C-2 OFFICE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT

Columbus City Codes tit. 33, ch. 3353

in effect

Columbus City Codes § 3353.01 Purpose.

3353.01 - Purpose. The purpose of the C-2, Office Commercial District is to provide a zoning district which promotes an office environment where the support functions of a business, profession, service or government may be conducted in a non-retail manner in addition to other incidental non-office commercial uses. C-2 Office Commercial Uses (Ord. 236-03 § 2.)

Columbus City Codes § 3353.03 Permitted uses.

3353.03 - Permitted uses. The following are uses permitted in the C-2, Office Commercial District; however these are not meant to be exhaustive nor an exclusive listing. The Director has the authority to decide if an unnamed use is of similar enough character and nature to warrant inclusion into the C-2 district. The North American Industry Classification System, or its successor document, is the reference document used to provide use families for this chapter. The Director may use the current NAICS or its successor, as one document in making decisions as to the appropriateness of any future use permitted to be in the C-2, district. A. Offices for administrative and support services, examples include: Administrative and Support Services Business Service Centers and Support Services Collection Agencies Convention and Visitors Bureaus Court Reporting and Stenotype Services Credit Bureaus Document Preparation Services Employment Services and Placement Agencies Facilities Support Services Professional Employer Organizations Repossession Services Telephone Answering Services Telemarketing Bureaus Telephone Call Centers Temporary Help Services Tour Operators Travel Agencies, Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services B. Offices and/or Clinics for Health Care and Social Assistance, examples include: Ambulatory Health Care Services Chiropractors, Dentists, Optometrists, Physicians and Podiatrists Diagnostic Imaging Centers Family Planning Centers Freestanding Ambulatory Surgical and Emergency Centers HMO Medical Centers (Urgent Care) Home Health Care Services Kidney Dialysis Centers Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories Mental Health Practitioners Miscellaneous Health Practitioners Outpatient Care Centers Outpatient Mental Health Centers Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists and Audiologists Social Services C. Offices for Finance and Insurance, examples include: Banking, Commercial and Personal Brokerage, Commodity and Securities Exchanges Claims Adjusting Offices Commodity Contracts Brokerage and Dealing Consumer Lending Credit Unions Direct Casualty, Health, Life, Medical, Property and Title Insurance Carriers Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve and Clearinghouse Activities Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles Insurance Agencies, Brokerages, Carriers and Employee Benefit Funds International Trade Financing Investment Advice and Banking and Securities Dealing Mortgage and Non-mortgage Loan Brokers Pension Funds Savings Institutions Trusts, Estates, Fiduciary and Agency Accounts D. Offices for Public and Miscellaneous Purposes, examples include: Business, Professional, Labor, Political and Similar Organizations Conservation, Environment and Wildlife Organizations Civic and Social Organizations Human Rights Organizations Libraries Local, County, State and Federal Government Public Fire Stations Religious, Grant making, Civic, Professional and Similar Organizations Social Advocacy Organizations Voluntary Health Organizations E. Offices for Professional, Scientific and Technical Services examples include: Accounting and Bookkeeping Services Advertising Services Administrative and General Management Consulting Services Architectural, Drafting, Engineering, Graphic and Landscape Design Services Bank Holding Companies Certified Public Accountants Contractors Computer Centers, Programming and Systems Design Services Corporate, Subsidiary and Regional Managing Display Advertising Human Resources and Executive Search Consulting Services Interior Design Services Industrial Design Services Lawyers and Legal Services Management, Companies and Enterprises and Consulting Services Marketing Consulting, Public Opinion Polling and Research Services Notaries Payroll Services Process, Physical Distribution and Logistics Consulting Services Public Relations Agencies Real Estate Agents and Brokers Surveying and Mapping Services Tax Preparation Services Title Abstract and Settlement Translation and Interpretation Services F. Non-Office Commercial Facilities including: Art Studios (No retail sales) Electronic and Telephone Mail Order Processing Centers Educational Facility, Business, Computer, Management and Training Facilities Educational Facility, Professional, Secretarial, Technical and Trade Internet Providers, Web Search Portals and Data Processing Services Libraries and Museums Music Publishers Ohio Division of Cannabis Control Testing Laboratory Photography Studios, Commercial and Portrait Post Offices Public Park and Recreation Centers Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations and Studios Recording Studios Religious Facilities Schools (as defined in C.C. 3303) G. Non-Office Commercial Uses, subject to the additional provisions of C.C. 3353, including: Adult and Child Day Care Centers Monopole Telecommunication Antennas Veterinarians (Limited practice) H. Dwelling units, as allowed under C.C. 3353.05. C-2 Office Commercial Development Standards (Ord. 236-03 § 2; Ord. No. 3023-2018, § 2, 12-3-2018; Ord. No. 1501-2022, § 27, 6-13-2022; Ord. No. 0162-2025, § 4, 2-10-2025)

Columbus City Codes § 3353.05 C-2 district development limitations.

3353.05 - C-2 district development limitations. A. Adult and child day care centers shall provide a transportation plan submitted as part of the zoning clearance application. The plan shall include a description of the loading and unloading, parking and traffic circulation areas. The director of the department of public service or designee shall review the transportation plan, and may approve, modify, or disapprove the plan for safety reasons. B. Dwelling units only when located above uses permitted in this district. C. Monopole telecommunication antennas require a special permit before being erected on any property or parcel listed on the Columbus Register of Historic Properties or that is included in an architectural review commission area. D. The following standards for monopole telecommunication antennas apply: 1. A certificate of zoning clearance may be issued only after the following conditions have been met: a. Affidavits have been submitted by the applicant and placed on file with the director attesting to the lack of any reasonable alternative, including collocation and concealment, to the construction of the monopole antenna as well as documentation of this finding; b. Affidavits have been submitted by the applicant and placed on file with the director attesting to the owner's willingness to allow other entities to rent or lease space for additional antennas on the monopole antenna for commercially reasonable terms. 2. The base of all monopole telecommunication antenna sites and associated support structures shall be screened and buffered and may be enclosed by a security fence. The buffer shall contain hedges or other plants that provide a five-foot high, 75 percent opaque screen. Existing vegetation and topography can be used as part of this screening. 3. At no time shall any monopole telecommunication antenna have affixed or attached to it in any way any lights, reflectors, signs, banners, graphics, or other illumination device, except as required by the Federal Aviation Administration or the Federal Communications Commission. All exterior finishes shall be, unless otherwise required, neutral gray in color. 4. The base of all monopole telecommunication antenna sites and associated support structures shall be set back 200 percent of the total height of the antenna from all residentially zoned districts. All support structures shall meet district setbacks. 5. Monopole telecommunication antennas are exempt from C.C. 3312 and C.C. 3309.14 up to a maximum height of: a. 100 feet if built for one or more providers; b. 150 feet if built for two or more providers. 6. Within 180 days of the termination of use of the monopole telecommunication antenna, the monopole telecommunication antenna and all associated structures and buildings shall be removed from the site or will be declared a nuisance as per C.C. 4107. E. A rooftop telecommunication installation for receiving or transmitting wireless telecommunications may be erected on any existing legal structure 50 feet or more in height provided that it is in accordance with C.C. 3309.142(C). F. Veterinarians in this zoning district are limited to small animal practice and shall not provide long-term boarding, no kenneling, and no outside runs or stables. (Also see the C-4 district) E. Solar energy collection may be conducted, subject to the following: 1. Equipment directly related to the gathering of solar energy shall be exempt from screening requirements. 2. Electricity collected on-site may be distributed off-site for use or sale. (Ord. 236-03 § 2; Ord. No. 0455-2010, § 71, 4-5-2010; Ord. No. 1792-2011, § 1(Attach. 1), 12-12-2011; Ord. No. 1501-2022, § 28, 6-13-2022)

Columbus City Codes § 3353.07 C-2 district lot combinations.

3353.07 - C-2 district lot combinations. When lots or portions of lots are proposed to be combined in any manner to form a building site, the proposed building site as shown on the submitted plot or site plan is considered a newly created single lot, which may not be reduced in size, divided, or split if the reduction, division, or split will result in a lot or parcel, which fails to meet any of the requirements of the Zoning Code. (Ord. 236-03 § 2.)

Columbus City Codes § 3353.09 C-2 district setback lines.

3353.09 - C-2 district setback lines. A. Building setback lines in the C-2 district shall be measured from street right of-way lines and the requirements shall not be less than specified setback and apply in descending order as follows: 1. That distance specified if the site is subject to an ordinance, overlay, plat, or variance. 2. That distance equal to one-half the right-of-way as denoted on the Columbus Thoroughfare Plan (CTP) if the site abuts a designated CTP street unless buildings exist on both abutting parcels at less than a 25 foot setback, then the setback would be no less than the distance equal to the average of the building setbacks on both abutting parcels (For corner lots with either or both lot frontages are less than 65 feet, the setback shall be as shown below for corner lots). 3. If the site does not abut a designated CTP street, the setback shall be no less than 25 feet, unless buildings exist on both abutting parcels at less than a 25 foot setback, then the setback would be no less than the distance equal to the average of the building setbacks on both abutting parcels (For corner lots with either or both lot frontages are less than 65 feet, the setback shall be as shown below for corner lots). 4. For corner lots where none of the above apply and either or both lot frontages are less than 65 feet, the setback along the shortest frontage shall not be less than the setback of the nearest building on an abutting parcel if less than 25 feet or no less than 25 feet if no building exists and shall be no less than ten feet along the longest street frontage. In instances of conflict, the most restrictive building setback applies. B. All structures except graphics shall be setback behind the building line unless otherwise permitted elsewhere on site by an overlay or other provisions of this Zoning Code. C. Graphic setbacks shall be in compliance with provisions of Article XV of this Zoning Code, unless specified in an overlay or area of special graphics control. (Ord. 236-03 § 2.)

Source: City of Columbus, City Codes and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/oh/columbus/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT33ZOCO_CH3353OFCODIFetched: 10/27/2026