Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Urban Design Parking Screening topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Downtown Commission approves revised screening and larger planting bed for 55 East Main parking lot
Summary
The Downtown Commission approved a revised design for a service parking lot at 55 East Main Street that replaces proposed chain‑link fabric fencing with decorative masonry piers and metal fencing and requires a substantially larger landscape bed behind the Main Street setback.
The Downtown Commission voted to approve a revised certificate of appropriateness for a parking lot screening project at 55 East Main Street, requiring a larger landscaped bed behind the Main Street setback.
Commissioners approved a revised proposal from the applicant to remove chain‑link fabric from the Main Street frontage and use pedestrian‑oriented screening consisting of masonry piers with a three‑foot metal fence and plantings, with the specific condition that the landscaped bed behind the fence be expanded to approximately 20 feet (to be shown on site‑plan compliance drawings). The approval also preserves a no‑climb black chain‑link fence at the rear and along the alley as previously shown in the submission.
The applicant, represented by Bridal Kramer of Premier Engineering, presented two screening options in response to feedback at the May hearing: Option 1 featuring 4‑foot masonry piers with a 3‑foot metal fence and landscape beds in front; Option 2 using square planters and plantings. Kramer and the property owner agreed to maintain planters or a planting bed and to avoid chain‑link fabric at the Main Street frontage. During discussion, commissioners and staff pressed for more landscape area behind the fence to reduce the visual dominance of asphalt. Staff recommended a condition requiring enlarged planting beds and said small post‑submittal adjustments could be handled during site‑plan compliance review if needed because of building and zoning comments.
Ricky Knox, assistant director of construction for Franklin County, spoke as the owner representative and confirmed the owner’s willingness to maintain the plantings. Commissioners asked the applicant to revise the cap detail of the masonry piers to a less abrupt profile and suggested cast‑stone caps rather than actual limestone to reduce ponding.
The approved materials package included revised site plans, renderings, elevations, material cut sheets for the proposed black no‑climb fence, masonry piers and cast‑stone caps, and planting schedules. Staff noted the proposal is generally consistent with the Downtown Design Guidelines’ preference for masonry and high‑quality materials for parking‑lot screening, and that dumpsters remain to the rear where accessible by alley.
The commission’s approval is conditioned on the applicant showing the enlarged planting bed (approximately 20 feet depth) on the packet submitted for site‑plan compliance; staff may accept minor technical changes recommended by Building and Zoning Services during that review.
The commission closed the item after a short motion and vote that registered support from the commissioners present.
