Columbus Board of Zoning Appeals Meeting – April 28, 2026

The Columbus Board of Zoning Appeals met on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, Columbus, Indiana. The meeting was streamed live and available online. Board members present included Presiding Officer Zach Ellison, Grant Hale, Hillary Maple, Chuck Doup, and Brandon Hill. Deputy City Attorney Austin Witte and Planning Department staff member Melissa Bagley were also present. The board considered four public hearing items: a development standards variance for an accessory structure, a conditional use and two development standards variances for multi-family projects at two locations, and a temporary parking lot variance for an equipment company. All items received public comment and were approved with conditions.

Public Comments & Testimony

• BZA-26-20 (Andrew Wilson – Accessory Structure Variance): Tom Dell (1063 Hummingbird Lane) spoke in support, noting the practical difficulties due to the property's setback constraints and agreeing that criteria three was met. No opposition was voiced.
• BZA-26-22 & BZA-26-31 (Marpel Multi-Family – Conditional Use and Variances): Cheryl Adams (121 Hege Avenue) expressed concerns about parking density, safety, and emergency vehicle access on Hege Avenue, stating that on-street parking is already extremely limited. She requested a traffic and parking impact analysis before approval. Tom Dell spoke in favor, stating the proposal adds needed housing and that the variances for parking reduction and backing onto Beatty Lane are appropriate given the neighborhood context.
• BZA-26-23 & BZA-26-32 (England Multi-Family – Conditional Use and Variances): Tom Dell again spoke in support, noting the project adds density in an area where it is needed, the parking exceeds requirements, and the height variance is acceptable given similar structures nearby.
• BZA-26-26 (Taulman Equipment – Temporary Parking Lot Variances): Tom Dell supported the temporary gravel lot, noting the company's growth and future building expansion plans that will ultimately reconfigure parking.

Discussion Items

• BZA-26-20 (Andrew Wilson – Development Standards Variance): Andrew Wilson, petitioner, requested a variance to allow two shipping container storage structures to be located 7 feet from the side property line, encroaching 13 feet into the required 20-foot setback at 3640 Commerce Drive (I-2 Industrial General zone). The containers (each 8x40 ft) would be placed behind an existing accessory building. Staff noted the property also has an unauthorized gravel area that must be addressed separately. Wilson explained that the gravel area is needed for maneuvering trucks and trailers for his lawn care business, and placing the containers in the setback is the only feasible location due to space constraints. He stated the containers will be painted white to match the neighboring property. The board asked about moving the containers, but Wilson confirmed the location is the most practical. No additional public comment was heard. The motion to approve passed with conditions (criteria one, two, and three met based on testimony).
• BZA-26-22 & BZA-26-31 (Marpel Multi-Family – Conditional Use and Variances): Henry Maqueda (via representative Dustin England) proposed adding two dwelling units to create a three-unit multi-family development at 152 Hege Avenue (RE zoning district). The new two-story building (two 960 sq. ft. units) would have parking accessed from Beatty Lane, a narrow public street (10 ft wide). The applicant requested: (1) conditional use for multi-family, (2) a variance to allow only 4 off-street parking spaces instead of 5, and (3) a variance to allow parking spaces to back into Beatty Lane (a public street). Staff noted the property has good access to transit, parks, and commercial services. The existing single-family home will remain; a subdivision will merge two lots to accommodate the parking. The board discussed requiring a 5-foot sidewalk along Hege Avenue as a condition. The applicant explained that adding parking beyond the four spaces is currently impossible due to a city storm drain easement, but if the city later allows gravel parking on alleys, additional spaces could be added. The public comment from Cheryl Adams highlighted parking concerns; Tom Dell countered that the project reduces on-street demand. The conditional use was approved with the sidewalk condition, and both variances were approved.
• BZA-26-23 & BZA-26-32 (England Multi-Family – Conditional Use and Variances): England Properties requested conditional use for a three-unit multi-family development at 1521 California Street (RE zoning district). The new two-story building will have three garage bays on the ground floor and two one-bedroom units (434 sq. ft. each) above. Parking is accessed from an alley; six off-street spaces are provided, exceeding the requirement of five. Two variances were requested: (1) accessory structure height of 26 ft (5 ft taller than the 21 ft primary structure) to accommodate garage doors and roof pitch, and (2) minimum dwelling unit size of 434 sq. ft. (66 sq. ft. below the required 500 sq. ft.). The applicant explained that the height is needed for functional garages and that the unit size is adequate for efficiency living. The building to the north is 30-32 ft tall, so the proposed height is compatible. No public opposition was raised. Both variances were approved along with the conditional use.
• BZA-26-26 (Taulman Equipment – Temporary Parking Lot Variances): Taulman Equipment requested variances to allow a temporary gravel parking lot (41 spaces) for employees at 6440 South International Drive (I-3 Industrial Heavy zoning). The lot will be used for up to two years while the company plans a building expansion. Variances sought: (1) waiver of paving, striping, and curbing/wheel stops for the parking surface; (2) waiver of parking lot interior landscaping and public street frontage landscaping. The petitioner, Tim Thomas, explained that once the expansion is finalized, the parking will be reconfigured and paved. A concrete sidewalk will connect the gravel lot to the building. Dust control will be managed by using dense-grade aggregate. Staff recommended conditions: the lot must be removed or brought into full compliance within two years, and two additional ADA spaces must be provided in the existing paved lot. The board approved both variances with those conditions.

Key Outcomes

• BZA-26-20 (Andrew Wilson): Approved (motion by Grant Hale, seconded by Chuck Doup). The variance allows two storage containers to encroach 13 feet into the required 20-foot side setback. The applicant will receive an approval letter and must address the unauthorized gravel area as a separate matter.
• BZA-26-22 & BZA-26-31 (Marpel Multi-Family): Conditional use approved (motion by Grant Hale, seconded by Hillary Maple) with condition: a 5-foot wide sidewalk must be installed along Hege Avenue prior to completion of the additional dwelling units. Variance 1 (parking reduction to 4 spaces) approved (motion by Chuck Doup, seconded by Grant Hale). Variance 2 (backing onto Beatty Lane) approved (motion by Hillary Maple, seconded by Chuck Doup).
• BZA-26-23 & BZA-26-32 (England Multi-Family): Conditional use approved (motion by Chuck Doup, seconded by Hillary Maple). Variance 1 (accessory structure height of 26 ft) approved (motion by Grant Hale, seconded by Hillary Maple). Variance 2 (minimum dwelling unit size of 434 sq. ft.) approved (motion by Chuck Doup, seconded by Hillary Maple).
• BZA-26-26 (Taulman Equipment): Variance 1 (parking lot design standards) approved (motion by Chuck Doup, seconded by Hillary Maple) with conditions: (a) within two years the parking lot must be removed and site restored or brought into full compliance with all applicable standards; (b) two additional ADA parking spaces must be provided in the existing paved lot, with locations shown on the site plan for the zoning compliance certificate. Variance 2 (landscaping requirements) approved (motion by Hillary Maple, seconded by Chuck Doup).
• Findings of Fact: BZA-26-11 (MAC Properties), BZA-26-12 (Sparks Investments), and BZA-26-13 (DOC Chumley’s) were all approved on motions.
• Minutes: The minutes of the March 24, 2026 meeting were approved.
• Other: The board noted that four planning staff members were absent due to a conference in Detroit. Members extended well-wishes to staff member Jeff's wife, who is recovering from brain tumor surgery.