Update on Church Property

The Easton Worship Center on the corner needs to sell their church for financial reasons. The potential buyers would like to use the property for some type of development there. At first, the buyer wanted to build a retail shopping center, possibly with apartments above, on the site. We as a civic association and a community were not in favor of that, since we did not have any idea what kind of businesses were going to be moving in, and they did not have any plans or drawings to show.

After meeting with a representative for the potential buyer, they rethought their plans and eventually presented an upscale apartment complex with a clubhouse and pool. Representatives of the civic association and representatives for the buyer worked together to make sure the development does the least amount of harm to the neighborhood.

Of course we all wish the property would remain a nice church on a wooded lot, but the church has a right to sell the property to whomever they wish. All we can do is work within the zoning process to try to keep the land use in line with the neighborhood’s character.

The Civic Association and its Zoning Committee, after requesting and receiving a number of changes to the plans to preserve the treeline along 161, increase the landscaping buffer between the apartments and existing homes on Forest Edge and Trillium Court, etc., voted to recommend in favor of the plans.

The Northland Community Council (NCC) then reviewed the plans at their January meeting, listened to comments from the developer, from our civic association, and from neighbors near the proposed development. The NCC, which is a regional group that helps the Columbus City Council understand the desires of local neighborhoods, recommended in favor the development and the requested zoning change.

In February, the Zoning Commission of the City of Columbus also recommended in favor. The last step will be for the City Council itself to approve the zoning change.

It would be nice if nothing changed, but we can’t stop the sale of the property. There will certainly be construction mess later on in 2014, if all goes as planned. And there will be more people living in our neighborhood and driving on our streets.

Here are the good things:

• The apartments are attractive and the rent is high, and they are 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments, which are likely to attract single people and seniors.
• As a church, no property taxes are generated by the property. Once it becomes an apartment complex, the land owner will pay property taxes, thus increasing funding for our schools and government in general.
• The zoning change that allows apartments to be built is conservative and does not allow very high density. It also eliminates a small area at the corner of Forest Edge and Strawberry Farms that had been zoned in such a way as to allow almost anything, including a gas station, to be built there.
• The signage will be small and tasteful.
• The lighting will be enough to make the areas around the buildings safe, but will be designed not to spill over into the neighborhood
• The developer is required to preserve the treeline along 161
• The developer is required to pay a fee to Columbus Parks & Recreation as part of the development fees, and we have negotiated with the city to have that money earmarked for Strawberry Farms Park, rather than having it go into the Parks & Recreation General Fund.
• The apartment community will be managed by the developer/owner, which is a local company
• The apartment complex includes plenty of parking, so there will not be in increase in people parking on the streets.
• The buyer has committed to allowing some community use of the apartment clubhouse for nonprofit community meetings, since we do not have much convenient meeting space in our subdivision
• The buyer is working with the city to attempt to swap the section of sidewalk they will be required to build on Strawberry Farms Blvd. north of Forest Edge, and instead finish the sidewalks along the land around the FEMA building, so pedestrians can safely walk around the “big block” and in the area of the traffic islands where there is currently no sidewalk and no safe place to walk.

In short, the company seeking to buy the land is doing its best to be a good neighbor. Having worked with them in good faith, we have been able to shape the proposed development in our neighborhood.

In thanks for the process going forward in a civil manner, the members of the church have offered to conduct a small service project for the neighborhood, which is being organized via the civic association.

At the end of the day, despite this development not being something we asked for our desired, the outcome is among the best we could hope for. We are grateful to everyone who participated in the process and furthered civic discussion and participation at all levels.

The buyer’s representative has promised to provide us with a contact at the development, once building commences. If you have concerns about the construction phase or any other problems, please contact the Civic Association so we can relay your concerns.