Council approves development plan for Credit Union of Ohio with reduced parking

Grove City Council on Jan. 20 approved a development plan for a Credit Union of Ohio branch at 2397 Old Stringtown Road, granting staff-recommended deviations including an illumination condition and a parking reduction from 20 spaces to 17.

In presenting the item, staff said the Planning Commission recommended approval on Jan. 7 with the conditions that vehicle and pedestrian areas meet the city’s 0.5 foot-candle illumination requirement and that the applicant work with staff on the reduced parking variance from Section 1135.12 of the city code.

Representatives for the applicant, including Nathan Pager (on behalf of the applicant) and engineer Tyler Jackson, described the change as appropriate for contemporary banking patterns. Pager said much banking activity is now mobile and that peak-hour counts at another branch showed many transactions occur at the drive-through or ATM rather than parked lobby customers. The applicant said the new building will be a full rebuild at the site, adding a drive-through facility the branch currently lacks.

Council members asked about the construction timeline and staffing; the applicant said the project team would seek building permits after the development plan approval and coordinate with the city’s service and building departments. The applicant estimated five employees would work in the building.

After public hearing and brief questions, a council member moved to approve resolution CR 0325 and the motion passed. Council recorded its support in roll-call votes in public session.

Recorded conditions on the approval require the applicant to work with staff to ensure lighting meets the 0.5 foot-candle requirement and to accept the granted deviation from Section 1135.12 reducing required parking to 17 spaces.