[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6278246,"mediaKeyId","2641640-dd92c5a1c56c185d433f96933c0b2480","parentId",2641640,"title","Commission discusses Big Darby Accord update, conservation zoning, stream restoration and sewer tap allocation","audioSeconds",3117,"startMs",1142000,"endMs",4259000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2641640-dd92c5a1c56c185d433f96933c0b2480&start=1142&end=4259","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2641640-dd92c5a1c56c185d433f96933c0b2480/thumbnail_1142000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6278246/Hilliard/Franklin-County/Ohio/Commission-discusses-Big-Darby-Accord-update-conservation-zoning-stream-restoration-and-sewer-tap-allocation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278246-3396bd076d11e3e5c9d58cda9a87f672/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183273&Signature=KnDgU06inYK7itxz4O11VihNedapFRCtTzrvl2SAHXJJnbUjJ4l42VSkZ7cRMQFYQX8P4oaysaM~ieuOz~TKN73qAcBD-9S27nJoewh7rrn53csmFz0vJ81SrnI-DqBsHwlD-gtHG8EH8tiPe5lQ0I-1hHq786cvS4cJ8Lw1w3Z~Me2pdTwgO6PGvxpiFRn8xRRf3dyQTPLdHOBEfFAYZdMapibnoQPlOLOJmyixbmPg4WB88auEaw79q2xySr5Ju7fwZL11rrbe7tQLfxkmlfyVil6aPQsL4NzFt~FcV44xhptSUkH0rCJBIxPi8bFOoeCHX7KGwC31u-ORmnltzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Hillard OH","date","2025-03-15T00:53:21.347Z","article","Planning staff and commissioners spent the latter portion of the March 13 meeting reviewing the Big Darby Accord Watershed Master Plan, recent Hilliard conservation zoning changes, completed stream restoration projects, and the implications of newly available Columbus sewer taps for land west of Alton Darby Road.

Staff presented the comprehensive-plan and Darby-area land-use maps, noting a mismatch between the plan text and the map: the text describes two conservation development categories — one at 1 dwelling unit per acre and another at 0.2 units per acre (the latter reflecting a 5-acre minimum typical of township rules) — but the displayed map does not match those density descriptions. Staff warned that the inconsistency complicates reviews before the Darby Accord panel and can create uncertainty for applicants and panel members.

Commissioners and staff discussed incentives and density bonuses in the Darby manual. The manual provides an example in which 60% open space could yield a 15% density bonus, but staff said the manual’s bonus formula and crediting for stream restoration are unclear and can discourage developers from doing the most beneficial stream work. Staff and commissioners cited a recent case where a developer conserved 22 acres and performed stream restoration; panel advice questioned whether that credit should apply to the developer’s project. As a result, staff said there is uncertainty about when conservation actions off a developer’s parcel can be counted toward density or other incentives.

Staff outlined local actions already completed: Hilliard has spent about $1.7 million on stream-restoration work within the city’s portion of the watershed and the transcript references more than three miles of restored or created channel across the planning area. Staff provided an example where individual line items in a chart were about $818,000 and $930,000; the record shows Hilliard’s total stream-restoration spending in the plan area at about $1,700,000. The commission also reviewed acreage figures: staff said the area west of Alton Darby that lies inside Hilliard’s service/annexation boundary contains a little over 2,700 acres; the Darby document had referenced a target of about 2,000 sewer “taps” for the Hilliard area, while staff also noted a recently communicated figure of 1,331 additional sewer taps available for the Hilliard area. Commissioners flagged the arithmetic mismatch: 2,700 acres at a ratio of 1 unit per acre is not consistent with a 2,000-tap allocation.

Commissioners discussed limits on municipal annexation and the city’s water/sewer contract boundary with Columbus, first established in the 1990s. Staff explained that the contract boundary constrains where Hilliard can extend service west of Walker Road and that the city cannot unilaterally change those service limits without negotiation. Commissioners and staff also discussed transfer-of-development-rights concepts: while an internal transfer within Hilliard can be used to move density, statutory limitations prevent simple transfers across municipal boundaries in Ohio; the Darby manual contemplates a “de facto” transfer mechanism in some cases, but its application remains complicated.

The panel discussed parkland and open-space definitions. The Big Darby Accord’s definition emphasizes natural conservation open space that protects watershed processes; that standard excludes typical active recreation like soccer fields and mowed parkland in some places. Commissioners said the document’s conservation-only wording has made it difficult for the city to plan for neighborhood athletic fields even as the plan elsewhere recommends additional active recreation. Several commissioners and staff said they expect the planned update to clarify these conflicts.

Staff said Columbus is leading a Darby Accord update this year and has engaged a consultant (MKSK) to manage stakeholder outreach; staff reported a schedule that aims for an updated document by the end of the year. Commissioners urged more consistent monitoring and data sharing; several speakers referenced an Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) or similar water-quality monitoring program and encouraged an agreed monitoring network so jurisdictions can compare water-quality metrics across the watershed.

Commissioners asked for clearer, consolidated documentation of past and ongoing conservation investments across jurisdictions. Staff said they will compile a unified map and table showing completed projects, stream-restoration lengths and documented expenditures before the next round of Darby Accord updates so panel members and local officials have a shared record.

The commission did not take formal action on policy changes during the meeting; staff framed the discussion as background for forthcoming updates and potential policy refinements the commission may review in the current update cycle.

Key quantitative details discussed in the meeting: the Darby manual’s example (60% open space could yield a 15% density bonus); a past conservation/stream-restoration donation of 22 acres credited to Columbus Parks; Hilliard’s reported stream-restoration spending of about $1.7 million in the city’s planning area; a chart referenced by staff showing line items near $818,000 and $930,000; “over three miles” of restored or created stream channel cited in the presentation; a reported 1,331 additional sewer taps available for Hilliard; and the roughly 2,700 acres of developable land west of Alton Darby considered in Hilliard’s portion of the plan area.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning & Zoning Commission - Mar 13 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Planning staff and commissioners reviewed the Big Darby Accord master plan and Hilliard’s conservation/zoning approach, highlighting map/text inconsistencies, incentive limits for stream restoration, and how newly allocated Columbus sewer taps could affect future development west of Alton Darby Road.","taxTitle","Hilliard, Franklin County, Ohio","taxId",52752,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6278249,"Commission backs conditional use for National Basketball Academy; staff, owner clarify parking and occupancy limits",438,692000,1130000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2641640-dd92c5a1c56c185d433f96933c0b2480&start=692&end=1130","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2641640-dd92c5a1c56c185d433f96933c0b2480/thumbnail_692000.jpg","/articles/6278249/Hilliard/Franklin-County/Ohio/Commission-backs-conditional-use-for-National-Basketball-Academy-staff-owner-clarify-parking-and-occupancy-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278249-b058137db03f2fd43dd5619407093ad9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183273&Signature=f~n2advSwQZlL0Th23MkTN9d-86AiJBiXOZMJiK7av42TfDb2WmeqOoypwf~Mm2R1MpZxRff5iWE1yO5lUbiq-XoGaLc244hB~ot7z-0V~2k3utdtMLZJoFKRvdzzqoVqjFWJndjHvQn8rd7LBcXpZz0TpSkfaC9r85cy0u6WHewl38szDfIwJXugF7ykXsh09qgmjzs2ldgBVMXivLB79VDj8v1DYCGUH62RGeO3VPZhPRgi2Dpk3TGxsNFt8qmcZ4s1sk~HvfzoT30Q1631C7vQmVINS-VfbyLmDI~cqswctOK4Aw~LwbC6-eH2P0INr8VpEv05c6vI~XYsSd1UQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hilliard Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously on March 13 to approve a conditional use permit for the National Basketball Academy to operate a personalized-training facility at 4402 Weaver Court North.

Planning staff told the commission the tenant will occupy about 9,000 square feet of an approximately 12,000-square-foot building in an M-1 restricted industrial district. The proposal is for individualized and small-group basketball training rather than games or tournaments; staff said tournaments would trigger additional parking and potential building-code issues. Staff summarized owner-provided restrictions that will be carried with the conditional-use approval, including a cap on instructors and daily clients so the use fits the site's approved parking scheme.

Staff and the property owner said the tenant will use 15 parking spaces within the overall site plan. Staff described an operational limit of up to four instructors and up to 30 clients per day; during discussion a commissioner noted a separate occupancy reference of 45 people that the owner said the building’s configuration and parking would not routinely allow. Staff also confirmed that restrooms are shown conceptually on the floor plan and that the tenant must meet building-code requirements during the permit and building-permit process.

Leland Vogel, the property owner, told the commission the building is already constructed and the tenant will occupy approximately three-quarters of the structure. Vogel said the property owner will enforce tenant parking and that rules in the owner’s letter will be carried forward as conditions of approval.

A motion to approve the conditional use “with the five conditions under the staff recommendations” passed on a roll call vote of 7–0; the commission forwarded a positive recommendation to city council. The staff conditions and the owner’s letter will be part of the permit record and enforceable through the city’s land-use and building-permit processes.

Clarifying details: the tenant space is approximately 9,000 sq ft of a ~12,000 sq ft building; staff described a maximum of four instructors and up to 30 clients per day; the use will utilize about 15 parking spaces as previously approved in the site plan; games and tournaments are prohibited by the conditions because they would increase parking and building-code requirements.","The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional use for a 9,000-square-foot National Basketball Academy at 4402 Weaver Court North, limiting instructors and client counts and placing five staff-recommended conditions on the approval; the vote was 7–0 and the item will go to city council with a positive recommendation.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6278252,"Planning commission approves sign variance for Bright Path daycare at Davidson Road",520,154000,674000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2641640-dd92c5a1c56c185d433f96933c0b2480&start=154&end=674","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2641640-dd92c5a1c56c185d433f96933c0b2480/thumbnail_154000.jpg","/articles/6278252/Hilliard/Franklin-County/Ohio/Planning-commission-approves-sign-variance-for-Bright-Path-daycare-at-Davidson-Road","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278252-27dbb175ef3deb4ae496a63418dd8c41/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183273&Signature=Jy1L2pYLtLTRS1qP9D9NXBzF7KOKS-JwjNUmM6eoYxepU5PnFfqvD0htPc304GzKTy5t-5ZfuoHy72hQkej2TP6sV8mydbEe6pIT3KKDmTHCY~dy4O3Dd-Ey8I39DQ7JBkydaPHuyGz8Pip1l2H59YOkdKx3Z1U4mc9iw-vHDdbcfgwkTd2OYl~zFfPsj8BzhDCkmx~mtyetJPhp4xEmuP~1g6F-DWCkzVF51CocY5eaNk~bVfcK-aunUZ0THLYY-pfyYfjKQeDHkHQqtZ6r8Sq8--HSYmt4jm0b39PThb3UG95uE6flBa7-6B~bJJRXN6-CFbhQ8jo2KiP3iFr8sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hilliard Planning and Zoning Commission on March 13 unanimously approved a sign variance for a daycare in the Davidson-Britton PUD, allowing two wall signs and a ground monument sign with extra logo colors and a reduced monument cap height.

Staff told the commission the site is just over 4 acres at the corner of Britton Parkway and Davidson Road and that the project previously received final development plan approval in March 2024. The applicant requested permission for two wall signs and a monument sign that contain more colors than normally allowed by city code and for a monument cap reduced to 13 inches; staff said the code requires a cap between 18 and 24 inches. Commission staff recommended approval with two conditions, concluding the design meets the spirit and intent of the code and “will blend in with the general character of the area.”

Alyssa Sherry of Prestige Signs, the applicant’s representative, told commissioners the sign’s artwork uses seven colors. “It is 7 colors, with a logo there,” Sherry said, and offered to provide photos of similar face- and halo-lit signs for the file. Commissioners asked whether the sign’s face and halo illumination and the number of colors would be a precedent; planning staff said the color limit is not a scientifically derived number but a practical guideline intended to keep commercial signs legible and not distracting. Staff noted past approvals have allowed 5–7 colors in cases where the extra hues were minor elements of the logo.

During the discussion one commissioner asked whether the city should set a hard limit, noting past limits were four colors (three plus a black or white background). Staff replied the rule is intended to be flexible: businesses that need more colors may request a variance and the commission evaluates legibility and overall visual impact.

A motion to approve the variance “with the two conditions listed in the staff report” carried on a roll call vote of 7–0. The motion was seconded by Mr. Marsh. The staff conditions will be included in the file and enforced through the city’s sign permit process.

Clarifying details: the approved monument sign cap measures 13 inches; the city code specifies a cap between 18 and 24 inches. The applicant described the logo as using seven colors; illumination will include both face lighting and halo (back) lighting. The commission recorded no public opposition for the item.

The approved variance will be implemented through the city’s permitting process; the applicant agreed to provide photo examples for the record and to supply final sign drawings as part of permit review.","The Hilliard Planning and Zoning Commission on March 13 approved a sign variance for a Bright Path daycare at the Britton Parkway/Davidson Road roundabout, allowing a monument sign with a reduced cap height and a logo with additional colors; the vote was unanimous, 7-0.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission discusses Big Darby Accord update, conservation zoning, stream restoration and sewer tap allocation

Commission backs conditional use for National Basketball Academy; staff, owner clarify parking and occupancy limits

Planning commission approves sign variance for Bright Path daycare at Davidson Road