Council advances Lockpoint Village rezoning after public hearing, with conditions on roof pitch and porches

Canal Winchester City Council voted on May 5 to send a rezoning and preliminary development plan for a 25.87-acre parcel on Hill Road to the full council, advancing a proposal from Stark Enterprises to develop 122 attached multifamily units under a new planned residential district called Lockpoint Village.

The Planning & Zoning staff report presented the project as a rezoning of property currently covered by an older PRD text adopted in 2001 (Greengates) into a new planned residential district. The developer’s plan proposes 122 apartment units, more than the parcel’s prior base allowances, two Hill Road access points, an internal sidewalk network with at least five connections to the regional Hill Road sidewalk, recreational amenities including a clubhouse, pool and dog park, and more than 240 parking spaces laid out as internal garage, driveway and surface parking.

Planning staff told council the Planning & Zoning Commission reviewed the zoning map amendment and preliminary development plan concurrently and recommended sending both to council with one condition: the developer should further review two specific deviations — the proposed 4/12 roof pitch (staff and the commission referenced a 6/12 standard in the Residential Appearance Standards) and a reduction in minimum front porch dimensions (applicant requests 5-by-8 feet versus the 7-by-10 feet standard cited in the appearance standards) before final development-plan submittal. Staff said the applicant has committed to preserve existing tree lines along the site’s east…