Housing Partnership, Inc. Victorian Heritage. George Mattei, Columbus Housing Partnership requesting letter of support to the City for HOME funds to complete a substantial rehabilitation in order to preserve and substantially enhance affordable housing at 1379 North High (34 elderly units); 138-166 East 5th and 1193-1195 Hamlet (17 family townhouses) and 66-72 Clark Place and 1338-1346 Hamlet (17 family townhouses). These buildings in district to be using HOME funds for application due on April 1st. Would be applying for Ohio Green Funds for green rehab and Ohio Historic tax credits for buildings on 5th Avenue and Clark Place for replacement of roods and windows, new kitchens and baths and mechanical systems. Also needed is new elevator and outside doors for building used by elderly. They would continue to retain Section 8 housing. Questions from commissioners included: tenant requirements; UARB review; 6th and Indianola units, and tenant relocation.
Motion to send letter of support (Girves, sed. Atha). Yes: Allen, Atha, Caldwell, Cunningham, Daniel, Foster, Girves, Golding, Graver, Hegley, Hupman, MacConnell, Warncke, Wildman, Young. No: Hughes, Talbott, Serantes, Ebady. Ab: Hegley. Motion passes. 15-4.
Committee Highlight Reports
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Zoning Committee, Ron Hupman
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253-267 East 12th, Zettler Site. Tim Welsh representing ZBP Partnership for proposed development of The East Village which requires rezoning for proposed mixed-use residential development. Applicant revised site plan and CPD text based on evening’s discussions and Zoning Committee. Plan is to have massing along Chittenden and step down toward 12th Avenue. Zoning Committee recommendation is conditional approval with additional changes to CPD test and text will come back to Zoning Committee for their approval before going forward. Changes to text will include access to roof to be limited; provisions for recycle containers and ways for garbage to be secured (per review of UARB); 4 inch caliper trees instead of 2 inch; commercial component to be retail but a restaurant would change parking required (and parking has been determined); elevation of floor of garage to be higher so water rolls away and not in. Questions to applicant included: rate of rents, ratio of parking spaces to building size; bike racks and security of bike rakes, LEEDS certification.
Motion to approve (Hupman for committee/Daniel sec.) Motion passed unanimously.
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Neil and 10th, former JR Meggs, Applicant Mike Salcone requesting variance from 32 spaces to 2 to permit construction of bagel restaurant and bakery. Zoning’s recommendation: approval of the requested parking variance and approval of demolition of existing building. Applicant and wife are owners of franchise which opened in Dublin. Intent was to renovated but structural evaluation showed problems. Plans to do a ground leave and build new bakery for 2400 sq ft restaurant of 1 story. Questions to applicant included: delivery service needs because of lack of parking, metered parking, bike parking, LEEDS certification.
Motion from Committee for requested parking variance and demolition of existing building. Motion passed unanimously.
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1254 Courtland Avenue. Applicant is Stickman Properties and represented by Dave Perry. Request is for council variance to permit specified additional uses in C3 and other specified uses in R4. Currently, most of property is C3 and a portion is R4 and current use is not permitted in C3 or R4 (dog day care and boarding use; office warehouse to remain and no other changes to proposed use). Questions to applicant included: dogs’ noise, and noise at night (boarding area will be inside use and west side of building). Motion from committee to approve specified additional uses. Yes: Allen, Atha, Cunningham, Daniel, Ebady, Foster, Golding, Graver, Hegley, Hughes, Hupman, MacConnell, Serantes, Talbott, Warncke, Wildman, Young. No: Girves, Caldwell. Motion passes 17-2.
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2204-2206 North 4th, brick 2 car garage, applicant Jeffrey Rupnow. No recommendation from Committee and no vote; allowing the 45 days to run.
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Planning Committee, Elan Daniel. Crew Stadium redevelopment and district signage; not enough information at present. Bill Graver has asked Scott Debolt to come to next Planning Committee. Nick Uhas from USG presented on USG sign project which is similar to UAC gateway signage which has been ongoing. Next month: safe routes to school, Crew Stadium, Dodridge Street rebuild, and churches operating within houses.
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Community Relations Committee, Richard Allen: Working on livable University neighborhoods with OSU; Sloopy’s Good Neighbor Agreement (Seth Golding spoke on agreement and present owners). Motion from Committee to enter into an agreement with a Good Neighbor Agreement with Sloopy’s (on file). Motion approved: Yes: Allen, Atha, Cunningham, Daniel, Ebady, Foster, Girves, Golding, Helgey, Hughes, Hupman, MacConnell, Serantes, Talbott, Warncke, Young. No: 0. Abs. Wildman. Motion passes. 16-0, 1 abs.
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Code & Enforcement Committee, Tom Wildman:
Motion to have letter of appreciation for Officer Carl Johnson’s service to the
University Area as Community Liaison Officer. Motion from Committee: passed unanimously.
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Governance Committee, David Hegley: Reminder to use City’s training to fulfill requirements for commissioners. Mentoring and officers discussion. Second Reading of the By-Law Changes. Proposed changes for
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Article 1 Section 7 to add “and the Recording Secretary shall read each commissioner’s name and how they voted aloud into the meeting’s minutes”
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Article II, Section 4, Paragraph A shall add, “shall vote according to Article I, Section 7.”
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Article IV, Section IV, Section 2, Paragraph E shall include, “which shall be tallied immediately by two commissions not running for an officer position…” and “one of the counters shall read aloud each commissioner’s name and how they voted…” and “official tally of votes will include…”
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Article VI, Section 8 shall read “…appointed by the President at the December meeting prior to 180 days before the next election.”
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Article II, Section 2, Paragraph B and C shall read term of officer for organization commission shall be “one two years” and term of office for group commissioner shall be “one two years.”
Motion from Committee: Changes to Article I, Section 7; Article II, Section 4, Part A; Article IV, Section 2, Paragraph E; Article II, Section 2, Paragraph E. Motion passed unanimously.
Motion to change Article II, Section 2, Paragraph B and C passed with 2 abs. David Hegley and Emily Foster.
Special Reports:
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Mayor Coleman’s State of the City
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Comments from Committee Chairs on highlights of meeting
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UDO Fifth Monday Series will be the 31st of March at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore in Gateway.
Adjournment:
Meeting was adjourned at @8:45 PM.
Respectfully submitted by Sharon Young, acting secretary, and Doreen Uhas Sauer, typing secretary