ThisWeek CW 10/30/2014
http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2014/10/27/cota-park-and-ride-rezoning-request-to-have-public-hearing.html
A plan for a new COTA Park and Ride lot in Canal Winchester will get a public hearing, along with City Council’s consideration, after the city’s Planning and Zoning denied a rezoning request.
The lot is proposed for land located just north of U.S. Route 33 on the east side of Gender Road, directly across from Wyler Chevrolet.
It is made up of a total of nine parcels which, when combined, stretch east to Winchester Pike and are bounded on the northwest by a Columbia Gas easement, and on the northeast by the home of Glen and Wilma Faught at 691 Winchester Pike.
Of the nine parcels, five adjoining Gender Road are already zoned general commercial. The other four properties, purchased by the Central Ohio Transit Authority, adjoin Winchester Pike across from Hidden Lakes Vineyards & Winery and previously were zoned for single-family homes.
“Several neighbors spoke out against (the proposal) at the Planning and Zoning meeting,” Mayor Michael Ebert said. “COTA wants to setup a Park and Ride to save money and time. Instead of having several stops around town, they can set up one place for express buses to load up. Part of the land used to be Steve’s Auto Sales, which is already zoned commercial, so we’ll have to see what council does.”
At the Oct. 13 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, commission members voted to deny a request to rezone the COTA-owned property from residential to general commercial.
Members Mike Vasko and Bill Christensen voted in favor of the rezoning, while Jeff Graber, Jim Knowlton, Dan Konold and Jennifer Lynch voted against it.
At the Oct. 20 council meeting, members agreed to schedule a public hearing on the matter for Dec. 1 at Town Hall, 10 N. High St. Council then will have the option to vote to approve the rezoning, which could overturn the Planning and Zoning Commission’s decision.
If the rezoning is approved, COTA intends to pave the current gravel road running through the property, shown on development plans as Trillium Avenue, making it a public road connecting Gender Road and Winchester Pike with an entrance to the Park and Ride parking lot.
The Park and Ride parking lot is designed with space for 164 vehicles, bicycle racks, a bus shelter and staging for three to four COTA buses.