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Board approves Wellington School site plan and 21-sq-ft wall sign variance with neighborhood meeting condition
Summary
The board approved Wellington School’s amended major site plan and a variance to allow a 21-square-foot wall sign in an R-1 district, attaching eight conditions including EV charging, lower light trespass levels, utility burial when replaced and a required neighborhood meeting with return to the board for any significant changes.
The City of Upper Arlington Board of Zoning and Planning on March 25 approved an amended major site plan for Wellington School and a variance to allow a 21-square-foot wall sign in a residential district, attaching eight conditions and a requirement that the applicant meet with neighbors.
Staff described the roughly 19-acre site northeast of Reed Road and Fischinger Road, noting the school is a permitted use in the R-1b single-family residence district. The proposal includes a 4,115-square-foot addition to replace a 1918 building on the south side of the campus, relocation of the bus drop-off to the Reed Road entrance, expanded southern staff parking (+48 spaces to reach ~408 total), new pedestrian connections, updated lighting, and landscape improvements including outdoor learning areas. Staff noted demolition of the 1918 building and confirmed that any asbestos-containing materials must be remediated and removed per state and federal requirements before demolition begins.
Staff supported the site plan and recommended the sign variance, pointing out the site already contained multiple board-approved signs and that the requested wall sign would help with wayfinding. Staff recommended conditions to ensure code compliance and reduce neighborhood impacts, including installing electric vehicle charging for parking areas over 50 spaces, obtaining necessary fence and design permits, addressing light trespass with staff, ongoing work with the city forester on landscaping, burying overhead utilities when replaced, coordination with the fire department, and a requirement that the applicant meet with neighbors and return any significant changes to the board.
Several neighbors spoke during public comment: Doug Fast (Lyon Drive) requested a short pause to allow neighbors more time to review plans, asked about sign illumination hours, and sought meetings with the applicant’s architects and engineers; Normandy Square condominium representative Art (speaker 3) said the HOA had not been consulted and urged a pause so residents could review construction protections; Theresa Thompson asked how asbestos would be mitigated. Wellington School representatives, including Eliza McLaren (who identified herself as head of school), said they would meet with neighbors, noted outreach steps and alumni plans tied to the 1918 building, and said a pause would imperil the school’s planned schedule and a recognition event for the 1918 building.
Board members debated pausing review for roughly two weeks to allow additional neighbor meetings versus approving now with conditions. The board agreed to add an eighth condition requiring the applicant to meet with neighbors and return any significant changes to the board; staff noted minor landscaping or lighting adjustments consistent with code may be handled administratively. The board then approved the site plan and the sign variance by voice votes.
The approvals are subject to the stated conditions; staff will continue to work with the applicant on lighting, landscaping and permitting, and the applicant committed to neighbor outreach to report back.
