Back Home Contact Us!

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.

Village of Boston Heights, Ohio
Public Meeting: Proposed Re-zoning Plan
14 August 2002

On 14 August 2002, the Council of the Village of Boston Heights Ohio conducted a Public Meeting to consider citizens' views on the Draft Rezoning Plan that was mailed during May. The plan had now been drafted as Ordinance M-2002, and would receive its First Reading at the regular Council meeting immediately after this hearing.

The plan was largely drafted by Councilor Mike Cheung at the 2001-2002 meetings of the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals, with input from the Mayor, other members of those bodies, and the public. A Special Council Meeting had already been held on 05 June 2002, to consider public input before the ordinance was drafted. It is not clear if any changes were made in the draft plan based on that hearing.

These notes are unofficial observations by Boston Heights Overlook. Statements made by citizens and public officials have been paraphrased and summarized. Any and all errors are inadvertent. Please send any corrections to editor@bostonheight.org.

For the official minutes of this or any council meeting, please contact the Boston Heights Village Hall.

Dr. Cheung stated that feedback from this meeting would be considered by the Planning Commission at its next regular meeting on 04 September 2002 (Wednesday, 7PM). The Planning Commission would advise Council on possible amendments to the new zoning ordinance and use map.

The floor was then opened to public comment.

• Dr. Cheung acknowledged a proposal received from Mr. Bryan Kolleda, owner of the Moonbeam McSwine's restaurant at Hines Hills Road and Route 8. Mr. Kolleda stated that he sought "uniform" zoning northeast of Hines Hill and Route 8. He felt that the split between GB General Business fronting the road, and RB Retail Business further north, was unfair to current property owners.
  Note that GB, the more restrictive of the two new commercial classes, is proposed for commercial property fronting NE Hines Hill, including Moonbeam's. The original intention was to keep larger-scale retail developments from fronting Hines Hill directly.
• Mr. Kris Lightcap, of Walters Road abutting the Papes "sheep farm", stated that his first choice for that parcel would be for it to remain RES Residential. He did recognize the oft-cited "transitional" nature of the site, between existing homes and businesses. If the parcel was to be zoned commercial (the plan has it changing to OP Office/Professional), he wanted to see requirements for extensive no-build zones with substantial landscape buffering. He thought 150-200 feet would be nice. Dr. Cheung noted that there was a new requirement for such buffering in the proposed ordinance. Section 1151.04 of the draft ordinance currently requires 100 feet of buffering in commercial uses where they abut residential uses. (A number of officials, including Dr. Cheung, seemed to initially think this was "50 feet", so this detail might be one to keep an eye on.)
• Councilor Teri Slane asked why the golf course (Boston Hills Country Club) was being rezoned at all. She expressed a frequently-heard fear that any change at all would weaken the Village's stance against commercial retail zoning for that property. Dr. Cheung replied that the intention was really to leave the golf course zoning as-is and remove "golf courses" from the allowed use of all the other residential property in the Village. He noted that the proposed zoning for the golf course was REC Recreational.
  Ms. Slane asked whether other recreational uses would then be allowed. Dr. Cheung stated that the permitted uses were specifically listed; on investigation this list was found to be more expansive than under the previous zoning. Ms. Slane suggested that the uses be made more specific yet.
  Dr. Cheung pointed out that if the matter was not handled properly, the course would have difficulty expanding; e.g. when ODOT took some of its land for Route 8 construction. Clerk-Treasurer Carol Zeman clarified this point by noting that the course owners also owned adjacent residential property not yet part of the course proper.
  Ms. Slane asked whether a variance would be sufficient for this purpose. Dr. Cheung felt that an appropriate conditional use would have to be included in the RES zoning to permit this. Ms. Zeman noted that the course might be moving its holes and clubhouse around in the near future, regardless of other developments.
  Dr. Cheung allowed that perhaps the uses for REC zoning should be narrowed further (to more closely align with previous R-1 zoning?) and Council would ask legal counsel for advice.
  Mr. Bill Hinkle, of Boston Mills Rd., asked whether section 1151.01(c) of the draft ordinance, as written, allowed or disallowed amusement park rides in REC. Dr. Cheung replied that, while the language was perhaps murky to the layman, it was intended to disallow such rides. He reflected that perhaps the REC section needed an explicit "Prohibited Uses" clause.
• Mayor McFall stated that he had received inquiries about the last house on the west side of Olde 8 Road, near Rt. 303, changing from B-1 Business to RES Residential. This was an issue brought up at the previous public hearing, by both the owner and renter of that property. Dr. Cheung reiterated that the current landscaping business use would be grandfathered in.
• Mr. Lightcap asked whether further consideration had been given as to the village adopting the new Summit County riparian setback requirements. Village Engineer Steve Schreiber said he might recommend that, but had not yet received and read the county ordinance. Dr. Cheung stated that this would be considered as an issue separate from the draft rezoning plan. Mr. Hinkle asked how such county regulations were included by reference; Mr. Schreiber replied that there was an authorizing village ordinance, circa 1995, but all such rules were subject to the Village's interpretation.
• Mr. Kolleda suggested leaving the golf course zoning entirely as-is, and simply re-zoning all the other residential property in the village (to remove the ability to build a golf course on that property).

As there were no further comments, the Mayor and Council adjourned the meeting. No formal action was taken by Council during this meeting.