Norwood planning commission approves lot split at 3732 Montgomery Road; assigns three parcel addresses

The Norwood Planning Commission voted unanimously Feb. 5 to approve a lot split for property identified as 3732 Montgomery Road, creating a 3.712-acre development parcel and a 1.5684-acre remainder parcel and assigning addresses to each new lot.

The action completes a step the applicant described as the "last step in the process" after consolidating several tax parcels and receiving variances from the Board of Zoning Appeals, attorney Dan Ott said. The commission also approved specific addresses for the parcels: 3732 Montgomery Road for the commercial/retail space, 1923 Lexington Avenue for the western apartment building, 1953 Lexington Avenue for the eastern apartment building, and 1971 Lexington Avenue for the easternmost parcel.

The lot split will separate the site into a 3.712-acre tract planned for two apartment buildings totaling about 205 units and a 1.5684-acre remainder parcel currently zoned for business/commercial use, Dan Ott, attorney for the applicant, said. "The development parcel is 3.712 acres, the remainder parcel is 1.5684 acres," Ott said.

Commissioners and city staff focused discussion on how addresses should be assigned so emergency responders and delivery services can reliably find building entry points. "If the residence is fully facing Lexington Avenue, we want a Lexington Avenue address," Tom McCabe, Norwood fire chief, said, arguing addresses should reflect the building face and primary street access. McCabe and other officials said it is common to give separate addresses for retail portions facing Montgomery Road and residential entrances on Lexington.

Staff and the applicant confirmed the property had received prior approvals on plan specifics and variances from the Board of Zoning Appeals; the applicant said those approvals are recorded with the Hamilton County auditor and recorder offices. City staff also reported that assigning Lexington addresses would not require reapproval by the Board of Zoning Appeals in this instance.

After questions and clarifications from the commission and staff about frontage, parking and parcel access, a motion to approve the lot split and assign the addresses passed on a roll call vote of 5-0.

The commission did not discuss building permits, unit-level mailing addresses, or final street-number assignment timing beyond directing staff to coordinate address recording with Hamilton County as part of the subdivision process. The applicant said construction could proceed this spring pending final permits and filings.

Details from the meeting show the commission relied on prior variances and planning approvals rather than reopening design approvals during the lot-split vote. The county recorder will reflect the legal parcel consolidation and new parcel IDs if the county processing proceeds as described by the applicant.