Upper Arlington board OKs Columbia Gas substation in residential area on Ridgeview Road
Anna Lynn Winfrey- Demolition of the existing home on the property may begin this fall, with construction potentially starting next year.
- The project aims to upgrade the gas system to meet federal safety regulations.
- The approval includes conditions such as noise restrictions and architectural review.
A new Columbia Gas substation will be constructed in a residential area on Ridgeview Road in Upper Arlington, just west of North Star Road and the Ohio State University's west campus.
The city’s Board of Zoning and Planning voted unanimously on July 16 to approve construction of the substation on the site of a current home at 1336 Ridgeview Road at Montcalm Road. City spokesperson Andres Antequera said the project does not need to be approved by the city council and the city will not need to take any further action on this project unless an appeal is filed.
Demolition of the ranch home currently on the property could happen in the fall, according to the staff report. Columbia Gas spokesperson Erica Chronaberry said the company is finalizing the project timeline.
“While some demolition, in anticipation of construction, may occur before the end of this year, construction may not begin until next year,” Chronaberry said.
The upgrades to the system are essential for Columbia Gas to comply with newer federal safety regulations, The Dispatch has previously reported.
The substation facility is being located in this residential area because there was no other available land close enough to the transmission line to put in the facility, according to the staff report.
The zoning meeting happened without much fanfare, with a small handful of people in the audience remaining for the final item on the meeting agenda.
The committee approved the project with several conditions, including that testing cycles happen during tornado siren tests on Wednesdays at noon — odors and consistent noise from the substation building are not allowed — and that a third-party architect for the city approves the final design for the brick pattern.
Columbia Gas and the city of Upper Arlington have conducted multiple public meetings in recent months about the project amid some pushback from surrounding residents concerned about the facility.
Columbia Gas is also replacing an existing substation near Brandon Road and Northam Road, which is expected to come before the planning and zoning commission later in August, Antequera said.
Anna Lynn Winfrey covers the western suburbs for the Columbus Dispatch. She can be reached at awinfrey@dispatch.com.