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Board of Zoning Adjustment grants most variances, denies oversized garage request on Sawmill Road
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Summary
At its March 24 meeting the Columbus Board of Zoning Adjustment approved a long slate of variances and lot-line adjustments across the city while denying a controversial request to expand a garage on Sawmill Road. Several approvals included conditions addressing alley access, curb cuts and sidewalk/landscape requirements.
The Columbus Board of Zoning Adjustment approved most of the variances on its March 24 agenda, granting relief on lot widths, parking counts, setback reductions and façade rules across multiple neighborhoods while adding conditions intended to protect circulation and pedestrian access.
Chair Palmer Bailey opened the meeting by reviewing procedures and then led members through a packed agenda that included variances for properties on East Fifth Avenue, Deming Avenue, North High Street and East Broad Street, among others. Staff recommendations — on balance supportive — and applicant presentations preceded each vote. In several cases the board imposed conditions: for East Fifth Avenue the board required an alley and alley approach built to the Division of Traffic Management’s standard drawings; for 4255 North High Street the applicant removed a High Street curb cut and added a front door as staff requested; and for several Title 34 district cases the board required landscaping or limited the approval to the legal description presented to staff.
The most contested item was BZA25‑1474 at 4923 Sawmill Road, a request to increase a garage from the 450-square-foot code allowance to about 970 square feet so the owner could store utility vehicles. Neighbors raised concerns about precedent and possible roadway plans in the LinkUS/transportation corridor; one neighbor warned, “This line would go through the middle of my house,” and asked for clearer information about future right‑of‑way needs. After debate the board concluded the addition would be too large relative to the house and the neighborhood character and voted to deny the variance.
Other notable approvals included a multi‑unit proposal at 2013–2019 East Fifth Avenue (parking reduced from 12 to 8 with conditions), several lot split and ADU requests in Franklinton and Near East neighborhoods, and a variance for an oil-and-tire service on East Broad Street where staff opposed one element but the board found the design met Title 34’s spirit. The board also granted a variance legalizing a long-standing privacy fence at 3542 Lindstrom Drive after staff and traffic review found no sight-line hazard.
Meeting records show the board made multiple conditional approvals rather than universal waivers: where sidewalk, curb-cut or side-yard language could affect adjacent owners, the board often required applicants to return with clarified site plans or to pursue separate right-of-way/sidewalk exemptions before final building permits were issued. Several cases were tabled or placed on hold for additional information.
The board adjourned after completing the agenda and taking a final round of housekeeping motions. Items that drew protracted discussion — particularly the Sawmill Road garage expansion and Deming Avenue lot-split/sidewalk questions — may return to staff or the board with updated plans or additional notice requirements.
