11/04/1998 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 11/4/98 interest in this, people who have no money laid out, no time, no sweat, no blood, no tears are trying to tell them what they can and cannot do with their property. In answer to a ~~ question by Mr. O'Grady, Mr. Haas stated they could not wait because their tenants' leases will be coming up after the end of the year. The tenants will probably not want to sign up again if they feel there is a chance the building will be sold and torn down. If they cannot rent the building, there is no income but the mortgage and upkeep will still have to be paid. For 12 years they have been good citizens and neighbors and have cooperated with the city through Building Department requests. Also, Mr. Haas is concerned because nobody from the city notified him as the owner of this building. They found out about the proposed moratorium by accident. Mrs. Saringer noted that the city does have a Landmarks Commission and wondered why this area had not been named a historical district. Councilman Gareau said it was his intention to involve the Landmarks Commission in any decision concerning this area. We are dealing with an area, a zone, and not a building. He has had a concern about this particular area long before he ever heard Mr. Haas' name. And it was a concern he heard from other citizens with respect to retail development in the city. He agrees that the Haas family has done an exceptional job with the upkeep of the building and they should be complimented for what they have done with that particular corner of North Olmsted. He believes it to be an asset to Lorain Road. There is no moratorium on selling the building. The moratorium does not affect the ownership or transfer of the building. Also, there is nothing in the legislation that says the building will not be demolished at some point in time. The moratorium will allow time for a determination of how the area will be developed in the future. Mr. Gareau said he would like to know what the developer had in mind for that area. Tom Manville, 31872 Chestnut Ridge, North Ridgeville. His family has been in North Olmsted for 60 years, and they own the property adjacent to Mr. Haas. His property is also under contract, and the moratorium on construction will postpone the pulling of permits. If the permits are not pulled, the contract is off. Any compensation they do not get, they will come after the city for. He said there was no historical significance whatsoever to their building. He wondered whether the city would pay his family for their loss. He is talking "big bucks"-- $3 million! Neil Weinberger, J & D Properties, 28601 Chagrin Boulevard, Cleveland, said his company has entered into contracts with several of the property owners. Some members of the city have been informally notified and are aware of the development idea. They plan to come before the city at the appropriate time with the development plan. The plan is not ready for release at this time, but they fully understand that they have to go through a process that involves the Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Architectural Review Board and City Council. They have been doing their "homework" in North Olmsted by going to the Building Department to let them know what will be done and to get a clarification of the code. They wish to come in as close to full compliance as possible rather than in an adversarial role. The number one step for them is to get the properties under contract in order to protect their position against their competition. The next step is to go before the city. This moratorium is a surprise to them and the owners, and they are here to express their concerns. They cannot afford to sit around for six months. If this is passed, they will probably cease expending any further ,,; 7