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Boston Heights Overlook

This is a publication of Boston Heights Overlook. Not an official public document by, of or for the Village of Boston Heights OH.

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On the agenda of the 03 March 2004 7PM meeting of the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals for the Village of Boston Heights, Ohio Mayfield/Thomason Agency for Allstate Insurance Business occupancy at 15 W. Streetsboro Road. Conditionally approved by Planning Commission; see below. Consideration of Zoning and Sign Ordinance Changes N.B. This item did not appear on the published agenda. Discussion of reduction in spacing between service stations & self-storage units; changes in sign ordinances. Reviewed by Planning Commission; see below.

Mayfield/Thomason: Agency for Allstate Insurance

This is the house and garage on W. Streetsboro Rd. (Rt. 303) near Olde Eight, next to Mayfield Motors.
The house and adjacent service station were formerly owned by Bolin Oil; the Bolin Oil facility was subject to an EPA Superfund cleanup (OH0000004895) in 1993-8. See also the EPA CERCLIS record.

The property is owned by Veronica & Nicholas Zalewski, and is within a GB General Business district. Parcel #1300025, about 1.09 acres, also includes the Mayfield Motors facility. The house sub-lot is about 0.55 acres. The vacant parcel #1300024, to the north, about 0.92 acres, has the same owners but is not part of the house lot.

Mr. Bob Thomason addressed the Planning Commission in the absence of Christine Mayfield, the future Allstate agent. He explained that the house had been extensively renovated inside, and that the insurance office was targeted to open on 1 April 2004. There would be two employees: the agent and an assistant (office worker).

Mr. Thomason submitted a sketch of a parking and driveway plan, which appeared to have 6 parking spaces and a planned driveway to wrap around the building from Rt 303 to Olde 8 Rd. A sidewalk and handicap access ramp would be built from the parking area to the front door. He also stated that he was in communication with First Energy and ODOT on a plan to landscape the shared corner of Rt.303 and the Akron-Cleveland Road southbound exit ramp, at the house's southeast prospect.

Mr. Thomason noted that they were not submitting a sign application as yet, pending further information from Allstate. They intended to place a sign on or at the existing steel signpost in the front yard. He expected to have a sign application for the next Planning Commission meeting.

Dr. Mike Cheung pointed out that Zoning Code 1157.07(d) seemed to require 8 (or 9?) parking spaces: (924sf / 150sf) + (1 per employee * 2 employees) = 9. Mr. Thomason suggested that the additional parking could be considered inside the garage or at his adjacent auto dealership. The Planning Commission didn't seem to be a satisfactory solution in light of the ordinance requirement. Upon questioning, it was found that no site plan has been submitted to the Village Engineer for approval.

Solictor Ed Muse noted that there appeared to be no basic conflict between the business use and the GB zoning district (see Zoning Code 1157.01(c)(1) and 1155.01). He suggested that the PC might approve the use conditioned on the Village Engineer approving the site plan. Dr. Cheung added that the site plan would, of course, also have to be implemented as approved. Mr. Thomason pledged to do so. Dr. Cheung cautioned him that the Engineer would probably require more detailed plans than the sketch already introduced.

From the audience, BZA Chair John Codrea pointed out that the conditional use certificate granted to Mayfield Motors (the adjacent auto dealership) specified certain parking requirements and a maximum number of vehicles onsite. He suggested that the PC not inadvertently undercut these restrictions.

Upon a motion by Dr. Cheung, the Planning Commission approved the requested use subject to two conditions: (1) Per Zoning Code 1157.05, the Village Engineer must approve the site plan; (2) there is to be no common use of paved areas between this office and Mayfield Motors (the adjacent auto dealership).

• Required 5000 foot spacing between service stations, per Zoning Code 1159.04(1)(A).
• The sign regulations scattered throughout the Zoning Code

The question of service station spacing was raised by Omni Realty's proposal for a Sheetz gas station at the southeast corner of Hines Hill Road and Route 8 -- at the site of the derelict hotel. That site is much closer than 5000 feet to several existing stations: Boston Heights Marathon (481 ft); BP @Boston Mills (2563 ft); Starfire (3082 ft). Dr. Cheung suggested a new limit of 500 feet, measured from parcel lines.

At the same time, Dr. Cheung suggested that a similar revision might be made to Self-Service Storage spacing, per Zoning Code 1175.02. While that section requires 1000ft spacing to certain other uses, it specifies no spacing between such facilities. Dr. Cheung suggested a minimum 1000ft spacing.

After some further discussion, Solicitor Muse was directed to come up with some suitable ordinance language for both of these matters. The Planning Commission approved a recommendation for both changes.

Turning to the issue of sign regulation, Dr. Cheung acknowledged a consensus that the village's sign regulations were too confusing. More immediately, Liberty Harley-Davidson had asked to have a larger sign than currently permitted. Some of the current code references include:

• Signage Fees 1101.05(a)
• Home Occupation signage 1141.23
• Residential signage 1153.01(d)(3)-(4)
• Office Professional District signage 1155.08
• Service station signage 1159.04(1)(E)(6) (usually ignored!)
• Raised advertising signs 1171.13
• Illuminated sign permit: Building Code 1385.02(b)(4)
• Residential and Business sign limits: Building Code 1385.09(a)
• Sign maintenance requirements: Building Code 1385.09(b)
• Planning Commission sign review: Building Code 1385.09(c)
• Service station pricing sign regulations: Section 709
• Temporary Sign Ordinance: Section 715