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Commission approves 6,960 sq. ft. addition and conditional use for Columbus Gymnastics; lighting, planting and mounding required
Summary
Planning commissioners approved a conditional-use permit and final development plan for Columbus Gymnastics Academy to add roughly 7,000 sq. ft., with conditions requiring updated LED lighting, specified shrub heights, matched light poles and foundation mounding to screen the building from adjacent residences.
The commission approved a conditional-use permit (C25-003) and the final development plan (FDP25-005) for a roughly 6,960 sq. ft. addition to Columbus Gymnastics Academy in the Villages of Westchester.
Planning staff recommended approval after reviewing compatibility with the 1990 Westchester zoning text and confirming Madison Township Fire had no objections. The applicant described two site improvements — a landscaped mound on the east rear of the condos to screen the site and an updated LED lighting plan for the building and parking lot; the applicant said the fixtures would be LED and match new pole styles.
Staff’s recommended conditions for FDP25-005 included planting 13 trees for the parking/building expansion, installing a 4-foot-high hedge that will reach 4 feet at maturity (staff asked the applicant to set planting heights at 24 inches initially), replacing or matching existing parking-lot poles to the proposed light-pole style, and mounting the foundation of the new addition to match the existing building grades so the building integrates visually with existing structures. Commissioners also added a condition to require mounding between the parking/dumpster area and adjacent apartments to reduce headlight and noise impacts. Town McCoy of Townley Construction, speaking for the applicant, said interior unit heaters will replace external HVAC units to improve aesthetics.
The commission took a single roll-call vote to approve the conditional use and then the final development plan with the stated conditions. Staff indicated the building-permit process will determine final occupancy figures, which are tied to egress and restroom counts.
