WORTHINGTON — Worthington’s Planning commission met Wednesday night to host public hearings and discuss a conditional use permit for a downtown Worthington building, as well as a preliminary plat for the Glenwood Heights third addition.
Local businessman, Efrain Patino submitted a request for a conditional use permit to allow him use of the former Globe printing facility in the 300 block of 11th Street. During last month’s meeting, Patino’s change of zone request for the same building was approved, and he is now moving forward with plans to use the facility as a warehouse and storage space for his soon-to-be three downtown businesses.
“While the requested conditional use permit is not in line with the goals of the (City of Worthington’s) Comprehensive Plan, these concerns were addressed with the previous change of zone,” city planner Matt Selof said. Selof went on to say that the conditional use permit would now meet all applicable regulations and is in line with the goals of the recent change in zone.
However, several commission members expressed concerns over delivery traffic, and after a discussion, it was decided that as a condition of the permit, hours of operation be limited to between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Due to the building’s close proximity to residential apartments, the commission also decided it was in the interest of public safety that any delivery pallets stored outside be in an enclosed area without public access and not be stacked above the height of the enclosed space, as part of the conditional use permit. Also a condition of the permit, the property must maintain compliance with all applicable local, state and federal standards and requirements.
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With these conditions, Patino’s request was approved unanimously and will be brought before City Council during its next meeting for final approval.
The Planning Commission also approved a request for a Preliminary Plat of a residential subdivision to be known as Glenwood Heights third addition on a 30.49-acre tract of city-owned land, located west of Sutherland Drive.
The proposed preliminary plat would create 39 residential lots ranging in size from about 7,800 square feet up to around 2,000 square feet. This development would extend Aspen Drive, Sutherland Drive, Campbell Boulevard, and Buchanan Court. It would also designate three areas for future street extensions and four outlots, two of which will be designated as drainage, one for future development, and one that is intended to be deeded to a property owner as a condition of the preliminary plat approval.
While the request was approved, Planning Commission members also entertained a discussion about the lack of sidewalks in the plans for the preliminary plat. The current city code does not require sidewalks be put in new plats, and Glenwood Heights second addition did not include a plan for sidewalks either.
“I think it's a travesty there's no sidewalks here and that we don't require it,” Selof stated. “I would like to see sidewalks. But I would have liked to seen it starting with the Glenwood Heights second addition.”
City Council member Chris Kielblock also spoke in favor of sidewalks, and the Planning Commission decided to recommend to City Council that sidewalks be placed along both sides of Sutherland Drive and Aspen Drive as part of the Glenwood Heights third addition development.
