Gahanna commission allows temporary gravel parking at One Church until Oct. 31, 2027
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Summary
The Planning Commission granted One Church a variance to keep an existing ~23,000-square-foot gravel lot that holds about 70 vehicles as a staging and temporary parking area during construction, with a firm removal deadline of Oct. 31, 2027 and no extensions recommended by staff.
The Gahanna Planning Commission on Oct. 22 approved a variance (VDash0027-2025) allowing the existing gravel parking/staging area at One Church, 817 North Hamilton Road, to remain through Oct. 31, 2027, subject to the applicant’s commitment to remove the gravel lot once construction of the approved auditorium and new parking areas is complete.
Planning staff summarized the site’s long history: a gravel lot was installed without city approval in October 2023 and resulted in a notice of violation. A prior variance had been approved in 2024 with an expiration date of Dec. 31, 2024; that approval expired and a subsequent variance request was denied in January 2025. The commission approved revised development plans in May 2025 for an auditorium and new parking areas; the current request asks to retain the gravel surface temporarily while the approved work moves through permitting and construction.
Staff described the gravel lot as approximately 23,000 square feet with capacity for about 70 vehicles and recommended approval with a condition that the gravel be removed by Oct. 31, 2027, noting two years is a reasonable period for permits and construction to proceed and that staff would not support extensions beyond that date. Brent Allen, operations director at One Church, said the church is in the second round of site-plan review and expects construction to begin soon; he said Weaver Construction will manage staging security and that the church would shuttle attendees from an off-site lot during active staging.
Commissioners asked about security, potential environmental controls for fugitive dust, and contingency plans if construction is delayed. The motion to approve included the explicit deadline of Oct. 31, 2027 and a provision that the commission would not grant further extensions; the motion passed with one abstention.
