Upper Arlington planning board approves residential variances with stormwater and screening conditions

The City of Upper Arlington Board of Zoning and Planning approved several residential variances at its Nov. 19 meeting, including a height-and-compatibility variance for a detached garage at 2548 West Lane Avenue and a contested lot-line adjustment involving Zollinger Road and Asbury Drive. The board attached conditions to approvals intended to address drainage and screening concerns.

Staff told the board the 2548 West Lane proposal had been revised repeatedly since July and now includes a pool‑house/garage configuration with the taller bay designed to accommodate vehicle lifts. Staff said revised plans reduced massing, changed materials to be more compatible with the house, and proposed dry wells and rain‑garden features to capture runoff on site. "If approved, staff in our building department would take a very close look at drainage," staff said during the presentation.

A neighbor, Bruce Raider (2579 Onondaga Drive), opposed the West Lane request, citing frequent standing water on his property and a previous basement flooding in the area. "My biggest concern is drainage," Raider said, describing the local grade and existing culvert conditions behind the properties. The applicant, Matt Launice, said the project team will work with a civil engineer and the city engineer to size drainage features and avoid off‑site impacts: "The water issue... we will be working with a civil engineer, and we'll work with the city engineer to make sure that there is that is off the table." The board approved the variance with a condition requiring staff and the city engineer to review the stormwater management plan and requiring the landscaping/screening plan to be reviewed by the city forester.

The board also approved a lot‑line adjustment at Zollinger Road (variance application 49‑25) after extended discussion about slope, drainage and neighborhood precedent. The applicant agreed to narrow the transfer to a 40‑foot adjustment; the board approved the lot‑line adjustment by a 4–3 vote. Staff noted the resulting interior lot would be under the 9,000‑square‑foot minimum (roughly 7,008–7,800 square feet), and asked that drainage be addressed by neighboring property owners and the applicant during construction.

Separately, the board approved a conversion at 2727 Canterbury Road allowing a detached garage to be converted into a pool house with a covered patio and outdoor kitchen while retaining the existing 5‑foot side and rear setbacks (10‑foot minimum). Staff supported that variance based on heavy screening, existing fences and limited visibility from neighboring properties.

What happens next: for projects that require building permits the applicant must submit engineered stormwater plans and a landscape plan for city review and approval. Staff said they will follow up with applicants and neighbors as the permit and inspection process proceeds.