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PLANNING &DESIGN COMMISSION CITY OF NORTH OLMSTED MEETING MINUTES OF DECEMBER 17,2025 ROLL CALL Mr. David called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Present: Tom David, Jose Leon, Tony D'Alessandro,Rosie Hamdan Absent: Jen Kalin, Brenton Mineo, Staff: Director Max Upton, Assistant Director of Law Bryan O'Malley,Administrative Assistant, Lyn Wilson A special meeting was held to consider a single agenda item involving a City Council referral to rezone a parcel from single-family residential to planned unit development. Staff presented the rezoning request, discussed density benefits,master plan consistency, historic preservation, and neighborhood concerns, and noted the required timeline for a commission recommendation. The commission was advised that action was needed by the deadline or the rezoning would be presumed favorable. Staff stated that the applicant had revised the plan multiple times to reduce density but that the proposal still showed excessive density for the district. Staff advised against recommending rezoning without a clear plan and recommended that the ordinance not receive a favorable recommendation to City Council. Staff also thanked community members for their engagement, acknowledged concerns about historic district impacts, and explained the department's role in facilitating an open, transparent review process before concluding that a negative recommendation was appropriate. Legal counsel explained that his role was to advise the commission on legal standards,not to advocate for or against the application. He emphasized the commission's duty to act as an independent body,base decisions solely on the record and evidence, and provide due process to the applicant. He distinguished legislative rezoning review from administrative site plan review, outlined the charter's guidance regarding the master plan, and explained zoning law principles, including presumptions of constitutionality and property rights. He concluded by noting that planned unit development zoning allows review of a specific proposal rather than zoning in the abstract. The chair confirmed that staff recommended a denial of the rezoning due to uncertainty surrounding the preliminary plan. It was noted that the applicant was not present,but legal counsel appeared on their behalf. The applicant's counsel expressed surprise at the change in staff's position, stated that the proposal had been revised in coordination with the city, and requested a favorable recommendation. Counsel argued that the rezoning was consistent with the comprehensive plan, addressed housing diversity goals, and that issues such as traffic and infrastructure would be handled through later regulatory review. The applicant's counsel argued that the proposed rezoning was consistent with the 1