MOUNT VERNON — Much of Mount Vernon City Council’s business on Monday night involved planning and zoning issues. Topping the P&Z agenda is council’s approval of the Ohio Eastern Star Home’s planned neighborhood development (PND).
Attorney Kim Rose, representing the Ohio Eastern Star Home, said OESH recognized a number of years ago that there is a need for intermediate housing for people who want to be near help as they age. The 96-unit, apartment-style PND is the culmination of a long-term housing plan for seniors.
The Municipal Planning Commission approved the PND with the expectation that OESH would address neighbors’ concerns about lighting, road setbacks, and stormwater runoff. Michelle Engelbach, OESH chief executive officer, told council OESH has addressed those concerns.
OESH increased road setbacks, which also allowed engineers to change the grading to a less-steep slope. OESH also addressed lighting, noise from trash pickup, and other issues.
New Gambier Road resident Keith Burley did not support OESH’s original plat because of the above-mentioned stormwater, setback, and other issues. At a public hearing on Monday, Burley said OESH made a “good-faith” effort to rectify residents’ concerns.
“I am not for it because I like the field across from us, but I am not against it. I think Eastern Star has made the good-faith effort that was requested by municipal planning,” he said.
In response to a question about OESH’s plans for future expansion, Engelbach said the PND is as far as her vision would go for building new homes and new units.
“I think there is room to do other things on that campus that are not building new homes or new rental spaces,” she said. “I think there is room for a fitness center, there is room for gardens, walking paths — all of those really nice amenities. But I don’t see where there’s really room to add on any more.”
Another New Gambier Road resident had concerns about stormwater plan approval, western tree line removal, and wildlife. Engelbach said the tree line will remain and the stormwater plan has been approved. A retention pond will retain the stormwater runoff; a detention pond will handle the overflow.
The resident said he was satisfied with the answers he received.
Council members voted to accept municipal planning’s recommendation and approve the PND development plan.
Tree planting regulations
With the development that is coming to the city, the Shade Tree and Beautification Committee is concerned about the number of trees developers will remove and plant.
In 2021, council approved an ordinance that required developers to submit a tree planting plan before the Municipal Planning Commission approves a subdivision plat. However, the city did not update its final plat checklist to include the requirement.
Council waived the required three readings and approved an ordinance amending the checklist to include requiring a tree planting plan before municipal planning approval.
Residential permit in O/I zoning
Council gave a second reading to an ordinance that revises the process to grant a residential conditional use for properties in an Office-Institutional district.
Revisions include waiving the $75 application fee and giving the safety-service director the authority to approve the request. If the SSD denies the request, the property owner can appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals at no charge.
The issue came to light when it was discovered some residents in an O/I district were paying higher O/I stormwater rates vs residential rates. A residence in an O/I district requires a conditional use permit.
Councilman Mike Hillier, who recommends postponing the ordinance indefinitely because anticipated updates to the city’s zoning code might rectify the problem, noted that approving residential use in an O/I district constitutes spot zoning.
Historic Review Commission
Council gave a first reading to an ordinance giving the Historic Review Commission authority to decide which structures within the city are historic. Previously, the commission only had that authority within designated historic districts.
The issue arose when developer Joel Mazza said he wants to get the former middle/high school on North Mulberry Street declared historic. He wants the designation so that he can apply for a historic tax abatement under the city’s CRA (community reinvestment area).
The structure is outside a designated historic district. Mazza plans to renovate the building into housing units. He plans to build new housing units on the back of the property under the CRA’s multi-family housing category.
