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Neighbors’ concerns lead BZA to deny oversized garage variance on Sawmill Road
Summary
The Columbus BZA rejected a request to expand a residential garage at 4923 Sawmill Road after neighbors argued the addition would alter neighborhood character and raised questions about a planned corridor/right‑of‑way; the board found the variance substantial and denied the request.
The Columbus Board of Zoning Adjustment voted on March 24 to deny a request to increase an existing residential garage at 4923 Sawmill Road from the 450-square-foot limit to roughly 970 square feet.
Rick Watts, the applicant, told the board the larger garage would allow him to secure utility vehicles and free up driveway space for personal cars. Neighbors and other speakers raised concerns about the size of the proposed structure relative to the house and about a broader transportation plan that might require future right‑of‑way dedications. One neighbor said the proposed corridor line could affect existing homes: “This line would go through the middle of my house,” he told the board.
Board members weighed whether the requested expansion met the Dunkin/Duncan factors for variance relief, including whether the variance was substantial and whether it would alter the essential character of the neighborhood. Chair Palmer Bailey and a majority of members concluded the proposed increase was substantial and presented a likely detrimental change to neighborhood character; the motion to deny passed on the board floor and the variance was not granted.
Board member Waldley dissented, saying the addition would be largely behind the house and not visible from Sawmill Road. The chair noted the board had to consider precedent: a large garage approval could encourage similarly outsized accessory buildings in otherwise modest residential areas.
The denial means the applicant may revise and resubmit a smaller addition or pursue other design options; the board did not direct staff to pursue enforcement action on the existing building footprint.
