Gahanna Planning Commission Meeting – September 24, 2025

The Gahanna Planning Commission met on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 7:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order by Chair Sarah Pollyea and adjourned at 7:59 PM. All seven members were present. The primary agenda item was a consolidated public hearing for a Variance Application (V-0023-2025) and a Development Plan Application (DP-0007-2025) for a proposed Biggby Coffee at 348 Granville Street, a 0.3-acre site zoned General Commercial. Both applications were approved unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: The minutes from the September 10, 2025, Planning Commission meeting were approved by a 7–0 vote (motion by Tamarkin, second by Suriano).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lou Bose (Prime AE Group): Representing the applicant, voiced appreciation for staff’s presentation and confirmed that significant effort was made to address vehicle stacking and discharge to ensure smooth traffic flow through the site.
• No other members of the public spoke.

Discussion Items

Staff Presentation (Director of Planning Michael Blackford)

• The site is 0.3 acres, zoned General Commercial, and was previously an office building (demolished). The proposed building is 445 square feet, prefabricated, with a walk-up window and drive-thru. Eight parking spaces are provided (five required). Nine trees are proposed (four required).
• Five variances were requested:
  1. Metal siding (prohibited as primary material) – granted due to small scale and added accents.
  2. Facade transparency – 5.7% glass (25% required) – due to prefab design.
  3. Parking in front of building – necessitated by staff’s request to push the building back to improve drive-thru stacking.
  4. Buffer and screening – 10-foot buffer and 6-foot screen required between commercial and residential; existing fence and same ownership mitigate need.
  5. Two wall signs – one per frontage allowed; second frontage (Rocky Creek Drive) is a private drive, not a public road.
• Staff concluded all variance criteria were met and fully supported the project.

Commissioner Questions

• Shapaka: Asked about sign locations (showed canopy sign), existing fence between lot and Dairy Queen, and material selection. Applicant (Alan Balen, Biggby franchisee) confirmed the design was intended to aesthetically fit the area, and hours are 6–7 AM to 9 PM, not 24/7.
• Mako: Confirmed the use is permitted under current zoning and consistent with the Land Use Plan. Asked about the escape lane crossing property line (same owner, no issue), redundant sidewalks (proposed sidewalk to accommodate future road widening), and existing legacy sign (to be removed).
• Suriano: Clarified dumpster sharing across property lines, same as the lane.
• Laser: Expressed concern about morning rush traffic, proximity to high school and preschool, and potential noise for apartment residents. Applicant noted the adjacent building is a leasing office (no residents) and that the right-turn exit eases morning traffic toward I-270.
• Greenberg: Asked about dumpster enclosure (will have a gate), fence height (6 feet), and expected student walk-up traffic. Applicant stated afternoon coffee demand is low, with 6–7 employees typically on shift.
• Tamarkin: Questioned the lot split history (from apartments), menu board status (exempt from sign code), and existing fence location.
• Pollyea: Clarified the walk-up/ drive-thru model (no indoor seating), closing hours (9 PM), and barrier between the site and Dairy Queen (a sloped asphalt area prevents vehicle access).

Key Outcomes

• V-0023-2025 (Variance): Approved 7–0. Motion by Tamarkin, second by Shapaka. Commissioners noted the variances were minor, necessary due to the small site size, and the final design would look attractive.
• DP-0007-2025 (Development Plan): Approved 7–0. Motion by Greenberg, second by Tamarkin. Commissioners affirmed the use is permitted and consistent with the Land Use Plan.

Official Reports & Other Business

• Council Liaison (Pollyea): Encouraged commissioners to watch the most recent Committee of the Whole meeting featuring Economic Development Director Jeff Gottke’s two-hour presentation on potential Creekside developments, including residences, a hotel, and restaurants.
• Commissioner Comments: Tamarkin remarked on the Creekside proposal and noted he, along with two other members, would be absent at the next meeting.