The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
City Planning Commission OKs zoning overlay
Rezoning of Midway Mall headed to City Council for approval
Rezoning of the Midway Mall in Elyria is headed to City Council for approval.
During a special Planning Commission meeting Jan. 19, members approved a new zoning overlay which would allow both business general and light industrial services at the site.
Mayor Frank Whitfield said the new zoning will allow for new economic development around the region, potentially bringing new life to the quiet mall.
“This gives the city (an opportunity) to be proactive in terms of development,” Whitfield said.
“We believe this location and site is prime for ‘x,’ so we’re going to create a zoning overlay to allow ‘x’ to be eligible for this site.”
During the meeting, business owners Johnny K’s and the Hampton Inn expressed excitement about the idea of bringing in new businesses.
However, they cautioned against the Midway area becoming run down with an industrial look.
In a previous meeting, assistant Safety Service Director Dawn Calvert said the city can put conditions on the zoning overlay so that things like outside storage don’t clutter the area.
A zoning overlay gives developers and the city the opportunity to market the property and get more interest in it, Calvert said.
Currently, there are two main owners connected to the mall, Industrial Commercial Properties, also known as ICP, and Namdar.
Namdar owns the inner part of the mall and has been in negotiations with Industrial Commercial Properties over that portion for about a year, officials said.
At the last Planning Commission meeting, members approved rezoning the Sears building for a potential logistics company.
If a light industrial overlay had been in place over the business general district, Industrial Commercial Properties would not have needed to come before Planning Commission to rezone the Sears property.
Planning Commission member Chad Schneider said he thought the zoning was smart because it will allow for multiple uses for a large amount of territory.
However, Schneider also said the board needs to closely look at the overlaying process from road to road or all at once.
“It would be smart to monitor this as a board,” he said.