North Royalton City Council has discussed placing a moratorium on discount retailers, such as “dollar stores” in the city’s Town Center District (TCD). Generally, that area is located between Royalwood Road and Royalton Roads to the north and south, and State Road and Ridge Road to the east and west.
Under the Town Center District, currently retail is a usage allowable in that area. North Royalton Council President Paul Marnecheck said that “it didn’t jive with what I felt TCD was envisioned. The measure has been discussed in the North Royalton Council Building and Building Codes Committee.
The start of this was two-fold,” according to Marnecheck. “There was a Dollar General that wanted to go into the area of Royalwood and State. Just seeing how so many residents weren’t against a business, but this type of business, then I saw both Cleveland and Brunswick approve legislation to put a moratorium on this type of business.” Marnecheck was referring to the situation where a dollar store was interested in building a store in the Royalwood/State Road area. They proposed a plan to the city’s Planning Commission, where a number of residents were against the measure. When a plan is proposed to the Planning Commission, residents that reside in the immediate proximity of the location are notified, so they can address the Commission with any questions and/or concerns they may have. Marnecheck said that the calls that he received then, when he was the Council Representative in that ward, were overwhelmingly against the measure.
Marnecheck then talked with a representative from Brunswick on the matter. “He sent me the legislation and I shared with my colleagues. I wanted to see if there was consensus among my colleagues. Let’s see if we’re all on the same page. Ok, now let’s go back and craft it.” Marnecheck went on to say that “we don’t have to recreate the wheel. Let’s see how we can customize this for North Royalton. “It’s now up to our law department to craft the legislation,” said Marnecheck. “They were able to hear from Council what our end goal is.”
If Council adopts legislation for a moratorium, it could cover time frame until a new Master Plan could be adopted, that could show a change in the uses that would be allowable in that area. Mayor Larry Antoskiewicz said that the city’s Master Plan will be reviewed and updated, probably starting at the end of this year. The new plan is expected to be finished and approved by Council by next summer in order to place it on the ballot for voters to approve.
The charter states that “a comprehensive general plan to be known as the Master Plan shall be prepared by the Mayor or his/her designee by June 1, 2004. Such Master Plan shall provide for the overall development of the entire City. The Master Plan shall be reviewed by the Mayor or his/her designee every seven (7) years after first adoption and revised as necessary giving due consideration to those areas requiring redevelopment and/or urban renewals. The Commission shall review the Master Plan, as prepared by the Mayor or his/her designee as set forth above, and all revisions made each seven (7) years thereafter, and shall refer to Council with its recommendations, any revisions or amendments thereto. No Master plan or portions thereof or amendments thereto, shall be adopted by Council until after a public hearing thereon. The master plan shall serve as a guide to all future actions of the City concerning land use, development regulations, and official maps. Consistent with the Master Plan, the (Planning) Commission shall recommend to Council a Master Street plan together with necessary maps or plats showing the locations of all proposed improvements. The (Planning) Commission shall have such powers as may be conferred on it by ordinance of the Council concerning the plan, design, location, removal, relocation and alteration of any public building or structure or those located on public streets or property, the location, relocation, widening, extension and vacation of streets, parkways, playgrounds and other public places, the zoning and rezoning of the Municipality for any lawful purpose, and such other powers as now or may hereafter be conferred upon it by ordinance of the Council or the general laws of Ohio.”
The city’s last Master Plan was approved in 2014, which included fourteen changes to the previous plan. That measure was passed by 65% of the vote.
By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer