ThisWeek CW 06/15/2011
The use of vinyl building materials once again topped the agenda for the Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission’s meeting on June 13.
Resident Kristina Bailey, who attended the meeting to represent herself and her neighbor, Jennifer Gillespie, said they hoped to receive a variance to replace their current fencing — a mixture of dilapidated wood, chicken wire and metal farm fencing, according to Bailey — with a new six-foot vinyl fence, color-matched to the house.
Bailey and Gillespie’s properties back up to the greenspace adjacent to Stradley Place Park. According to planning commission member Dan Konold, Bailey’s home, built in 1873, is the oldest one in the Historic District.
“The current wood fence is warped and leaning,” Bailey said. “We want a nice view of the park and a consistent look that is aesthetically pleasing and maintenance-free. The fence will look like wood.”
Commissioner Jeff Graber asked about wood texturing on the vinyl. Bailey said there wasn’t any texture and provided samples of the material.
“I just don’t think we should have a vinyl fence on the oldest home in Canal Winchester,” Konold said.
Preservation Area representative Patrick Lynch agreed.
“It would be a shame to have a vinyl fence; we fought the whole vinyl siding issue and I don’t think this vinyl fence would be appropriate, either,” Lynch said.
Bailey also sought a variance for a pergola facing Liberty Street.
The public right of way along Liberty Street, as shown on city maps, currently divides Bailey’s living room as well as the location of the proposed pergola.
The planning commission voted against the variance for the vinyl fence but in favor of the pergola, pending approval by city council to vacate the right of way. Currently, no date is set for a council vote.
Also Monday, Historic District resident Julie Boswell, 20 W. Columbus St., requested a variance to install French doors in place of a single exterior door, and to remove a chimney and awnings from her home.
Builder Jacob Pleger, representing Boswell, said prior to re-roofing the house, the owner wants to remove the leaking chimney.
He said the 1874 home was modified in the 1950s with awnings and the enclosed porch. Pleger said the French doors would allow additional light into the 1950s portion of the home.
“The French doors are a problem because the preservation guidelines require not changing anything visible from the street,” planning commission member Joe Abbott said.
Following further discussion, the commission rejected the variance request to allow the French doors but in favor of removing the chimney and awnings.
New development issues before the commission included construction of a Chipotle restaurant at Waterloo Crossing with variances for parking along the front and sides of the building, as well as amending signage rules along Waterloo Street.
“We passed guidelines so you’re looking at buildings, not parking lots, when you drive into town, ” Konold said. “We’d hate to set a precedent with this very first building being different than what we voted in six months ago.”
RED Architecture and planning representative Ed Wilson said the shape of the lot and a utility right of way dictated the plan for the current placement of the building as well as the parking, including a circular drive between the front of the restaurant and Gender Road.
“From a landscaping point of view, we’ve done a lot to address making it better looking,” Wilson said. “But the whole point of the drive is to redirect traffic into parking. It’s a narrow lot and we don’t want a lot of people needing to back up.”
Commission member Bill Chistensen said the building could be shifted to the east side of the lot, with parking facing the Walmart parking lot.
Wilson agreed to redraft the site design to reflect this change and discuss the commission’s ideas with Chipotle.
The commission voted to table the parking variance. Members also voted in favor of establishing signage requirements along Waterloo Street that mirror those for Gender Road.
Also, the commission approved a request from TS Trim Industries to install a new electrical substation on Gender Road in order to provide stable power to the company’s manufacturing plant. The substation, according to South Central Power representative Brad Markwood, will also provide more stability to adjacent properties.
The next planning and zoning commission meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., July 11 at the Town Hall, 10 N. High St.