The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Council puts brakes on zone
Wants more time to think about changing zoning for storage units for HarborWalk
Lorain City Council wants to put the brakes on consideration of a plan to build about 39 new storage units and four new homes in the HarborWalk on the Black River neighborhood.
The plan has support of the Lorain City Planning Commission and Design Review Board.
But on Oct. 15, HarborWalk residents questioned if the land along Arizona Avenue, across from Anchor Lane and Bascule Drive is the best location for the new construction. At least 40 people were in the audience for the public hearing about the zoning change needed for the project to go forward.
Council did not reject the proposal outright, but agreed on slowing down. After an hourlong public hearing, Council moved the legislation to a second reading.
Lorain attorney Anthony Giardini outlined the project.
The new homes would be the first residential construction in HarborWalk in 13 years, Giardini has said.
The entire project with new residences and storage units will total about $2 million in new construction there, he said.
There are about 180 residences within HarborWalk, Giardini said. He said he met with some of the nearby property owners to explain the project.
But others came out with questions and some opposed the project.
Vicki Hawke thanked Giardini for leading HarborWalk, which she described as a diverse marine village that attracted her to move to Lorain.
But the storage units could be built in a better location that is less obtrusive, she said. “I don’t care how pretty they are,” Hawke said.
Bascule Drive residents Leslie and Bill Richardson presented a petition with 52 signatures asking Council to refuse the rezoning of land needed for the new storage units.
The couple moved to Lorain from Concord Township because they wanted to be on the waterfront, Leslie Richardson said. Seeing HarborWalk was like seeing a community in San Diego, she said, adding she worked in California at least four years.
“We want it to stay that way,” Leslie Richardson said.
Arizona Avenue resident Tonia Deramo said she moved to HarborWalk from out of state. She questioned why every resident of HarborWalk was not notified about the project.
The new residences will be in the HarborWalk neighborhood but will not be part of the development’s homeowners association, Deramo said.
Councilman Greg Argenti of Ward 4 said the developers had years to formulate their plan, so Council and residents should have time to digest the blueprints. He also suggested a committee review of the project.
Council members Beth Henley of Ward 1, Dennis Flores of Ward 2, Pamela Carter of Ward 3, Angel Arroyo Jr. of Ward 6 and Council President Joel Arredondo also had questions about project details.
“I like the design of the project and the storage units,” said Councilman-atLarge Mitch Fallis. “However, visually I don’t know of any key housing project that had storage units as part of their entrance way.”
Fallis said he heard the residents’ concerns about people coming in and out of the storage units.
He added he has heartburn over changing zoning when people make a significant investment in an area where they are expecting residential property.
“I just have some serious reservations about it being obtrusive to 50 or so residents who signed the petition,” Fallis said. There is a lot of property around HarborWalk and there could be other space to build storage units, he said.
Other commenters were residents Jerry Donovan and Denver Casto, both frequent attendees at Council meetings.
On Sept. 5, the city Planning Commission voted 3-0 to approve a zoning change for .37 acres of land, from R-PUD Residential Planned Unit Development to I-1 Light Industrial.
The light industrial zoning is the only zoning classification in the city that would allow construction of storage units, city SafetyService Director Dan Given said in that meeting.
“We want it to stay that way.”
— Leslie Richardson, a HarborWalk resident, who said it rivals San Diego