[{"_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",6230544,"mediaKeyId","3442182-6955cdccbfc3ea58d72f4f3c79d559d6","parentId",3442182,"title","Commission reviews conceptual plans to rebuild Stevenson Elementary; neighbors raise parking and drop‑off safety concerns","audioSeconds",1614,"startMs",5202000,"endMs",6816000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442182-6955cdccbfc3ea58d72f4f3c79d559d6&start=5202&end=6816","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442182-6955cdccbfc3ea58d72f4f3c79d559d6/thumbnail_5202000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6230544/Grandview-Heights/Franklin-County/Ohio/Commission-reviews-conceptual-plans-to-rebuild-Stevenson-Elementary-neighbors-raise-parking-and-dropoff-safety-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230544-bc90f9a7974edf0027391363e976236f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775558177&Signature=Slj4jc31sa8hDa-UEZeEk4TS1lOWTSIhLWDdejjsQ2vs3sl5~6S6idYQIh7Xe~vWnEZsQNpgoEpoh-wplTt0Q4ALb6cHxqVt-RJYoOrKB4jkrSzpAJmqQa5kLLvNBmLQS7Ps-lQgo2U0ozO8EFLgwYyPDOKSz6qKeT67uwTrGMqZf1Vcvd3tXM-2yfeMpVR3IwzgzXC44vPkbtgQOygyEedgZ-14TAe7bYB7~67k0SFpA4BNpTK-k2P6AbU5ajF3de9Phun9erk095GNJODZnq5-7JMxvqNbK0~kKBikDkwKOiYldEn3RoW0SS5~DdGJbBLtcNqFNP~d9FaD8d8tGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Grandview Heights, OH ","date","2025-05-21T23:03:13Z","article","Grandview Heights planners and the school district presented conceptual designs on May 20 for rebuilding Stevenson Elementary on its existing site. The commission heard an overview of a larger, modernized elementary school intended to replace the nearly century‑old building and to provide right‑sized classrooms, gym and cafeteria while keeping the school in its present neighborhood location.

Architects and school officials described the plan as a reconstruction on the same parcel with new outdoor learning and play areas. The project will require multiple setback variances because the parcel lies in an RS-2 residential zone with lot‑coverage and height standards designed for detached single‑family homes. Planning staff noted the property’s unusual triangular shape and topography constrain layout options and make several variances necessary even if some footprint elements remained similar to the current building.

The applicants emphasized the rebuild is intended to meet current programmatic needs — larger classrooms and instructional spaces — rather than to increase staff or the number of vehicles. In response to neighbors’ questions about parking and circulation, a district representative said the plan shows 40 onsite spaces (one more than the current 39) and that the new building is sized to serve current and modestly increased enrollment; the district added that modular classrooms will be used during construction, and permanent enrollment or start‑time changes were not part of the current submission.

Neighbors and commissioners raised pedestrian safety and morning/afternoon drop‑off as top concerns. Staff said traffic observations and a limited site‑specific study had been done (AM drop‑off and PM pickup) and that the project team has asked traffic engineers to provide recommendations. Commissioners urged attention to sidewalk continuity, safe crossing points, the existing lay‑by on First Avenue and the need for clear emergency‑vehicle access and turning radii.

Architects showed conceptual elevations that use brick and stone materials to echo the school’s historic character while modernizing form and providing mechanical screening; staff asked the applicant to provide additional perspective views and material detail at the next review. Commissioners also asked for more detailed perspective views of mechanical penthouses and screening so neighbors can assess potential visual impacts.

The commission treated the submission as a conceptual review and did not vote on variances or site plans at the May 20 meeting. Staff and the district agreed to provide refined drawings, additional traffic analysis, emergency‑service turning‑radius data and more detailed elevation and landscape information at a future meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 21, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Planning Commission reviewed conceptual plans for a reconstructed Stevenson Elementary School on its existing site, with designers describing a larger, re‑sized building that preserves location but will require setbacks, height variances and detailed traffic and safety planning; no approvals were given.","taxTitle","Grandview Heights, Franklin County, Ohio","taxId",72272,"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},6230550,"Commission holds conceptual review of Grandview Heights School District athletic improvements; tables formal action pending Columbus traffic study",991,1465000,2456000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442182-6955cdccbfc3ea58d72f4f3c79d559d6&start=1465&end=2456","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442182-6955cdccbfc3ea58d72f4f3c79d559d6/thumbnail_1465000.jpg","/articles/6230550/Grandview-Heights/Franklin-County/Ohio/Commission-holds-conceptual-review-of-Grandview-Heights-School-District-athletic-improvements-tables-formal-action-pending-Columbus-traffic-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230550-0269a57c04b185328b3e619662d031e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775558177&Signature=HF3iFmVMqDY55iiDb9J9XVLHQN4PcIZP1brbPFGffRE5ewbSqenoTh3zNW1kGrVdgtfeRS9v7XvonXwM6lFcIbqasEKuOwjF067EYK2rujTnIOycMVx-Z8dDHet1oLjtDJY846DSsTB1uIi5mwyZjOVjqlZE4ch-SCC1gyiKkDlPuklstqlc3Owc8bdzRY0mlLsnW~0SqohoPvT8JyFSiHgxaFSq90l296cvaLNyCVDW9~TouSNMBQCZ-87rKapLe2zdd8d4imMN5FIE14I3fq8dQ1Tl0azGMZrJxt7Wx47VVO9rMgMx-qccMN4O7Wpd8Xn3pGuTBzgR0jcvmvLTkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Grandview Heights Planning Commission on May 20 conducted a conceptual review of the Grandview Heights School District’s proposed phased improvements to the high‑school athletic complex at 1587 West Third Avenue and decided to table formal action until staff and the applicant can provide additional information, particularly the results of a traffic study being done with the City of Columbus.

District representatives from Perkins and Will and project contractors presented a first‑phase scope that includes a new central building housing locker rooms and an athletic trainer facility, replacement of home and visitor bleachers, a turf replacement, minor storage building renovations and a consolidated enclosure for existing cell‑tower equipment. The district described the submission as a Phase 1 package of work intended to proceed while longer‑range circulation and roadway changes remain subject to coordination with Columbus.

Jordan Salmit, a senior planner working on behalf of the city, said the district’s proposal requires multiple variances because the property resides in a residential zoning district (RS) with setback and height limits designed for single‑family homes. He described the site as bounded primarily by properties in the City of Columbus and noted that some of the guest bleachers currently sit partly within Columbus right‑of‑way, meaning the district must pursue both Grandview Heights approvals and separate Columbus encroachment approvals.

The district and contractor provided a preliminary construction timeline for the athletic spaces. Jay Tadina of Elford Construction said the team planned to start the central building and related north‑end work “June 1” with a roughly eight‑month duration to complete that portion, then pause and complete bleacher replacement and turf work in a subsequent summer; the transcript contained inconsistent year markers for the planned start, and the commission and district emphasized the schedule is subject to final permitting and coordination. District representatives said the turf replacement is targeted for summer 2027.

Traffic and circulation emerged as the primary outstanding issues. The district has executed a memorandum of understanding to complete a formal traffic study with the City of Columbus and, at the time of the meeting, was about a month and a half into what the applicant described as a “minimum six‑month” process. Commissioners and many neighbors asked for more information on where spectators would enter and park under both the Phase 1 and the full‑master‑plan scenarios; the district said a future plan could include head‑in parking along Fairview and Northstar pending Columbus approval and the traffic‑study outcome.

Other discussion items included signage and banners proposed on the new central building, relocation and reuse of the stadium scoreboard, fencing and screening details, ADA access to visitor bleachers and emergency‑vehicle access. Commissioners asked the district to provide additional analyses for police and fire access, turning radii for service vehicles, and sight‑line and landscape details for neighbors.

Public commenters — many living on Fairview and Northstar avenues near the site — voiced concerns about construction impacts, truck and worker traffic, noise, work hours, how long phases would last and possible loss of parking during construction. Jay Tadina said the team intends to comply with city noise/working‑hours ordinances and that the contractor’s plan seeks to allow home events to continue during construction through phased sequencing.

Because multiple variances, right‑of‑way approvals in Columbus and additional information from safety services remain unresolved, the commission voted to table the case to a subsequent meeting so staff and the applicant can return with the traffic‑study findings and requested technical information.

The project remains in conceptual review (PC case 8‑2025); no variances or site‑plan approvals were adopted at the May 20 meeting.","The Planning Commission and the school district discussed a phased overhaul of the high‑school athletic complex — new central locker/training building, bleacher replacement, turf and signage — and agreed to table formal approvals while the district completes a traffic study with the City of Columbus.",{"_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},6230555,"Planning commission approves rear addition and parking variance for cooling‑technology firm at 1847 W. Fifth Ave.",1263,162000,1425000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442182-6955cdccbfc3ea58d72f4f3c79d559d6&start=162&end=1425","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442182-6955cdccbfc3ea58d72f4f3c79d559d6/thumbnail_162000.jpg","/articles/6230555/Grandview-Heights/Franklin-County/Ohio/Planning-commission-approves-rear-addition-and-parking-variance-for-coolingtechnology-firm-at-1847-W-Fifth-Ave","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230555-d34185c6f4c02acdb1a4ef56fc027eb2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775558177&Signature=I05HhO2ILYN4CvbzarQBHFK-1I3Hao~ezbfSkZZ-3JTMk2eBouZj4YL7qnlRADC0K4klJ7Vxf6OwWhrvg-dxNF-xQQTbmc25FaBmFoNwV5iPRuevkZYsHGvWboSX8ChMGcDOwQaZrthZnkDenJnQsckpVy-vDO40rSqesnZJLIyyYvDQ2pxZHAxGOLmhGZuHqa0lgraWW-yvReF4hXuqfIyGCAlg2GbUAWWF3eyQieTlMoKnKeZ6ozTJZXCVi50Bzh2U6KJtmFbrQXiYhxaJGa0CD1mYZ6-3I-93H5o9riosLdMR6Zna8vOCm8UFp8wLy~Osag19GQ~V9Ioum8rTtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Grandview Heights Planning Commission on May 20 approved a conditional use permit and parking variance for work at 1847 West Fifth Avenue that will let OBR Cooling Towers add a rear research-and-development addition to an existing commercial building while keeping the existing onsite parking count.

The decision allows the company to create an enclosed R&D “clean lab” addition to a building currently used for office space and sales. Jordan Salmit, senior planner with Planning Next, told the commission staff determined the proposed workshop-style addition fits the zoning definition of a “warehouse facility located entirely within a closed building,” a use that requires conditional use approval in the C-2 (community commercial) zoning district.

The permit and variance were granted with conditions intended to reduce neighborhood impacts. Salmit said staff and the applicant agreed the addition’s east‑facing garage doors should remain closed during operations, that no outdoor storage would be allowed, and that the project should avoid encouraging overnight parking on adjacent residential streets. The motion passed with all commissioners voting yes.

Applicant representatives described the project as a modest expansion of the company’s Columbus presence to provide bench-scale testing, remote monitoring and other R&D functions. Phil Paul, introduced in the hearing as “the CEO of OBR Cooling Towers,” said the addition is “not contractor storage. It would not be garage per se. This is meant to be a place where they bring things in. They tinker with them.” He also said the company is not seeking to expand office capacity or immediately increase onsite staff dramatically.

Staff presented two parking calculations. If the full combined floor area were treated as office, the code would require 21 spaces; under the combination of primary office use and an enclosed warehouse/workshop addition staff calculated 16 required spaces. The site presently has 13 spaces; the applicant requested a variance to memorialize the existing 13 spaces rather than add new stalls. Salmit and the applicant told commissioners that the building’s existing interior layout (originally two residential structures converted to a single commercial building in 2008) limits the number of employees that can be located in the office portion and therefore that current parking provision is functionally sufficient for the proposed use.

Commissioners and public commenters asked about operational details: routine hours, delivery size and frequency, forklift use and future staffing. The applicant said typical hours would be similar to standard business hours, described deliveries as generally box‑truck size and said any service vehicles would leave site at night. The applicant said a small electric forklift might be used inside the enclosed addition.

Among public comments, an adjacent resident urged the applicant to choose durable landscape species rather than arborvitae, citing examples of specimen failure on nearby properties; the applicant said landscaping choices were not final. The commission included conditions addressing screening and mitigation of impacts on surrounding residences.

The commission’s approval record shows a unanimous vote in favor of the conditional use and related variance. The action, recorded as PC case 7-2025, included standard conditions recommended by staff; the applicant will return with final plans and any building permits required before construction begins.

The project moves forward under the City of Grandview Heights zoning code’s conditional use and variance processes and remains subject to standard building‑permit review.","The Grandview Heights Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit and parking variance allowing OBR Cooling Towers to add a rear R&D addition to an existing commercial building at 1847 West Fifth Avenue while memorializing the site's existing 13 parking spaces.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission reviews conceptual plans to rebuild Stevenson Elementary; neighbors raise parking and drop‑off safety concerns

Commission holds conceptual review of Grandview Heights School District athletic improvements; tables formal action pending Columbus traffic study

Planning commission approves rear addition and parking variance for cooling‑technology firm at 1847 W. Fifth Ave.