Riviera opponents not appeased, will voice traffic concerns at P&Z meeting

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Dublin

The Riviera Golf Club would become the home of 240 houses under a plan by Davidson Phillips.

Brian R. Ball

Staff reporter- Columbus Business First

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A leader of those opposing a residential development plan for the Riviera Golf Club in Dublin says developer Davidson Phillips Inc. has not addressed traffic and density issues enough to get neighbors' support for the project.

As I wrote yesterday, Davidson Phillips' Charlie Ruma will go before the Dublin Planning & Zoning Commission Thursday night with revisions to plans first presented in March, cutting the number of proposed single-family houses at the site from 284 to 240.

But Bob Fathman, chairman of the Muirfield Village Civic Association's Civic Action Committee, said housing density "remains our biggest issue," along with traffic concerns.

He told me the project should have access to Hyland-Croy Road to alleviate traffic generated by the homes on nearly 168 acres. As it stands, the proposed subdivision will have a single outlet onto Avery Road, as well as connections into neighboring subdivisions through "stub" roads ending at the golf course property lines.

"We don't think this should be approved until (Ruma) has a second access," he said.

Nine homeowner and civic associations oppose the plan, Fathman told me, estimating up to 300 residents could attend the Thursday night P&Z meeting to express their opposition.

That said, a Dublin P&Z staff report generally supports approval of Ruma's revised plans, with a few conditions. It would like two homes each in two sections removed to improve the "vistas" of a portion of the project's 63 acres of open space, for example. The report also suggests the developer provide access to Hyland-Croy through an existing driveway serving some residential lots between Jerome High School and the southern entrance to the Tartan West neighborhood.

Full details on the proposal can be found here. The application can be downloaded here.

Brian R. Ball covers commercial real estate and development for Columbus Business First.