Taking a closer look

Community’s government leaders reviewing report on proposal to revise zoning-district uses

Fairport Harbor legislators and administrators will be studying and discussing a new report that focuses on proposed permitted uses for some of the village’s zoning districts.

The report, unveiled at the Aug. 18 Village Council meeting, also proposes the creation of purpose statements for districts ranging from C-1 —Neighborhood Business to I-2 — Heavy Industrial.

This information was prepared for village government leaders by David Radachy, the community’s assistant zoning inspector. He serves in this capacity through a contract between the village and Lake County Office of Planning and Community Development. Radachy also is director of that county office.

While council initially requested that Radachy provide a list of proposed, permitted uses for land zoned industrial in the village, he opted to issues recommendations for an expanded variety of zoning categories.

Districts covered in his analysis are C-1, Neighborhood Business; C-2, Downtown; C-3, Regional Business; I-1, Light Industrial; I-2, Heavy Industrial; M-I, Marine Industrial; and M-R, Marine Recreational.

Radachy also created a table in his study, where anyone looking at the page can scroll down and see the proposed, permitted uses in each zoning category. Uses are listed under headings such as Retail and Personal Service; Automotive and Transportation; Manufacturing; and Marine Uses.

A combination of existing and proposed permitted purposes appear on the list, village Administrator Amy Cossick said on Aug. 25.

Radachy, during the Aug. 18 meeting, said the proposed purpose statements he created for the district “give a sense of direction of where each district will take (the village).”

For example, the purpose statement for the I-1, Light Industrial “is intended to provide a district that offers a variety of light industrial uses, automotive services, trade business, warehousing and wholesale uses which operate in a clean, quiet manner.”

Councilman Tony Bertone commended Radachy for compiling a well-organized analysis that was easy to navigate.

“(His table of zoning categories and uses) lines up with how the Ohio Revised Building Code is set up,” Bertone said. “It’s very easy to read and he did a fantastic job.”

Radachy said his report is only “the first step of many in getting this approved by council.”

“I would recommend that you send this to a committee or (the village) Planning

Commission to work out the different uses and decide what uses you want for each district and see if this is the way you really want to go,” he said.

Mayor Timothy Manross suggested that the village Planning Commission and council’s Planning Committee do a more in-depth review of the report.

“What we may want to do is combine those two groups to go over this at that time,” Manross said. “We could probably eliminate a meeting or two doing it that way.”

Council decided last month to take a closer look at permitted use in zoning districts when it approved the rezoning of a 2-acre parcel on Saint Clair Street Extension for industrial use.

Dean Tsengas, who is managing partner of Senk Properties, had asked the

village to rezone the parcel at 1185 Saint Clair Street Extension to industrial from marine recreational.

While Bertone voted in favor of the rezoning, he also expressed concerns about changing the land’s zoning classification to industrial without knowing what a future tenant or buyer might do with the property.

“Without a development plan or deed restrictions, there is a liability to the village, of course,” Bertone said. “I think that’s something for all the council to consider.”

In response to discussion about requiring deed restrictions or a development plan for the Saint Clair Street Extension property, Radachy said Fairport Harbor instead needed to take a broader look at permitted uses in its zoning districts to truly protect the village.