Special use permit considered for library expansion

Avon City Council is expected to approve a special use permit in support of the expansion of the Avon branch of the Lorain Public Library System.

The project is set to more than double the size of the current library located at 37485 Harvest Drive, adding 16,000 square feet. It requires formal city approval before construction gets underway.

The action follows a unanimous 5-0 recommendation from the Avon Planning Commission on April 21.

Economic Development Director Pam Fechter said the move is a procedural step in the process.

Fechter noted when the original structure came before council in 1993, a special use permit was not required, and city officials want to get the entire building permitted in moving forward.

Architect Jason Nolde of GPD Group said they are aiming to add a four-foot high fence to the outside of the building as a safety measure, in response to a question from CouncilAt-Large member Tammy Holtzmeier about measures to protect children from wandering into the street.

Fechter added the city and project leaders are still working on a shared parking agreement and some small miscellaneous items in the lead up to construction.

Council is set to vote on the measure at its next regular session on May 10.

The library expansion comes following the approval of a 20-year, 2-mill levy in May 2020 that is estimated to raise $1.9 million annually, according to figures from the Lorain County Auditors Office.

The estimated $9 million project will add 16,000 square feet for a total of 26,867 square feet bringing the facility in line with the needs of the Avon community.

The present building is about 10,000 square feet and since its construction in 1994, the population of Avon has grown considerably.

Current design plans have the expanded library featuring a reading garden, a drive-up window and aesthetics aimed at staying in line with the historic French Creek district.

In March, council agreed to formally transfer the 2-acre parcel of land south of the current structure to the Lorain Public Library System, paving the way for construction. The city had previously leased the parcel to the library for $1 annually since its construction in 1994.

The interior of the building will have expanded meeting room capacities, technology upgrades and a dedicated space for children and youth programming.

The project is scheduled to break ground in June with a tentative completion date of June 2022.

COURTESY The proposed site plan for the Avon branch of the Lorain Public Library System would double the facility’s current size. Avon City Council approved an agreement to sell a two-acre parcel of land directly south of the current structure to accommodate the expansion.

COURTESY OF GPD GROUP A rendering of the proposed design for the Avon branch library expansion will feature a drive-up window in the new facility that will double the current size to 26,000square feet.