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Board OKs front-yard fence and reduced tree requirements for new Alton Darby Creek childcare center
Summary
The board approved variances July 16 to allow a four-foot decorative fence in the front yard and to reduce required tree-caliper and replacement trees for a proposed 11,269 sq ft childcare facility at Alton Place; staff found site constraints and many poor-condition trees justify the variances with conditions.
The Hilliard Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously approved variances July 16 that will allow a proposed 11,269-square-foot childcare facility at 2689 Alton Darby Creek Road to place a four-foot ornamental fence within the front yard and to reduce tree-planting and tree-replacement-caliper requirements.
Planning staff said the property is within the Alton Place HCD plan and the Big Darby area; staff summarized multiple landscaping requirements in the Hilliard code—tree-caliper based on square footage of building coverage, vehicular-use-area landscaping and replacement-tree obligations—and said the site contains numerous existing trees, many of which are in poor condition or are species the city discourages. Staff recommended approval with conditions because site constraints and the number/condition of existing trees make full compliance practically difficult.
Applicant representatives Justin Wallenberg (civil engineer) and Phil Moorhead (planner, GTU Planning) described the fence placement (set back from rights-of-way and honoring separation from an existing multi-use path), outlined the proposed species for replacements and said they would coordinate with the master developer to add some off-site trees. Staff said the applicant proposes 29 trees total (including some off-site plantings) and that the plan would provide a minimum combined caliper the board could accept under conditions.
After public comment was closed, a board member moved to approve the variances with the staff's four conditions; the motion was seconded and carried on roll call with votes recorded as unanimous among members present.
