City of Bexley

The meeting commenced with a roll call. The approval of the previous December minutes was postponed due to pending information. Following a general public comment period, the Board discussed application BZAP 25-42 concerning property alterations at 2690 East Main Street for a new ice cream and candy shop. The Board discussed granting a certificate of appropriateness with the condition that the applicant return to the Architecture Review Board (ARB) for final design approval, which the Board approved 5-0. Subsequently, the Board addressed application BZAP 25-46 regarding a request for a variance to install a patio and pavilion, as well as fence height variances, at 2737 East Broad Street. The applicant detailed the necessity of the structures due to site conditions and referenced a similar installation at a mirror property on South Parkview.

The Architectural Review Board meeting commenced with the approval of the previous month's minutes. The board addressed several applications under the consent agenda, specifically approving ARB25-57, ARB25-62, ARB25-63, ARB25-65, and ARB25-48. Three applications (ARB25-26, ARB25-36, and Bzap 25-42) were tabled to the January 8, 2026 meeting due to the absence of a December meeting. Under new business, application ARB25-59 was held until the end of the meeting pending the applicant's appearance. Application ARB25-60, involving a second-floor addition over an existing structure at 164 South Stanwood, was granted a certificate of appropriateness with the condition that the applicant work with the design consultant to ensure the roofline of the second-floor addition is more commensurate with the existing roof structure. Application ARB25-61, concerning the replacement of a front porch, was also reviewed.

The meeting involved the review of application PPGC25-5 regarding landscaping at 124 Stanbury Avenue, which was previously tabled. The applicant presented revisions addressing concerns from the October meeting, specifically regarding visibility triangles and the structure for a sculpture honoring a lost daughter. Discussions centered on the design, which was intended to create a private courtyard space, and the placement of plantings within the public right-of-way. Commissioners raised significant concerns about the density of plantings and consistency with past decisions regarding landscaping within the right-of-way, noting that the right-of-way dimensions vary significantly by street. The commission noted that they are awaiting an opinion from the city attorney regarding whether current ordinances permit shrub planting in the right-of-way, and that any action on the application might need to be contingent on this opinion or postponed until clearer city policy is established.

The meeting convened as the final session for 2025, marking the last meeting for Council member Laurian Fibel after 12 years of service, who received commendations from the President and City Attorney. Key administrative updates included expressions of gratitude towards council members and city staff for their dedication. The consent agenda was adopted, which included approval of the minutes from December 9, 2025, and two ordinances: one authorizing a contract with Franklin County Public Health, and another amending architectural review board appointments and confirming community improvement corporation board appointments. Regarding third readings, Ordinance 32-25 concerning disturbing the peace and noise ordinance provisions was tabled until 2026 to allow for further review, presentations on enforcement statistics, and potential amendments. Ordinance 33-25 established new water and sewer rates due to significant increases from the City of Columbus (18% for water, 8% for sewer), with the city passing along only the increased portion internally. Updates were also provided on the slow finalization of the API integration for Aqua Hawk system installation.

The session commenced with the introduction of the new Mayor, Merrick Degan, and a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. A proclamation was read declaring hot chocolate as the official beverage of snow days in Beexley. The public comments section included an individual expressing appreciation for the city service team's responsiveness on library and signage issues. The main agenda item involved removing Ordinance 28-25 from the table, followed by a public hearing regarding a request for a use variance for the property at 519 South Dress, currently operating as a bed and breakfast, seeking to change its use back to multi-family zoning, citing financial difficulties with the current business operation. The city attorney outlined seven factors for the council to consider in their quasi-judicial capacity when deliberating on the variance request.