07/22/1986 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

' PLANNING COMMISSION JITLY 22, 1986 PAGE 7 Ord. 86-66, Ordinance is to rezone property fronting on Columbia Road from the Single Residence "A" District to Mixed Use "A" District. Mr. Carlisle, of Biskind Development Company, explained that these residential lots, located at the south west corner of Country Club Blvd, and Columbia Road are no longer suited for residential use since the nature of the area has changed from its original rural character and is now a 260 foot by 240 foot island surrounded by uses which are inconsistant with a residential use and that the natural boundries of the Mixed Use District should be Interstate 480, Country Club Blvd, Great Northern Blvd, and Coliunbia Road. He presented a colored site plan and a rendering of the proposed office building which would be an ex- tension of their previously approved Business Park. In deference to the residences across the street,the 25,000 square foot b uilding will be lower (14') and smaller than the other proposed buildings; tri-angular shaped land- scaped area (surrounding the portion of the building facing Columbia Road) will be 60' to 190' in depth; parking areas will be to the south and the west (away from Coluabia Road) and obscured by mounding; and access to the build- ing will be a previously approved driveway off Country Club Blvd. (400' from Columbia Road). Mr. Carlisle has contacted five residential property owners (across Columbia Road) explaining that the property would not be used for retail (any General Retail use in the Mixed Use District would have to be ap- proved by Planning Commission), but as an 8 a.m, to 5 p.m. office for a maximum of 7 tennants. He stated that they had no objections to this proposal since it would not be a retail use, there would be no parking lots facing them, and no additional drives would be installed on Columbia Road. Mr. Morgan believes that this would be spot zoning and that, perhaps, the total area should be studied for rezoning and Mr. Burns added that the Commission might also look at rezoning some of the property south of I-480 back to resi- dential. Mr. Carlisle countered that the properties on the east side of Columbia Road were deeper and abutted other residential property and were moresuited to residential use; and requested the Commission address this issue prior to studying a total rezoning proposal. Mr..Gorris stated that this would appear to be another erosion of the residential character of North Olmsted and could foresee other requests for rezoning in the area. Councilman McKay spoke against the rezoning pointing out that this entire area has gradually been chipped away with rezoning and the construction of I-480;-snch a rezoning: would devaluate the properties across the street; and the building would be visible from further south on Columbia Road.. Mr. McKay also stated that the people with whom Mr. Carlisle spoke later stated their objections to him. He maintained that this rezoning would only be to the advantage of the developer and would not be the best use of the land for the adjacent residents. Mr. Tackash, owner of property across the street, complained that the homes on this property are not being maintained; traffic is heavy there now without an office building; questioned if they intended to request rezoning on their property located north of Country Club Blvd. in the future; and concluced that this proposal would not help the neighborhood. Mr. Lang, property owner on Kennedy Ridge Road, stated that the developer ownes five properties on Kennedy Ridge and is not maintaining them properly. He maintains that the best way to change the character of the neighborhood is to buy properties, make them undesirable,:and then approach other pro- perty owners stating "You don't want to live in a neighborhood like this". It is his contention that if this change is made, others would follow. Both Mr. Gorris and Mr. Morgan expressed concern with- the erosion of and the encroachment into the residential character of the City. J. Wixted moved