Columbus Zoning Committee to Consider Variance for Unpermitted Franklinton U-Haul Site
Amerco Real Estate Company seeks eight zoning exemptions at West Broad Street and North Central Avenue to resolve an active municipal code violation.
Columbus City Council published a Zoning Committee agenda on Wednesday placing Ordinance 2570-2026 on the calendar for a public hearing on Monday, Oct. 19.
The ordinance would grant Council Variance CV26-013 to Amerco Real Estate Company to legitimize an existing, unpermitted U-Haul moving truck rental facility operating at 1420-1432 W. Broad St. in Franklinton. Amerco filed the application on Sept. 10 to establish an updated site compliance plan in response to an active zoning code violation on the 0.56-acre parcel at the northwest corner of West Broad Street and North Central Avenue.
Under Columbus zoning rules, the property sits in the Urban Center (UCT) district, where moving truck rental facilities are classified as automobile, vehicle, and equipment storage and are prohibited. City planning records state that the U-Haul operation was not legally established when the Urban Center zoning standards took effect along the corridor.
Eight Requested Zoning Variances
To bring the existing site into compliance without altering its physical layout, the proposed legislation requests eight specific variances from city code:
- Use Table (Section 34.E.20.100.A): Allows a moving truck rental facility, which is otherwise barred under Urban Center district rules.
- Drive Aisle Width (Section 3312.09): Reduces the minimum required aisle width from 20 feet down to 10 feet.
- Maneuvering Area (Section 3312.25): Lowers the required maneuvering area for parking spaces from 20 feet to 13.7 feet.
- On-Site Parking and Setbacks (Section 34.E.20.060.G): Permits parking spaces and circulation aisles between the primary building and adjacent streets, while cutting the required 24-foot front setback along West Broad Street to 3 feet and the required 5-foot side setback along North Central Avenue to zero feet.
- Building Façade Landscaping (Section 34.G.20.030.A.1): Waives the requirement that at least 50% of the ground between the building and the street parcel lines be landscaped, permitting no landscaping along the front and side frontages.
- Parking Lot Trees (Section 34.G.20.030.D): Eliminates the requirement to plant one shade tree per 10 surface parking spaces.
- Headlight Screening (Section 34.G.20.040.A): Excuses the site from installing headlight screening between parking areas and adjacent roadways.
- Vision Clearance (Section 34.G.20.050.A.2): Allows a vehicle display area that may obstruct the required 10-foot vision clearance triangle at the intersection of North Central Avenue and the northern alley.
Staff Endorsement and Planter Box Conditions
Both the Franklinton Area Commission and Columbus city departments recommended approval of the variance package, according to staff findings. City staff noted that the Columbus Growth Strategy (2026) designates the site for “Mixed-Use 2” land uses, which aligns with the request, and affirmed their support because the measure formalizes an existing business rather than introducing a new commercial footprint.
City approval carries binding conditions. Under the proposed ordinance, Amerco must install and maintain landscaping in the form of planter boxes along the West Broad Street and North Central Avenue frontages. The Department of Public Service must review and approve the design, will hold no maintenance duties within the right-of-way, and retains sole discretion to remove the planter boxes in the future.
The legislation also requires Amerco to obtain all necessary municipal permits and a Certificate of Zoning Clearance.
Sunset Clause Tied to Demolition
The ordinance contains a strict sunset provision limiting the long-term life of the variance. The authorization remains in effect only while the site continues operating as a moving truck rental facility or switches to standard Urban Center district uses.
If the existing commercial structure is ever torn down, “the variance is terminated,” preventing future owners from redeveloping the property with vehicle storage uses outside standard Urban Center corridor standards.
The Columbus City Council Zoning Committee is scheduled to hear Ordinance 2570-2026 during Regular Meeting No. 46 at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 19 in City Council Chambers.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Supporting evidence (2)
Columbus City Council published a Zoning Committee agenda on Wednesday placing Ordinance 2570-2026 on the calendar for a public hearing on Monday, Oct. 19.
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2570-2026 · To grant a Variance from the provisions of Sections 34.E.20.100.A, Uses, Use Table; 3312.09, Aisle; 3312.25, Maneuvering; 34.E.20.060.G, Urban Center (UCT), On-Site Parking; 34.G.20.030.A.1, Landscaping, Development Site Landscape Requirements; 34.G.20.030.D, Landscaping, Parking Lot Shade Trees; 34.G.20.040.A, Screening, Headlight Screening; and 34.G.20.050.A.2, Vision Clearance, of the Columbus City Codes; for the property located at 1420-1432 W. BROAD ST. (43222), to allow a moving truck rental facility with reduced development standards in the UCT, Urban Center District (Council Variance #CV26-013).
The Columbus City Council Zoning Committee is scheduled to hear Ordinance 2570-2026 during Regular Meeting No. 46 at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 19 in City Council Chambers.
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REGULAR MEETING NO. 46 OF CITY COUNCIL (ZONING), OCTOBER 19, 2026 AT 6:30 P.M. IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
Supporting evidence (18)
The ordinance would grant Council Variance CV26-013 to Amerco Real Estate Company to legitimize an existing, unpermitted U-Haul moving truck rental facility operating at 1420-1432 W.
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The requested Council variance will legitimize a U-Haul facility that was not legally established at the time the UCT district went into effect.
Amerco filed the application on Sept. 10 to establish an updated site compliance plan in response to an active zoning code violation on the 0.56-acre parcel at the northwest corner of West Broad Street and North Central Avenue.
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Additionally, the requested variance will facilitate an updated final site compliance plan in response to an active zoning code violation, and is in response to existing site conditions.
Under Columbus zoning rules, the property sits in the Urban Center (UCT) district, where moving truck rental facilities are classified as automobile, vehicle, and equipment storage and are prohibited.
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A Council variance is required because a moving truck rental facility is considered to be an automobile, vehicle, and equipment storage use which is not allowed in the UCT district.
City planning records state that the U-Haul operation was not legally established when the Urban Center zoning standards took effect along the corridor.
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The requested Council variance will legitimize a U-Haul facility that was not legally established at the time the UCT district went into effect.
Use Table (Section 34.E.20.100.A): Allows a moving truck rental facility, which is otherwise barred under Urban Center district rules.
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WHEREAS, Section 34.E.20.100.A, Uses, Use Table, does not allow vehicle rental facilities in the UCT, Urban Center District, while the applicant proposes to allow a moving truck rental facility; and
Drive Aisle Width (Section 3312.09): Reduces the minimum required aisle width from 20 feet down to 10 feet.
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WHEREAS, Section 3312.09, Aisle, requires a minimum aisle width of 20 feet, while the applicant proposes a reduced drive aisle width of 10 feet; and
Maneuvering Area (Section 3312.25): Lowers the required maneuvering area for parking spaces from 20 feet to 13.7 feet.
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WHEREAS, Section 3312.25, Maneuvering, requires every parking space to have sufficient access and a minimum of 20 feet of maneuvering, while the applicant proposes a reduced maneuvering area of 13.7 feet; and
On-Site Parking and Setbacks (Section 34.E.20.060.G): Permits parking spaces and circulation aisles between the primary building and adjacent streets, while cutting the required 24-foot front setback along West Broad Street to 3 feet and the required 5-foot side setback along North Central Avenue to zero feet.
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WHEREAS, Section 34.E.20.060.G, Urban Center (UCT), On-Site Parking, does not allow parking and circulation aisles to be located between the principal building and adjacent streets, and requires a minimum surface parking setback of 24 feet from the front-facing street and five feet from the side-facing street, while the applicant proposes parking and circulation aisles between the principal building and adjacent streets, and a reduced minimum parking setback line of three feet along the West Broad Street frontage and zero feet along the North Central Avenue frontage; and
Building Façade Landscaping (Section 34.G.20.030.A.1): Waives the requirement that at least 50% of the ground between the building and the street parcel lines be landscaped, permitting no landscaping along the front and side frontages.
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WHEREAS, Section 34.G.20.030.A.1, Landscaping, requires that when a building has a setback of greater than five feet, the area between the building façade and front or side street parcel line be landscaped at a minimum of 50%, while the applicant proposes no landscaping of the area between the existing building and the front and side streets; and
Parking Lot Trees (Section 34.G.20.030.D): Eliminates the requirement to plant one shade tree per 10 surface parking spaces.
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WHEREAS, Section 34.G.20.030.D, Landscaping, Parking Lot Shade Trees, requires parking lot shade trees at a rate of one tree per 10 surface parking spaces, or fraction thereof, while the applicant proposes to maintain no parking lot shade trees; and
Headlight Screening (Section 34.G.20.040.A): Excuses the site from installing headlight screening between parking areas and adjacent roadways.
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WHEREAS, Section 34.G.20.040.A, Screening, Headlight Screening, requires headlight screening between all parking areas, which includes parking spaces, maneuvering areas, and drive aisles, and adjacent streets, open spaces, and Residential Zoning Districts within 80 feet, while the applicant proposes to not provide headlight screening; and
Vision Clearance (Section 34.G.20.050.A.2): Allows a vehicle display area that may obstruct the required 10-foot vision clearance triangle at the intersection of North Central Avenue and the northern alley.
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WHEREAS, Section 34.G.20.050.A.2, Vision Clearance, requires clear vision triangles of 10 feet at the intersection of a street and alley, while the applicant proposes that vehicle display area may obstruct vision clearance at the intersection of North Central Avenue and the north alley; and
Both the Franklinton Area Commission and Columbus city departments recommended approval of the variance package, according to staff findings.
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Staff recognize the requested variances are to legitimize an existing use, and therefore, support the proposal.
City staff noted that the Columbus Growth Strategy (2026) designates the site for “Mixed-Use 2” land uses, which aligns with the request, and affirmed their support because the measure formalizes an existing business rather than introducing a new commercial footprint.
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The Columbus Growth Strategy (CGS) (2026) recommends “Mixed-Use 2” land uses at this location, consistent with the request.
Under the proposed ordinance, Amerco must install and maintain landscaping in the form of planter boxes along the West Broad Street and North Central Avenue frontages.
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SECTION 4. That this ordinance is further conditioned upon the applicant establishing and maintaining landscaping in the form of planter boxes along the frontages of West Broad Street and North Central Avenue, as reviewed and approved by the Department of Public Service.
The Department of Public Service must review and approve the design, will hold no maintenance duties within the right-of-way, and retains sole discretion to remove the planter boxes in the future.
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The Department of Public Service will have no responsibility for the maintenance of the proposed planter boxes within the right-of-way, and such planter boxes may be removed in the future at the sole discretion of the Department of Public Service.
The legislation also requires Amerco to obtain all necessary municipal permits and a Certificate of Zoning Clearance.
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SECTION 3. That this ordinance is further conditioned upon the applicant obtaining all applicable permits and a Certificate of Zoning Clearance for the proposed moving truck rental facility.
If the existing commercial structure is ever torn down, “the variance is terminated,” preventing future owners from redeveloping the property with vehicle storage uses outside standard Urban Center corridor standards.
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Upon demolition of the existing building, the variance is terminated.