Board denies zoning change

Change sought for former junkyard

The Lorain City Planning Commission has denied zoning changes for a businessman whose former scrap yard became a target because of fire and building code violations.

On Oct. 3, the commission denied zoning changes needed for Peanut Propertis to operate at the former American Auto Wrecking, 3618 Elyria Ave.

The company is a business of Joseph Burda of North Ridgeville.

Burda is the former owner of JB Acquisitions LLC, the indoor auto and machinery salvage yard at the intersection of Grove Avenue and Homewood Drive in South Lorain.

That property had two street addresses, 3725 Grove Ave. and 2261 Homewood Drive, and it has sold to new owners, Burda said at the Planning Commission meeting.

In February 2017, he purchased the former American Auto Wrecking, which was a third-generation auto junkyard.

There were two parcels involved there, so Burda asked city officials to change zoning

It was unclear if Burda can continue to operate the junkyard business based on the current zoning .

from B-1 General Business, and from R-3 Residential, to I-2 Heavy Industrial so he could operate a salvage yard dedicated to breaking down parts from Ford super-duty trucks.

Many of the trucks were damaged in collisions, but a crew of five or six workers can dismantle the engines, cabs and frames to collect reusable parts to sell, Burda said.

Engine oil and coolant would be recycled and the business would sell as scrap any parts not worth keeping, he said.

“We just want to run a clean ship,” Burda said.

Meanwhile, up to 90 percent of the junked cars at the property are gone.

The land is surrounded by other salvage and recycling operations or electric power lines, Burda said.

Opposition

City officials agreed they were grateful Burda has repaid more than $196,000 in delinquent property taxes he owed from the former salvage business.

But Lorain Ward 5 Councilwoman JoAnne Moon, Ward 6 Councilman Angel Arroyo Jr., Councilwomanat-Large Mary Springowski were lined up against the requested zoning change for Elyria Avenue.

Moon said residents opposed the business and she would lead a petition drive against it.

She suggested the business go elsewhere.

“My problem is, I have so many junkyards and tires that I’m constantly cleaning up that area on Elyria Avenue with tires,” Moon said. “I have a lot of junk cars that are across the street from your area that we’re trying to get out and clean up. I just feel that that’s a residential area and there shouldn’t be heavy industrial.”

Springowski listed code violations from Burda’s previous building.

She also discussed abandoned vehicles on Burda’s property and the businesses that create a terrible first impression of Lorain when people enter the city via Grove Avenue, Broadway, Elyria Avenue and Baumhart Road.

“We have these facilities there and they look like hell,” Springowski said, and she included the city’s own garage as one that needs work.

Burda is from North Ridgeville, Springowski said.

“And I’m tired of people that live in other cities that are nice, so-called, cities, coming into Lorain to do their dirty business,” she said. “I am fed up with it. We are better than that. We deserve better than this.”

Arroyo and Burda debated the city actions and Burda’s responses about the previous property.

Problems included junked vehicles and three trailers of abandoned tires set on the property next to a camper that caught fire.

“There’s been a disregard for what you’ve been asked to do,” Arroyo said.

Burda countered that the tires were dumped on his property and he had contradictory orders about whether he was allowed to move them or not.

Ultimately, the tires were removed, he said.

Council President Joel Arredondo asked Burda questions about details of his business, but did not state support or opposition to the zoning change.

In the end, Mayor Chase Ritenauer, Safety-Service Director Dan Given and Planning Commission members Ken Kramer and Jeff Zellers voted 4-0 to reject Burda’s requests.

Future use?

It was unclear if Burda can continue to operate the junkyard business based on the current zoning.

Citing city code, Chief Building Official Richard Klinar said the earlier junkyard was an allowed nonconforming use.

However, because the junkyard stopped operating for 12 months, the land reverted back to its original zoning, Klinar said.

In this case, the land now is zoned residential and general business, according to city records.

Baumhart Road

In other business, the Planning Commission held in abeyance a request from James Pajk and Andrew Russell to rezone land on Baumhart Road to change the zoning from I-1 Light Industrial to I-2 Heavy Industrial.

They first applied in June and the request was held in abeyance then.

On Oct. 3, Planning Commission members had more than 30 minutes of discussion with Russell about the plans.

City officials said they want to work with Russell and Pajk to move their businesses from Liberty Avenue in Vermilion to Baumhart Road in Lorain.

But they said they want more details about a site plan for stockpiling construction and demolition debris.

Commission members said they would like to see landscape mounds to block the view of the materials from Baumhart Road.

The land does not have a street address.

It was unclear if Burda can continue to operate the junkyard business based on the current zoning.