Columbus Planning Commission tabled discussion Monday on whether to permit an assistant living facility to operate in the North Haven Woods subdivision.
The commission’s decision to delay came mainly due to a lack of documented support from neighborhood residents.
More than 50 people piled into the city hall’s first floor reception hall for the meeting Monday, most of whom opposed the plan to convert a three bedroom, two bathroom residence to a residential care facility that would host up to a half-dozen clients.
Cassandra Davenport is requesting the permitted use of the house at 3612 Azalea Circle for commercial purposes. The home is currently listed for sale.
“We are asking for permitted use to offer them the community-based environment to live out their final years,” Davenport told commissioners.
Neighborhood covenants allow homes in North Haven Woods to only be used as single-family residences, Building Official Kenny Wiegel said. In order to permit Davenport’s request, at least 51 percent of the 112 homeowners in phase one of the neighborhood must sign a document supporting the project, which must then be notarized and brought to the county courthouse.
Since that hasn’t happened, Wiegel said, the Planning Commission cannot yet take action on the matter.
“It was told to me that I could get signatures and that would allow me to get an amendment for that particular property,” Davenport said. “I wasn’t told I would have to have that completed by this meeting. It’s a lengthy process.”
The board unanimously voted to table the discussion until 51 percent of homeowners agree to Davenport’s plan for the property.
“In the future, I will not place an applicant on the agenda unless I have a document stating the covenants had been changed,” Wiegel said. “Frankly, there wasn’t any need for tonight’s meeting, because the covenants had not been changed. The thinking was, at or before tonight’s meeting, the covenants would have been legally changed, but that wasn’t the case.”
He added due to the public concern and outcry, provided the permit use moves forward, the entire neighborhood will be notified. Typically, only homeowners within 160 feet of the request will receive a notice of a permit use.
Monday night, the board received a petition with 69 signatures in opposition of the assisted living facility. Several present Monday had signed that petition.
Nancy Bragg, a resident opposed to the project, came to the meeting last night in hopes of voicing her opinion. If the matter is brought before the board again, she said she will attend and speak up.
“It’s a residential neighborhood and that’s what it’s meant to be,” Bragg said. “We want it to remain a neighborhood and not an assisted living neighborhood. I think the majority has spoken and we don’t want this happening in our neighborhood.”
Davenport declined to speak to The Dispatch after Monday’s meeting.
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