LAFAYETTE TOWNSHIP ZONING COMMISSION

Regular Meeting 

6776 Wedgewood Road, Medina, Ohio

June 2, 2009 @ 7:00 p.m.

 

Zoning Commission Chair Karen Schoonover called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Roll call indicated five members of the Zoning Commission were present:  Karen Schoonover, Dianne Wenslow, Sherri Meinke, Russ Green and Mike Biskup (at 7:05 p.m.).  Matthew Strehle (alternate) was also present (7:05 p.m.) along with Zoning Inspector Alliss Strogin and Debbie Bican from the Village of Chippewa Lake.

 

Minutes

Upon motion by Sherri Meinke, duly seconded by Karen Schoonover, the May 5, 2009, meeting minutes were unanimously approved and then signed.

 

Correspondence

The secretary distributed the following items:

-         Listing of Zoning Permits as of May 27, 2009

 

Zoning Inspector Report

Zoning Inspector Alliss Strogin reported that she had been getting a lot of complaints about the unsightly condition of the property located at 7428 Lake Road, which was formerly the Habitat for Humanity building but now occupied by E & G Thrift Shop.  She has been in contact with the owner and/or tenant since March in an attempt to get this property cleaned up and the matter resolved.  No permit was ever requested for this business.  The tenant and/or owner have been placing the blame on the other party as well as giving her assurances that the matter would be taken care of only they keep delaying action.  At this point of time pictures of the unsightly conditions and the entire file of letters/notices (mailed as well as hand-delivered by a police officer) have been delivered to the Medina County Prosecutor’s Office for legal action. 

 

In addition the fire department received complaints about this property (Debbie Bican indicated she had contacted them).  The fire department did an inspection and the owner/tenant ended up with a lot of violations and a five-day notice was given to get the violations corrected.

 

New Business

Debbie Bican indicated that she was present to bring to the Board’s attention three different matters:

1)      The unsightly conditions at the 7428 Lake Road property (discussed above);

2)      The property two doors north on Lake Road owned by Tony Gruber.  He apparently is doing some work on the property but no building permit was displayed and his intention of what he wants to put in there keeps changing;

3)      The old bathhouse over by the new resort area has shifted some towards the house next door when they started clearing the land and it’s a horrible safety issue.  Gary Sills had indicated that the bathhouse etc. would be torn down but there was no real timetable.  The fire department has been contacted and they are looking into the matter.

 

Zoning Inspector Strogin responded as to item 3 (the old bathhouse) that Gary Sills had indicated that the bathhouse etc. would be torn down but there was no real timetable.  She further indicated that it was not a zoning matter as zoning can’t do a thing about tearing down a building but the fire department can if it’s a fire hazard and they can proceed accordingly.

 

As to item 2 (property owned by Tony Gruber) Zoning Inspector Strogin indicated that Gruber did get a remodeling permit and he should have gotten a building permit from the county.  As she understands it, the building was last used a number of years ago as a restaurant.  It’s not very big but he thinks he can divide it in half and on one side he wants to put in a take-out pizza place and on the other half (he has suggested numerous things) he is interested in putting in some type of gaming machines/games of skill.  He indicates there are three parking spaces out front (to be used for pizza pick-up) and fourteen spaces in the back (to be used for the second business).  It was suggested to Gruber that he check with the Prosecutor’s Office to find out if the games of skill would be something that would be allowed in Medina County since they have not been allowed in other townships/cities.  He got the remodeling permit in order to remodel the building shell and then once he has made his mind up what he wants to do he can finish the inside.  His current goal is a pizza pick-up place on one side but he hasn’t brought in any type of plan as far as business; he is merely suggesting different ideas for the other side.

 

Relative to the Gruber property there was further discussion about the number of parking spaces, what would be grandfathered in since it had been vacant for a number of years, the type of business that could go in there and other related zoning issues.

 

Old Business

Status of Comprehensive Plan Revision

Chair Schoonover reported that she talked with Trustee Don Butler and he will be contacting Patrice Theken at the Medina County Department of Planning Services about proceeding in order to get this completed so the township has a legally defensible and adopted comprehensive plan that benefits the township

 

Suggestions for Zoning Commission Priority Items  (listed for informational purposes)

The list to date includes:

-         Nonconforming Lots in Chippewa Lake Area;

-         Comprehensive Plan Revision;

-         Parking Regulations (Matt Strehle research/review);

-         Site Plan Review Procedures;

-         Abolish Rear Lots (Dianne Wenslow research/review);

-         General Clean-up of Zoning Code;

-         Lake Road Zoning Districts (Mike Biskup research/review);

-         Allowable Uses in Local Commercial (Mike Biskup research/review);

-         Conditional Uses

-         Signage (Sherri Meinke research/review)

-         Solar and Wind Power (Russ Green research/review);

-         Transportation/Trolley.

 

The Board determined that a workshop should be scheduled in order to more thoroughly discuss some of the priority items such as the Chippewa Lake area nonconforming lots (lot sizes and lot frontages), Lake Road zoning and Local Commercial uses. 

 

Announcements

-         Zoning Commission workshop is scheduled for Monday, June 22, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at the township administration building.

-         Next regular meeting of the Zoning Commission will be Tuesday, July 7, 2009, at 7 p.m. at the township hall.

 

Adjournment

Upon motion by Dianne Wenslow, duly seconded by Karen Schoonover, it was unanimous that the meeting be adjourned.  Adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

 

 

 

Marlene L. Oiler, Certified PP, PLS

Lafayette Township Zoning Commission Secretary 

 

 

(Note:  Minutes approved on 7/7/09.)