A longtime Columbus education center wants to move to a new more visible location across town, the school”s owner said during a Columbus Planning Commission meeting Monday.
Although the new property currently is zoned C-1, or neighborhood commercial, the commission unanimously agreed to allow the Children”s House Montessori School to relocate from Sixth Avenue North to 1723 Military Road.
The school, which provides alternative education to children in pre-kindergarten through second grade, has been at 923 Sixth Ave. N. since 1976. Relocating would allow better visibility and easier access for parents, Lamar explained.
“I”d like to move my school onto that property,” said school owner Rosemary Lamar. “The property on Military Road does have a circular driveway that would allow parents to easily drop off and pick up their kids.”
Although the planning commission approved the request, it must still be approved by the Columbus City Council at its July 21 meeting.
In other business, the commission:
n Denied rezoning a portion of a residence at 407 23rd St. N. from residential to neighborhood commercial.
If rezoned, the property owners, Lee and Geraldine Barlow, would have opened a small beauty shop in a building near their house. However, the commission denied the request after discovering the property did not meet criteria necessary for neighborhood commercial property.
“There is a minimum 100-foot width for neighborhood commercial,” said Columbus Zoning Officer Kenneth Wiegel. “Mrs. Barlow was made aware of this.”
While the commission did not approve the rezoning, board members requested the Barlows seek a permitted-use request from the commission during its August meeting. If granted, the permitted-use request would allow the Barlows to operate a single-chair beauty salon out of the residence.
n Rezoned a building at 201 23rd St. S. from multi-family residential to neighborhood commercial.
The property will be used to open a small, grill-type restaurant, said Rufus Harris, owner of Harris Home Design and Construction in Columbus.
“They will be serving hot dogs, burgers, ribs and things of that sort,” Harris told the commission.
If the rezoning is approved by the City Council, restaurant owners would be required to ensure the building is above the flood plain and must construct a fence around the establishment, commission members said.
n Approved a permitted-use request to allow a child day care at 115 Maxwell Lane.
If the rezoning is approved by the City Council, the day care will be the first project completed when the Congregational Worship Center begins renovating the property, said church Pastor Grover Richards.
Currently, the property is zoned restricted neighborhood commercial.
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