04/26/2005 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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' areas. NIr. Khouri stated that once the meeting with the Architectural Review Board Landscape member Mr. Zergott took place additional plants would be added to his final specifications. Audience Comments: N1r. Skoulis the homeowner's association president came forward to discuss the residents concerns. He stated the residents were adamantly against the current plans and feel the plans that were previously approved had symmetry, beautiful streetscapes, and buffered the residents adequately. However, the current plans take no ones needs into consideration, but that of the owner. They believe the applicants are just trying to build the cheapest plan they can get away with. Applicants destroyed the natural vegetation which once thrived behind the residents while installing the mounds. The plans show nothing more than a strip center now. Residents are offended that the applicants would be allowed to place the edge of the mounds ten feet from the residential property lines. He felt the current placement of the mound would decrease the value of the homes along Linda Drive. He accused the commission of not looking out for what was best for the residents. He stated, Mr. Gareau Jr. advised the applicants that they had better not come back showing any buildings being moved closer to the residents' lots and that is exactly what has been done. This large of a developer has known all along exactly what they were doing and has done nothing but played the city like a fiddle. Every time the city has given the applicants something they come back wanting more and more with never ending cha.nges of less and less. He requested the current proposal be turned down. Councilman McKay stated the applicant's first proposal excited everyone on Council including the residents, due to the architectural look, which was outstanding. Then little by little the applicants stripped the plans apart, to the point that it is now nothing more than a strip center. The city does not need additional strip centers, matter of fact the owners of parcel E placed the issue on the ballet, at which time 74% of the residents of North Olmsted overwhelmingly voiced they did not want any more retail strip centers in their city. The City went to court on behalf of the residents to keep the site from becoyning retail. The courts ordered the city to rezone the site and that the zoning include some retail. Parcel E was rezoned to MiYed Use D. Under the zoning, retail, residential and office are allowed, but no one use is to be more than 50%. The applicants went from developing the site 50%, to 50% to at 70% retail and 30% office. City Council allowed the applicants to move their buildings forward to Brookpark Road to a11ow for a larger buffer area to protect the residents. Now the applicants intend to place the parking lots along Brookpark Road which requires mounds to hide the parked caxs. Mr. Thomson could not understand how the applicants could be allowed to place the base of the mounds 10-feet from his property line. He does not understand why the building was moved closer to residents, other than the fact that it would save money at the cost of the residents. He did not want final approval to be granted without the final working plans being seen by everyone. The applicants promise everything and do what they want anyway. Mrs. Diver stated that she was against the mounds being so close to the residents and believes the applicants are just doing a song and dance. She suggested that Mr. Berryhill told her it was never going to be more than a strip center. She requested the commission decide how to protect residents first. 1VIr. Neiberding reviewed that he had attended most meetings however, there are constant changes to the plans and he is concerned that ten years form now the site would be a vacant strip center. He questioned who the city was working for. Board Members Comments: 5