02/22/2017 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner. He believed the zoning authority should be given to the Planning Department. The lighting ordinance was also improved to match current lighting standards. David Hoelter, 4985 Porter Road, stated that the property on Mill Road, east of Porter and next to Giant Eagle currently has four apartment units on it. He would like the parcel to be rezoned from B-3 to prevent Giant Eagle from expanding and encroaching on the residential area. He also pointed out that making the parking lots smaller would make snow removal more difficult. Dale Schmidt, owner of properties on the west and east ends, was concerned that health and fitness clubs were not included as a permitted or conditional use in the west end. He also asked that convention facilities, trade shows and meeting facilities be included as permitted or conditional uses. He believed that the 5,000 square feet would be too limiting, especially for a cax parts store, and would like 8,500-10,000 square feet to be allowed. He asked that the B-2 district allow development and testing laboratory facilities be allowed as a conditional use. The B-1 district does not include equipment rental use as a conditional use. He pointed out that the existing code had a minimum amount of property frontage. Susan Bungard, attorney with Walter-Haverfield LLP for DDR which owns Great Northern Plazas, stated that her clients were concerned with the B-3 district because Home Depot is currently over 100,000 square feet and if the building burned down, the building would be a conditional use which may make it more difficult to fill the space again. Ms. Wenger stated that health and fitness clubs, convention facilities, and meeting facilities are uses already in the area, so those categories could be easily added as permitted uses. The development testing and laboratories could also be added to the B-2 district since it is close to the industrial park. Currently the retail limit would be for a single tenant and would not prohibit a plaza in the B-2 district. A concern from residents was the idea of "over-retailing" and they wanted to focus retail in the center of town. Mr. Leblanc stated that the B-2 district limits the amount of retail because it is allowed in B-3 and B-1. The auto parts store example would be more compatible in the B-3 area with the auto dealers and gas stations. Ms. Wenger stated that rental facilities are concentrated in the B-3 district but the existing facilities would be grand- fathered. The grandfathered businesses would lose their status after 12 months and after that, they could ask for a variance to continue the use if it is not allowed under the new zoning code. Ms. Wenger stated that the Home Depot space would meet the future r.equirements for conditional use. It has frontage on Brookpark Road, it has access to an arterial street, and is within'/2 mile from an interstate highway interchange. Any application would have to include a traffic flow study which would be probably be similar so any new use should be able to meet the conditional use standards. Ms. Wenger also commented on the concern for the Giant Eagle taking over the parcel, but she believed the increased buffering and landscaping standards would help protect future encroachment on the residential area. Mr. Hoelter did not believe that buffering would alleviate the noise. Mr. Malone agreed that health and fitness clubs, convention facilities, and meeting facilities should be added as conditional uses in the B-2 district, Ms. Nader agreed. He did not interpret the trailer classification in the permitted use section as rentals of equipment and believed it