06/24/2003 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

i R. Koeth made a motion to approve the proposal with the conditions stating that materials must be contaaned in the storage area ancl the walkways kept clear. The anotion was seconded by T. Hreha and unanimously approved. B Wal 1Vlart Department Store No: 2316: 24801 Brookpark Road Proposal consists of expansion of the existing garden center, including steel picket fence, and knee wall which will match existing wall. Note: Planning Commission tabled this proposal at its 5-27-03 meeting. The Architectural Review Board approved this at its 6-18-03 meeting. Apqlicant's Presentation: Mr. Andy Harrison, the corporate representative, and Mr. Paul Franz, the store manager, came forward to review the proposal. Mr. Harrison indicated they received approval by the Architectural Review Board and have since sent a letter to the Planning Commission that addresses the comments that came up at the previous meeting. He said Mr. Franz has taken care of those issues. Mr. Rymarczyk asked about the first item in their letter, the retaining wall. Mr. Harrison said it is the retaining wall along the back of the store. Mr. Koeth asked if it will be repaired during the construction phase of the new garden center. Mr. Franz said he went back there with a contractor and took care of some debris that was there and he contacted the manager of the apartments behind them. He said he walked that area with the manager and he is very happy. Questions and Comments: Mr. Koeth asked about the littering issue. Mr. Franz said they have associates going across the street and they have cleaned up a lot. They have put out garbage barrels and they are picked up daily. Mr. Koeth asked what they are doing behind the building. Mr. Franz indicated they have six containers back there now and they will be gone by July 8th. He actually called to have two picked up already and it will be reduced to four in the next day or so. Mr. Hreha asked what is in those trailers. Mr. Franz replied they contain peg board and construction material. Mrs. Hoff-Smith asked if the trailers will be removed permanently. Mr. Franz said they will be and added that they have a warehouse for storage. Mr. Koeth mentioned the third item from the list; all current plant sales that are blocking the existing sidewalk will be placed inside the proposed garden center to make the sidewalk accessible for pedestrian use. Mr. Franz said the area where the plants, dirt, top soil, etc. used to be out front has been cleared. Mrs. Hoff-Smith asked about additional merchandise such as bikes. Mr. Franz said there is no obstruction to the walkway at all. He said there are bikes out there but they are not in the walkway. Mr. Hreha asked where they moved the material that was on the sidewalk. Mr. Franz said a lot of it was moved inside the building and some outside in the back, on the cement apron. It is not on any parking spots and cannot be viewed from Country Club Blvd. Mr. O'Malley said aside from plant sales, they are talking about pallets of landscape materials, bags of dirt, mulch, etc. that have been removed from the sidewalk area. It is overflowing the garden center and taking up a substantial area of the back parking lot. He doesn't know if they are in parking spaces or not and separate from the six storage trailers that have been granted two different variances. We are talking about the outdoor display and sale of inerchandise. He said he believes there are price tags or signs attached to them, off loaded with tow motors off trucks and on pallets and displayed in rows up and down the area. The overflow trucks have nowhere to go. They are basically running their store from the parking lot. Mr. Franz indicated there are no sales that occur back there. Mr. Spalding said that does not matter, the store is the place for their inventory, not the parking lot. Mr. Franz said it is not the parking lot, it is a cement apron and there has never been parking back there. Mr. Hreha said Mr. Franz is missing the point. It is not an issue of whether they are conducting sales back there or whether they are parking spaces, it is outside storage. Mr. O'Malley said this affects the whole development plan, the traffic flow and configuration, and constitutes an aesthetic and safety issue. Mr. Hreha asked if they have any other material stacked up that they eventually intend to sell that is now stored outside. Mr. Franz said they have top soil out there now. Mr. Koeth asked if it will be inside the garden center once it is completed. Mr. Franz indicated that is what the expansion will do, give them more room. Mr. Koeth 3