Planning & Zoning Commission - Regular Meeting

Hi. All right. Yeah, I'll get you something. Okay, we're swearing in new members. I thought you returning members. So, you will raise your right hand and you will say I and state your name. I Steve Dyer. Oh, that was fun. only swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Ohio, and the charter of the city of Johntown, that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially discharge the duties of the planning and zoning commission member to which I have been appointed. Congratulations. Yay. Thank you guys. A lot of competition in this field.

I'm picking up your Teresa, I would like to call this meeting to order. Fantastic. Do we need to sign this and return this to you? Yeah, we can after if you want to. Wow. All right. Steve Dyer here. Kyle Cook here. Mark Zolinski. Todd McConnell here. Ryan Heel here. Thank you, Teresa. Um, public comments on items not on the agenda. I did not receive any requests. Seeing none, let's go ahead and move on to the election of the chair and vice chair. I'd like to make a motion that Steve Dyer stays as chair. I'll second.

All right. Kyle Cook, yes. Todd McConnell, yes. Brian Heel, yes. Steve Dyer, yes. Congratulations, Steve. Thank you. That's quite an honor. I would like to uh Mark, I got got a hold of Mark and he would really like to be vice chair. Um he says he will accept a position and I would like to nominate Mark even though he's not here to be vice chair. I'll second. Great. All right. Steve Dyer, yes. Kyle Cook, yes. Todd McConnell, yes. Ryan Hevil, yes.

Thank you. All right. Approval of minutes from December 3rd, 2025. Can everybody read them and get a chance to read them? Yes. A motion? Yeah, I'll make a motion. Yeah, they they look good. So, a motion to pass. I'll second. You can I'm going to abstain when she comes around. That's fine. I'll You can say that when um I call the rule. All right. Brian Hel. Yes. Steve Dyer, yes. Kyle Cook, yes. McConnell, abstain. Thank you. This is fantastic. We're already on line item number five. All right. Tabled application 9225 conditional use 65 South Main Street wall mural.

Uh we have not received anything new of the two items that the board requested. So, and nobody's here on that. Is that correct? What happens when it's tabled and then no one shows up?

Couple items procedurally. uh if if you want to act on it, you can remove it from the table, vote it down. So, that's one option. Um we can always reach out to the applicant to see if they would like to withdraw it. It's easier if they withdraw it from legal perspectives uh and purposes. So, we can certainly do that or eventually uh a little bit more more gray uh in in the area, but you could essentially continue to allow it to be tabled, but then after a certain time has passed, simply remove it and it's no longer on the table. Not as clean um and clearcut as we'd like it, but that isn't Yeah, there's a time limit on the tables, right?

There's not necessarily like a locked in time ordinance or a timet in our ordinances. Um, but this was conversation that we've had with legal counsel in the past and uh and their advice on on how to go about these particular items. So again, clean ways uh to go about it are remove it from the table, vote it down, they would then have to resubmit or I could reach out to the applicant, see if they're willing to remove it at their behest and then it would simply be I think we got a lot of interest from the community in this and I think it's reasonable if we reach have staff reach out to the applicant. happy to do so. Kind of. Thank you. And then by the next meeting, if we haven't heard anything, I think we know if we reach back out and they're not even trying, then

yeah, we know where we're headed with this. Okay.

All right. Moving on down. Application 12725, conditional use 80 West Maple Street, Sports Field. Now, there's that one and then we also have the parking lot buffer, but I think we do them one at a time in order. Yeah, Trevor. Yep. Okay. So, for the first one, the conditional use, do we want to start with applicant or staff report?

I'll I'll jump in just a real quickly um kind of frame why we're having the planning and zoning meeting before uh the DN I'm sorry, the design review board meeting. Reasons being is this is a conditional use. Uh before we have our design review board team run through the design of it, typically like to make sure that it's at least something that is going to be allowable. Uh so before we get to that process, that's what you're here for tonight. Trevor's got a staff report that uh that he's put together that will walk through the conditional use piece of this and I'll let Trevor do that as well. Again, a variance um if it is an allowable use um with the conditions you set forth. a variance uh is also requested from the applicant. Having that variance approved prior to it going to DRB uh is also helpful uh so that they're not spinning their wheels and then it ultimately coming back. So that's the reverse order that we have tonight. Uh again the conditional use this particular piece of property is UR1 zoning and uh it is a condition uh that can be allowed. Uh, with that I am going to either a pass it off to the applicant, but I my suggestion would be have Trevor introduce the staff report to give further context behind it and that way you can answer any questions and then the applicants here as well.

I think that's a great idea, Trevor. Sure.

All right, everyone. Good evening. Um, so just to orient you where I will be reading or pulling materials from. Uh, so the staff report starts on page 12 of 45 in your packet. Um, as Sean noted, this is a conditional use permit request to uh construct a soccer field on property located at 80 West Maple Street. Um, there are several parcels there highlighted on the map. They will be kind of in the northern four parcels that you see there and some of the parking will be um to the south there. And I believe the applicant has bigger boards blown up over there as well that they can walk through. Um but essentially the reason this is coming before you for a conditional use permit is within the UR1 zoning district which is where properties are located. Um any sort of like sports fields things like that require conditional use hence the application for you. Um as always I went through the code and applied the standards for conditional uses in chapter 1131.03 based on those review criteria. I didn't identify anything that would preclude or create create an issue with this sort of use in that zoning district. Um based on the review criteria, I didn't see any major inconsistencies or anything like that. The site will have uh the field itself, the support infrastructure, a parking area, lighting, things like that. All that go along with with that sort of sports facility. Um but to that um is there a conclusion on page 16 that I have? Yeah. 16 to 45. I did not identify any inconsistencies between the requested condition use permit and the comprehensive plan or the UR1 zoning district. Um specifically uh there there was nothing in the request that would impact the health, safety or welfare of the city as a whole. Um, and additionally, a zoning certificate and certificate of appropriateness, which is the DRV review, uh, will still be required prior to any construction or anything like that that goes on on site.

So, this is not the last time it will be reviewed by the city staff. This is just to allow and consider the use itself. Um, to begin, there are some plans within your packet. They start right before the staff report. You can see um, on there the plan in there as we start to it's marked question.

A011, which is the landscape plan. That gives you an idea of the layout of where the new parking will be, which will be accessed off of Maple Street, kind of where the existing part um parking is there. And then the soccer field, I said, would be constructed on the northern kind of four parcels of that study area map is in the staff report itself. Um before I go into detail that maybe no one's interested in, do you all have any questions? No, that's No, just on we're just doing the conditional use right now. Conditional use permit at this time. So, I do not have any anybody from the board. Is there a uh zoning like GCC1? Would it be a conditional use?

I don't know to be honest. It's not uncommon for these sorts of facilities to require a conditional use permit. um in other zoning codes that I've worked in generally is because they sometimes operate outside of like typical school like that. So really just an opportunity that if any additional criteria whether it be you know lighting requirements, screening anything like that those could all be considered and applied during the use phase um based on the location of where this is proposed it's kind of set back from the street. There are going to be new trees and screening things like that that come with it. I didn't see any need to require anything above and beyond what was in the code. Okay. But but there is the opportunity for that if you know through discussion that is determined to be needed.

Can I add on to that, Trevor? Just uh just for clarity and it's a good question, Brian, that you you brought up. Uh you'll notice that we're doing a conditional use on this particular parcel and expansion, but not with uh the other projects related to some things happening at the school. Part of the reasoning is because schools are allowed. Um, we consider the school being the primary use, the sports field kind of an ancillary but a part of the school because this site does not have a school building on it and it will be primarily a sports facility sports field is the reason that it triggered the conditional use. Again, there is a distinct difference between the other application that will go before design review board tonight um and what you are seeing here. Again, that's because of the the uses that are allowed. One is by right permitted, the other one is a conditional. So just for probably a learning exercise um for you to be aware, you asked about I think you were going should we reclassify it as a GCC1. I don't think that would be necessary for this particular site.

I don't know that that would be uh inconsistency with our comprehensive plan either. So this allows for a path forward. Um but just a little bit of a um a check right before it it gets to that last approval process. Now sports field's a sports field, right? Whether it's the school owns it or city owns it. Yeah. In that regard, ownership didn't come into it. It's irrelevant, right? Yeah. Cuz the code says operating with or without a fee. So whether it was a private entity that charge or you know the school that's just using as part of their operations, it doesn't really matter. Yeah. Fantastic. Um we like to hear from our applicants tonight.

So I I'm new so I'm going to ask them questions. I'm not sure if they're appropriate at this point or another time. Um, if I'm reading the map correctly, it was already mentioned that the uh access to the new parking area is going to be off West Maple Street. Mhm. Off of that. However, coming directly out of there is, if I read this correctly, is going to go to Williams. Correct. I'm picking up what you're laying down there, Todd, now. So, you're saying out the hallway intersection there?

Yes. Thank you. So, if it's if it is going to do that, I would assume proper signage would be there, stop signs to be able to make sure that people are stopping before they get onto the roads. Going to a meeting that was presented to the city last month for road improvements, William Street is potentially going to have a light installed there. It's going to move from Oregon. Yep. So, there's kind of two there's multiple questions there. So, if that's the case, I brought up at that meeting, and I'm going to bring it up tonight, is will Williams, and it's not for the applicant necessarily, but will Williams be upgraded? Is it going to be updated? Because I would

like the like the coffee shop road, right? Yes. Where hot spot is. So, from 62 there's at at potential light going to the new parking area. I would see that there's going to be increased traffic. the way that the street is right now, it doesn't do great with current traffic. So, if you're going to increase traffic, will there be improvements made to that road? And with that, or that's that's one question. The second question is for Oregon, Oregon goes directly to the school,

but if Oregon is going to be cut off so that you can only make certain turns, you can't go straight across 62 on Oregon from the school, is that going to be something that's taken into consideration for that uh for that construction or potential con construction? Now, I don't know if there's been changes made since that meeting, so I'm just bringing those items up. That's a comprehensive plan question for that one. That's Yeah, I mean I I think those are good questions in terms of will

will improvements be directly associated with the construction of either the stoplight or the soccer field. I think the answer to that is no, unless the city's already planned something for that. Um, and in terms of the Oregon Street intersection, there's kind of not a whole lot of input there that can like because it's a state roadway, there's different standards that are applied to those in terms of like distance between intersections and movements that can happen across them. So I don't think that there will be improvements associated directly with this in terms of like the intersections or the street being upgraded unless that's So So what I understood from that meeting is that Oregon coming from the school

going towards the park area is going to be stopped and there's going to be you can either turn I don't remember if it's left or right but you can't go straight across because it's going to force you. I think it's I think you might only be able to turn right right into the street. So then if you're coming from the school to the to this area, people, parents, kids would be able to walk across without a light now. But parents going across there would have to divert onto Williams or onto 37 36 37 Main Street to be able to get there. So it's going to create diversion of traffic and things like that. Again, that's not to do with the applicant,

but it's something else that as far as planning and Brian, like you said, that that's maybe a different different area to be able to Yeah, it's a good point. That's a good point, though. Something to think about.

No, it is a good question. That's kind of uh demonstrates very well how different initiatives kind of stack on top of each other when you start talking about these sort of things. I do know I would have been lightly involved in some of the conversations related to infrastructure improvements, but there should be if the stoplight is moved from Oregon to Williams, there should be upgraded pedestrian facilities included with that. Meaning like crosswalks with the like the signals that allow pedestrians knowing to cross, buttons, that sort of thing. So, while it will be a change in overall traffic pattern, you should be able to at Williams, you should be able to have both vehicles and pedestrians cross there at that intersection safely. So, it will be different than today. And I'm not I'm not saying that there won't be other potential downstream issues with Williams and the capacity they can handle. But I think in terms of like accessibility across 30 or 62, there should be no change other than crossing a block later or earlier depending on how you look at it today

which would increase traffic on Williams. There's probably the likelihood for that. Yeah. Okay. So that's I just wanted to make sure to bring that up. And the other question I based on the map that's listed on here, it doesn't say the types of trees. It just says deciduous trees, existing trees and such. I know the city also has a list of undesirable under undesirable. So, I wanted to make sure that that was something that was noted in here what type of trees were going to be put in there. I love trees. I used to do landscaping, so I'm in favor of trees and shrubs and stuff, but

it may be in here and I'll look for that. But typically at this at this phase, I don't go into that level. Do you that would be something that for full on site engineering when that comes through that's when that list is reviewed to make sure no undesirable trees are being used in the overall program or or variances looked at at that point. Okay. Just thinking ahead. So thanks for waiting. Um name Philip Wagner, superintendent for the John Maro schools. Um I have two of our architects here. Um might be would you want them to go through the storyboards and kind of lay out the project for you? It might be that kind of detail. That's up to you guys. Yeah, I mean whatever. We're here to help. That'd be great.

Yeah, I think you can you can see the project and they have some storyboards. So we have Chris Dumpford and Eric Thompson are two lead architects on this. So I'll let the two of you walk through this. And on the trees issue, by the way, we are we started looking at the list. We know that's a little further down the road, but we understand what that is. So, we will work with the city on that and not have anything that's prohibited. So, if I may, I know it's going to be annoying, but there's people watching at home. If you going to talk about it, could you talk on the microphone? There's people watching us. I sometimes Yes.

So, all the information that you need to consider this should be on the what's in your packet. I've made a couple of other um just sort of annotations that might just be a little helpful. The the first thing I did was um on this plan here, the highlighted area of of pavement there there was a certain amount of pavement that was bid as a base bid and there was some additional parking and pavement was bid as an alternate. That's all identified on the plan, but the uh the alternate for the additional parking was not accepted. So the what's shown in purple there is is the extent of what's actually going to be built the first time. It doesn't really affect anything on this meeting. it it affects the quantity of trees in one of the calculations, but um but just to let you know that um this is the same drawing. It's just has the the aerial overlaid. Um this will come into um this will be appropriate to look at in more depth when we talk about the variance for the screening at the parking lot areas. So I just have that there. Um So, you know, um this drawing here is the uh the grading plan and it just again shows the elevations of the parking lot at the parking lot and then at the street to show the difference. Again, that's part of the uh the variance conversation. Um, and then I I don't think that this pertains to this meeting, but we do have graphics of what the buildings look like and the materials that are going to be on the building. That's mainly for the next meeting, but if anybody wants to see that those are available.

Um, yeah, as far as the um just the approval of the use, I I don't think there's much more that we have to add. It is simply just a soccer field, a multi-purpose field with a concession building to serve that concession and restroom and then a parking and drive uh to to get there. So nothing nothing crazy or out of the ordinary. Um and no variances uh associated with just the uh use acceptance. Thank you. Well, I have a couple questions if nobody else does. So start ahead. Um, so this is going to be school related and it's not going to be used for commercial use. It's not going to be

No, it we always get requests to use our facilities. So it could be some league or some others would want to use there's no commercial application for this. Okay, that moves my next question. Um, is there a time limit where you can't have people on the field with the homes around there? Yeah, we don't have anything in that right now, but I will what I will tell you is um you know this is a grass field right now and then this will be a um large soccer regular is it 220 in I think it's like 220 by

So one of the things we won't even have actual lighting we didn't put lighting into this. We're going to have everything stubbed in. So if there's discussions or questions about you know light pollution too we can have that at some point. We're going to make sure that when we put this in that we will have all the electrical runs stubbed and then there would be another time in the future that we would want to talk about lighting. But um the cost is far the lighting package in itself just far exceeds everything else. But sure, I'm just Well, that that helps. I'm thinking about like football games go real late. The community around the football stadiums used to it's it's accepted. There's nothing. Is that going to occur here or are there gonna be late?

You know, that's a good question. So, this is going to be primarily for soccer and some of our middle school sports. Right now, we get a lot of uh use or requests for use on our um current campus here. And that turf field only has on our current campus only has so much availability. So that will be our varsity if you will and um some JD we may use down temporarily for um if there was a overflow or something we might let somebody go down and practice there but it wouldn't normally be that much use. It's more of a practice field than anything else. The lines on this all too like we'll have primary for soccer but if football wanted to go down the the uh eighth grade football team wanted to go down or even JV want to go to practice they can do it but we're going to be subjected to kind of the current hours we have right now. Nothing very late at night.

We Sean, we had night games there, didn't we? Yeah. Uh, and that's a good point, Kyle. I was going to wait till the end. I'll jump in right here. No, you trigger the uh something I was going to state.

Something that you want to consider when you're looking at the conditional use with this particular application is is that this is an existing um use that's that's on the field. This is an expansion. So, anytime you have an expansion, it obviously triggers out the expansion. uh of that conditional use is obviously the parking lot and then the additional buildings. Um I would say there's a definite distinguishment between if this were a blank slate within a residential neighborhood. And I think all the questions you guys are asking are on point. Um but again also remembering what is existing there uh relative to what's happening now, what happened prior to answer Kyle's question in a very long roundabout way. Yes, there used to be a field there that had uh youth events that had stadium lights and uh had some evening soccer games and things like that. There used to be a football field in in junior high and things of that nature. So,

it obviously has lessened um from what its starting uh point was, but again, I think the existing use is is currently what's kind of happening on that site. if this were a blank field, blank site, um that's something that you would want to evaluate is is this going to be, you know, obviously an intrusion to that area other than what it already is. Um and you have to consider the expansion of what they're proposing. Uh if that's a bridge too far or if it meets the the requirements. Well, I mean, if if if I can repeat what you said to me, it's a practice field and it's going to be used for when the overflow basically.

Yeah. And but his soccer may use that, you know, as their primary soccer field at times. Uh even our varsity may use that. So it will get more use without lights. What's that without lights? There's no there's Yeah, we might get some rental lights if we needed to, but there's there's nothing uh permanent in the lighting right now. And we, you know, there's just not enough time on our schedules right now. If anything, to your question, I think it'll shorten some of the time because right now we're trying to use our current turf field for many different sports. We've got lacrosse now, soccer, football. So, this will give us some extra space to use, but primarily soccer will be using this. You have two games at the same time because you have two fields

or what we do sometimes now is we have to start very late or start very early to try and get everything on the current field. One of the we went back and forth in the design of this from a natural field um turf and we actually went to turf. It's a little bit more money, but because it'll afford more flexibility and even, you know, even if baseball and softball wanted to come out and hit um in the, you know, day like today where it's starting to get a little warmer, you could do that in a natural field, but you could certainly do it here. So, we'll have some lines on there, too, for that. I was going to ask, but it's a natural field today, so that the decision to go with turf, it just was more durable, I'm assuming.

Yeah. You know, it's interesting. We did a study with that. We used Robertson as our construction manager and we went through that and by the time you start looking at up upkeep, you know, with the natural, you know, grass and and what we take the sod and keep that in a good state of repair versus turf, it's a little bit more money with turf, but long term, I think it'll give it, well, we know it'll give a longer use because I know if you ask soccer players, they want to play on grass. They do. Well, we have talked with the soccer team as well, too. Yeah, and you know there are other fields that we can try to use, but you know, we get the request now to try to use our current stadium. The problem is it's not regulation for

I know that that it's open today for the public. Will this be closed? Like I could go there and start kicking a ball on that. Yeah, we're going to have more controls on it. We we actually um have some residents who have some concerns about it's become a dog park in some respects and cleaning up after the dogs and people want to go on the field and it's not in the best state of repair right now. So, we're going to revamp everything. We will have the ability to

contain the entire field here. We'll make sure we have a a scheduling software system. So, this will go on to the scheduling software, too. So, we'll know when people are there or not there. Um, we're just giving this to you a high level, but even with the concessions and all, we're going to have fiber in here now. So, we'll have cameras, Wi-Fi, so we'll be able to manage the environment, some door controls, gate controls in here that we can manage, too. So, we This will be all contained in here. The entire complex will be there. And there's no lighting. You said you could bring in portable lighting if we

could do portables. Yeah, there's reference there's poles in here right now, but they're actually in the way. They're they're not anywhere near by you know today's standard all this but they will have them like I said stuffed in here. So that's a future project to consider. We'll probably look for some sponsorship or something like that in the future because it is very expensive. Um almost as much for those lights. Yeah. About over $700,000 is the estimate just to put the lights in. Now we'll have everything stopped. Wow. You know for that what we will do is we're going to put a little bit of lighting off the

um won't be playing any night games in this, but we'll have a little bit of lighting just to keep the field illuminated if need to coming off the concession. So, it's not going to be enough for playing. But you've seen those, you know, portable like you can sun rental and like if we want to do something, we can we can do that. But actually, like I said, it should shorten our schedules because now we can run multiple games if we need to. We don't have that availability. The sun goes down in like October, it's you need to bring you're going to need to bring in lights because October games. I mean, exactly. I I mean, I'm going to be transparent. My daughter plays soccer for the high school and so does Steve. So, yeah. You're gonna have night games 100%. And as Sean said, this used to be the application here. You know, we had two school buildings here years and years ago. So,

question. That's why you raise your hand. Oh, I was agreeing with uh with Brian about soccer. I'd rather play on grass than Yeah. I mean, but but long term, I understand the turf's going to hold up. I guess if it was dedicated soccer, Yeah. But if you want anyone to go there, you can't have anyone go there. Oh, like I said, football. This would be our middle school football can go there. Um Ross can use this and the thing about soccer like in our current stadium we can't we can't widen that field. We don't have the I mean without major renovation that what is the width and yard do you have the yards or meters on that one? Do you know? I don't know if you know it's 220 wide and then it's the full football field which is track around it.

We we did we did look at that too. We just couldn't get all that on there. We talk about I was joking. So the school's growing too, right? No, actually not. Right now we're not um we're well in some buildings. Uh overall we we've about the same. We they're by our reports the school district is 52 square miles. So more than just Johntown. Our our data shows over 100 homes have been demolished. Um so we've lost some residents and we see a bit more of a transient population. So you know it's not um we're not really seeing much growth right now. that interestingly the elementary especially the kindergarten is down about 35 students but we have about 26 students more in the high school so the demographics have shifted a little bit that's interesting

so yeah now we know that's not our future and we want to be prepared for this so this is but even at you know I'll say where we are right now just kind of static there's so much demand and request and this will also free up you know we're working closely with JYa greater Johntown parks and recck so this will free up opportunities for athletics throughout the entire community. Yeah. So, one thing that you've said several times, and forgive me if I missed this in in the application or the staffing report, but the um concession stand. I don't see that listed anywhere in here. Consider I think I just included that under ancillary like supporting facilities. Um yeah, I assume there was going to be concession stand there along with the announcer booth.

Okay. I mean, I see it as part of the picture, but recommendation to consider construction, soccer field, supporting infrastructure, parking, lighting, fencing, etc. Well, he's now saying that there's not going to be the lighting. Correct. I more or less meant the parking lot lighting because that wasn't in the plan. Correct. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Lighting on the building right around the exit.

We brought this to show tonight. um you know some of this we've been nice meeting you but some of the materials recommended are what we have in our current building like our high school right now but this is uh two different views inside the field and outside of what the concessions would look like. So there's a little bit of roof lighting like I was talking about just to give a little illumination but it's not nowhere near available for light. It's a very small concession but one of the things that's nice in here to our restrooms like we've had portable toilets in here and problems with is this will have restrooms. So um we'll have that available for the the students and the community who are there as well too but but only during the when you brought up the growth question all this can be scaled come back another time but with the the bleachers and stuff

bleachers and all yeah everything can be scaled and we actually on the side of the concession we have um some no non-load bearing walls where we can expand if we wanted to get into full concessions. this these concessions would be very low level. So, it's pretty much just handing things off. But, if we wanted to get to the three or four sinks and that standard, we can do that another time. We'd come back and look at that. The concessions would only be available during for the soccer events or Yeah, I think for anything that's a game, I don't you know, so the question I have with that then is there's baseball fields that are there, baseball, softball fields. Are they still going to be used and are they can they be made available or can they be staffed? Yeah, for those events,

we can look at that if um if you need to. We even when we looked at this side over here, we even looked at speakers and can we get down at least on that softball field. So if there was a game there, if the middle school wanted to play, could we use some of the PA system and all too? We're looking at that as an option. Um it'll depend on what the need is because really the the we provide the building, but the volunteers would be staffing that from a concession standpoint. Any other questions? Seeing none. No. Thank you very much. Public comment or what do we have to do? Yeah. Yep. Beat me to it. Oh, is that what it I don't know what it is. Yeah. Any um any members of the public would like to make any comments. Thank you.

Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. If you please come up, state your name. You have three minutes. It won't take me but a minute. All right. Thank you. Perfect.

Hi, I'm Sue Holly. I live right at the corner of Maple and Williams and I'm uh primarily concerned at that four-way stop you're going to have there. It's very narrow. Okay. William Street is really in bad shape. People don't pay attention to the stop signs now. Um it it's just one of those things that happens. But the other thing I'm concerned about is a problem that has been going on for several years, and that is people parking right across from my driveway and the Keller's driveway. There's a no parking sign after you've passed the Keller's house on that side of the

She's talking about going right up to the Legion. Is that the Christmas house? Yes. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Right across the She's right next to the next door. I'm the ditto. Okay. Um, but what happens is I can get out. We have to be very very careful getting out of our garages and driveways because people are parked all along that side of the road. Um,

not on on the house side, but on the other side where the where the uh fields are. Um, I think that no parking signs need to come up to the corner to prevent that. If they park on on the house side, it's not a problem, but it's trying to get out of the drives, especially with a narrow road.

Yeah. And the other concern that I have is one that has been a problem in the past and we're going to be adding a building and some other um parking structure is to make certain that we are paying attention to drainage. Um you know we've had some big drainage issues over in that area both going down Maple and going down Williams. Um, and you know, nothing's been used as far as a parking lot for a while, but I just want to make sure that there's extra attention being paid to that. Okay. Thanks. I hope I didn't exceed my three minutes.

No, ma'am. Perfect. Thank you. Any other public comments? Please come up, state your name, and again, friendly reminder, you got three minutes. I'm Caitlyn Ashbrook. I'm 197 North Oregon Street. So I'm on the far side of the where

the field there. So um I Nice to meet you. Hello neighbor. Um I agree with her. We the biggest issue that we've struggled with with the use of that. Um we've been there 5 years. So when we moved in the school was already gone and all that had happened. Um but the biggest issue we do have is the uh the two things the parking. Um we've actually we have a turnaround driveway. We've had to block one side off because people will zoom down and through our driveway to get back to park right on the street there where it says no parking. Um the police department actually came and put up a no parking sign in our turnaround area because people would just park in our grass and park in our driveway. So that is I'm hoping that this is enough to suffice what goes on there because when there is a um soccer game and a softball game, we're nowhere near covered in the amount of cars that are coming into that space.

Um drainage is the other thing. We used to have this wonderful line of huge pine trees along our property to block um because of drainage issues. It's a huge ditch between our house and the um field there. We lost about half the trees on that. So, we no longer have that block. And that is one of the things that I've actually talked to the district a little bit um just because we're concerned about what the landscaping and blockage will be on the other side because that's literally the front of our house that looks on the field, which is nice. We can stand there and watch the games. However, if it's going to be late at night with the lights and noise, we want to make sure that that's,

you know, that the zoning board is taking a look at that end of the field, too, not just the parking end of it. So, that's all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. How many parking spaces are going to be added with the addition of the parking area? That's Would the applicant like to come back up and address any of those? like can we just I didn't know if that this was real right I start I did the same thing he's doing I counted as well tried to count but 26 you want to come back up

yeah if you can I have a couple questions if I don't know if it's Steve if I'm on board let me know I have no idea um so I think the drainage concern is is real what how is that going to be addressed I mean I know soccer fields are drained football fields are drained really really well it's very how are you guys accounting for that right now Do you have you seen any problems or is there a plan to deal with it? So, this was not submitted. This is the utility plan that is is part of the project. So, underneath the synthetic turf field, water drains right through that. So, you have to have a full um system. So, underneath the field is a full drainage system that goes there's a detention basin that's being added um

down on the the west side. Um, so that whole uh north end of the the campus is going to have extensive drainage. Is that what Sorry. Is that what like is that is that by the parking lot right there? Yeah. Immediately. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So that's the plan is it goes there. Okay.

Correct. And then it it ultimately goes into the woods into the um kind of the creeks that run through the woods which is sort of the natural drainage path but it it'll be collected and and detained. So that should improve that. And then around the building, you what water hits the building is collected and then uh alongside the building and the parking lots, that's all collected and makes its way back to that detention basin as well. So everything that we're touching on the site is going to improve it. Yeah. Whatever. Yeah. Like whatever drainage issues there are on the street, there's nothing we're not And you have state of Ohio requirements to meet. Is that correct? Drainage requirements.

The city has adopted storm water management requirements that will have to be met. for for their parking lot specifically. I can't speak to the to the field site. That's probably a different animal. But for the parking uh lot, any impervious surface that they're creating, they'll have to submit engineering plans that account for any of that impermeable surface and how it will be uh retained on site and then it also has to be released at an appropriate rate. But those are all EPA guidelines that we have to follow uh that we do have within our ordinance. So, this again, as they mentioned, older sites uh didn't have to adhere to to those regulations at the time that they were installed because this is an expansion. This will likely uh and I say this pretty good certainty, probably improve the situation that exists there because of the new engineering that they're going to have to be.

Sounds like it. Yeah. Part of Yeah, absolutely. I do want to address the trees because the Ashbrook family did get in contact with one of the administrators and work with it. We withdrew this the variance request for the trees because we want to work with the families and you know we will add the nine trees in there. Um we did look at the property and you know we need to do some work on it but I can see there's a swale in there now and um so the family contact us so we're going to work with them on that. I do think they'll be improved. We're not going to add to any drainage issues though either because we'll be that's one of the advantages of the turkey. We'll control all that

and as you see we have the utility plants here. So I do think there'll be some improvements. We want to make more sense to that. Also want to take care of the parking because of what Mrs. Ashbrook said there. We're, you know, she was a lot of concerns there. So we'll try to work on that and we'll have better management of the site too, especially if it's more active again. So hopefully 26 spots help. We wish obviously we could have tons of parking out there. There's only so much space. Well, we're looking at that too as we grow longterm. Like we even talked about, do we take over that baseball there and make some parking in that? So there, you know, we've had some plans that we're not ready to submit that, but we'll see what kind of usage we get and then we'd have to find a new place for baseball, but you know, we'll we'll work on that and and it should be some improvements from what's there. Thank you. Yeah, thank you. Sorry. No.

Yeah. Okay. Um the the tree line on the north side then, is that going to remain like that separates the houses now? Are some trees going to have to be removed or So, um yeah. Yeah. Some of the overhang is going to have to be cut back. That what's what's on the propert the fence line there that's that's back. What's around the fence line is mainly kind of brush. Okay. So, some of that will have to be sort of trimmed back in order to get the the grading to get the field. There's some grading work that goes along there, but there's still a a buffer still be that. Okay. And that's, you know, there's still room that we can we can add some trees in that area if we need to to okay,

kind of supplement the the buffering that was mentioned. Brilliant. Thank you. Any other public comments? All right. Seeing none, um, if I may. Yes, you may. Through this process, it is a conditional use permit process. We've heard a couple different residents mentioning things about concerns about hours of operation, things like that. If you all are so inclined, you have the ability to limit the hours of operation of this site because we're going through this process. I don't have a recommendation for what time is the appropriate time if you want to do one of those, but um there is the ability to address that if the board so chooses. My my thought on that is the city already has a noise ordinance.

That's true. So if there is going to be noise there, it would be restricted to that to that as well. And lighting should be appropriate to that same thinking would be lighting would be appropriate to that same time. It would have to follow like what the football that's tough. You're going to tell the cops to shut down a game like Yeah. Like that's not going to work. It's just not going to happen on the team. Yeah. But also Hold on. You got to back up there. Regulations. So, just a just to flesh some of this out. Um I believe

McConnell had referenced a suggestion of having the light um light usage reflect our NORs noise ordinance hours. Um, and if that is something that the board wants to pursue, I can certainly put that down. But again, to Trevor's point, uh, the conditional piece, this is the appropriate time for you to mention those. Um, again, just for clarity, anything that's suggested and part of the conversation won't actually be applicable unless it's made in the motion specifically how it wants to be carried out. So, if there is a desire to have that on the books as far as lighting needs to coincide with a noise ordinance, what is the noise ordinance hour? It's 10. It's pretty long, but I can't remember.

I can tell you I know other school districts do that as well where they at, hey, at this time we have to shut it down. We have to shut the lights off. And while Trevor's looking for that, I'll buy him some time. Uh, if you did want to have screening and the school district indicated that they want to have screening in between that adjacent property owner, and I think that's really the the only one that is right next to it. The other ones have a street obviously in between.

No, maybe. Um, if you wanted to require that some additional screening uh take place in that area, if you wanted to make sure that was certain, you would want to put that in your conditional piece tonight and just say, "Hey, there needs to be uh some screening associated with the northern part um next to the resident. Sounds like the school has indicated they're willing to do that. Um but just so staff at a later date has the ability to go back make sure that those things are followed through on um we would just request that if that is your desire that that would be also placed in the conditional use uh motion if one were made.

And it sounds like the vote tonight is to approve the conditional use. There's a lot more discussion of items for this improvement property. We're going to do that now. thing. Um Oh, cuz I thought that's wood. Right. So, with there's two things that we just brought up, right? So, I like the lights that match the hours of the um I have an update on that. Okay. Go ahead. Oh. Uh oh. Not good.

So, in uh chapter 509 of the code, it's called disturb. It's under disturbing the peace, which I think is probably the most reasonable um noise ordinance. So it says that there it establishes regulations but the exemptions to that are sound emanating from scheduled events conducted sponsored or permitted by the village or schools. So permitted by the free range. There you go. Well I I will say not that the noise is is not not that it's not an issue. We have had three neighbors that haven't mentioned noise at all.

Sure. And then they are the school not a not a commercial property and I think the school is more than willing to to to work with them. I will say there is limitations on construction operations within the city. Those are from 7:00 a.m. to 900 p.m. is the allowable window there for construction, which again is more for noise than light, but I think kind of gives you an idea of what previously was deemed acceptable. And then what about Sean's second comment that he brought up? Anybody thoughts on that? Yeah, I didn't understand it, so you want to do it again?

Sure. Um, so on the north side with the Ashford property, the school has indicated that they are willing to put in some type of screening associated with that. And you could simply state that, you know, it has to have an opacity or, you know, some arborvitas or something more specific. Um, but if this was an intent that you wanted to actually follow through on, um, you should state that in in your specific motion. My fear is is always it's talked about a year later, Miss Ashbrook comes in, she says this was the intent, but uh, but we don't have anything to record on record. So, so the intent may have been there, but we don't have any ability to follow. Ryan, what are your thoughts?

Um, yeah. I mean, as a if I were to live there, I would want a screen, right? Some sort of screen, right? That's Well, and I think Dr. Wagner's already spoke to the fact that they're going to work with the family to make sure the screening is there. So, if anything is removed from the one location, they're going to make sure they they put it back and and they're going to work. So I think we already have it that we will be working for further for future because they're going to have to come to us about trees at some point. Right. So they'll have to submit a a landscaping plan associated with it and design reviews. Um

table I'm going to look at all that. But there is a there was a tree variance associated with it that has been pulled. Now it's just some screening variance. So their landscaping plan will have to be consistent with what is required by our particular codified ordinance. So, uh, if if you wanted to put the screening requirement in there in a in a lighter fashion, um, just for staff's perspective, uh, and Teresa's benefit at a later date, just simply stating that conditional use granted, uh, that that and it is recognized that the property owners need to work with the Ashbrook to provide appropriate screening. That may at least give us some ability to to navigate it. Now, that that leaves a pretty wide opening for conversation, but at least it's referenced in the motion and then that way it's reflected in the minutes that that was addressed and that some concessions need to be provided for some screening.

Okay. Well, I'll go ahead and if everybody's okay with that, I'll make a motion to approve the conditional use with the idea that the school will work with the families as far as a screening and come to us. I'll second it. That good? I better than good. Yes. Brian Heel. Yes. Todd McConnell. Yes. Steve Dyer. Yes. All right. Application 121925. Variance 80 West Maple Street parking lot landscaping buffering. Uh let's start with this. I'm going to kick it right over to Trevor for efficiencies of time. Um Trevor, take it away.

Sound good. So, as we noted earlier, the first variance request for the minimum number of trees on site has been withdrawn by the applicants. So I'm not going to cover that. The second item is for and let me just pull up and I'll walk through. Okay. So the buffer requirement conversation is on page 29 of 45 of your packet or page four or five of the chapter if you're in there. Um here again chapter 1133 establishes criteria or variances that they must go through. And I always review variances as in order to grant variance, there needs to be a hardship present by the property, meaning site's a little bit awkwardly shaped or there's a lot of topography that limits where you can put a building, things like that that would preclude development from happening. Um, as I was going through these code, the code criteria, I didn't see any any reason to recommend approval of this variance. It seems like um there's plenty of space to put this screening in. it's the parking arranged in a way that it could accommodate that. Um, which is why the recommendation in the report is to not approve that variance. However, based on that site and the fact that there is some topography there and where the park would be located, I I think there is merit in what the applicant has mentioned in that you probably won't be able to see any lighting from the parking lot being like directed off the site just due to the existing vegetation and the topography. But there again, the code doesn't offer flexibility to say if your site already meets that screening criteria, you don't have to do the parking lot screening, which is why the denial recommendation is in the report. If you all feel based on where this site is located, the topography, the existing vegetation, if that meets in your opinion the requirements of the code, you can certainly grant this variance. Uh, and site can be developed in that way on the south.

But there again, I'm reviewing it based on the specifics of the code. There is no kind of out you want to call it that or there is no technicality. Yeah, there is no runway to allow that sort of variance to be recommended for approval. Hence the re recommendation for denial. Before we move to the applicant, Sean, you got anything that going to keep it short and simple? All right. So, we could have our architects. Do you want to go through uh Yeah. So apocryphography first or

this diagram here sort of shows I I put these dotted lines from the um parking lots where it hits the property line on the on the three sides. You can see on the to the west and to the north it's hitting dense vegetation and to the east um I actually have the spot elevations at the edge of the the pavement versus the edge of the street. It's like a sixoot variance on on both corners. So um in my experience I I don't know Trevor you have the same experience but in in other zoning codes there there is um language that if the screening is provided and by a mound or other change topography that it's acceptable there is none um such language but I think the intent is to prevent you know lights from shining into bedrooms or whatever and I think our site meets that and just you know to put a bunch of hedges along there it's not only a there's there's a cost of the maintenance it also provides areas where you know people can you be out of sight and harder to supervise it with cameras and so forth. So it's just um a lot uh cleaner, easier to maintain, easier to supervise without it. And we we think that the topography existing conditions meet the intent of the of the zoning code to prevent the the lights. So we're asking for the various improvement.

What would be the alternate? What would it look like on a map Trevor? Basically, there would be more than more than likely about a 3ft deep landscape bed or masonry wall that would be right around the perimeter edge of the of the parking area only. The intent from from what I can tell the way the intent is for like

commercial developments or other like apartment complex things like that so that you have that sort of vegetative buffer between the parking area and someone's front door or windows things like that. The applicant as the applicant pointed to. The one thing the code here does not do is kind of give that balance of if site conditions already accomplish that then you don't have to do it. Um the coach is very prescriptive of if you have a parking area you need to have screening around the edges of it. That's the reason for the variance. So Trevor, in your opinion, is there any safety concerns not having it? Safety concerns, right? I mean this is this is for kids. This is a part

I think in many ways no. there. There are no safety concerns from my standpoint in terms of the um the topography changes and does basically anywhere that would be pointed would probably either go into the ground or up above someone's house before it really cause any issue. Um to the point of the applicant, yeah, there are just fewer places for people to hide or other things to disappear in the in the shrubbery and that sort of thing. So parents to tailgate. Does it does it set a a citywide I guess a does it set a precedence that

I do think there is some possibility for that in that you may have applicants in the future that come in in a area that you might want that parking lot screening more for aesthetics than anything else but that's still a reason to have them. Um I think there could be more of these requests but I'm not going to say you're going to have a floodgate of every every development that comes in is going to ask for it. I don't know that that's going to happen, but not that big of a deal. In my opinion, it's on this excuse me, the south end of the lot there, right? It's surrounded by trees. Hard to see. It is a park. Yeah. Um any other comments from

No, just did we highlight the elevation there too. I think that's something because when you think about the barium at least 6 ft there, too. So, there's an inherent you can argue that there's it's already in the topography right now is I don't know how large of a screen you would The code requires three and a half feet. So obviously I mean we've got six feet there and I I don't know if we have the measurements here but this is we got about 300 feet. Yeah.

Okay. Thank you. Any um Thank you guys. Any comments from the public? All right. Hearing none. Any discussion that we need to have on the board? Um I'm I It's on the south end of the property there. It's there's no safety concerns, which is one of my things. Sitting a president, sure, I get it. But it's a park, so there's there's lots of green space already. So, I'm I'm in favor of this. Can make a motion. Then I'm going to make a motion to approve application 121925 variance. Second. Thank you. Sorry. Who was the second? Todd. Todd. Thanks, Todd.

You're welcome. Getting in the game. Look at you. All right. Steve Dyer, yes. Kyle Cook, yes. Ryan Heeel, yes. Todd McConnell, yes. All right, for the sake of time, it is 3 minutes over and we still have light manufacturing, but there's some people who traveled here today to talk about it. I think this needs to be moved to the next meeting. Um, I'll try to tee it up if you'd like.

Yeah. and it's up to you all to continue it. But um just just for some background went before council uh there was some discussion of council uh differing opinions and so the move by council was to take it back for planning and zoning for some further consideration. Uh with that said, staff has not had a chance and an opportunity to really digest um some of the comments. Some of the individuals that were at the council meeting are here tonight. Uh if there is a desire to allow for maybe five to 10 more minutes, um allow the applicants to or I'm sorry, allow the public an opportunity to speak on this. Um just knowing that staff will probably not be providing a lot of feedback if any, but just an opportunity for us to hear you all to hear concerns and then dive deeper into this at a later date when there's more appropriate time.

I think that's completely appropriate that people came to this meeting, they're here. I think we should let him talk and then um and I think it will help ultimately shape what what we've been talking about. So again reminder say your name and you have three minutes. So is there anybody that would like to speak tonight? I would like to speak. Anybody please come up I want to first thank you for your service to the community. I these are all thankless jobs. I realize that.

So I'm one of the owners. I own ABY Leasing. We have factories here in Hebrin and Heath and we have other industrial pros uh properties in in these other municipalities. We also own some farms. So the uh the property that we have is the 67 acres. Um and uh that's in the industrial park. It's been in the industrial park since the 80s I believe. Um cuz I can't go back any further than that when I look at the Lincoln County uh website. when it was originally annexed into the city, it was industri for a light industrial. And what we're requesting is um we want to thank you for taking a look at uh the intended uses for the property. And what we'd like to see is those intended uses being applied to the property that we have within the industrial park.

All of it.

Um so we want to see consistency across all light manufacturing and that's what we're requesting. Um I know there's some concerns about the property there. We also own 80s something acres that's next to the 67 acres. My family is intending to live on that property. So, you know, don't be scared of what's going to happen to the 67 acres that we have. Uh because again, my family is going to live next to whatever's there. So, you may not see much of anything happen to it, but we'd like to see consistency. Uh originally when I bought it, um I looked at actually building a factory there on that property and I talked to the city about that at that time. Um I have built factories in the past down in Heath. So um you know, I don't really see much happening to it anytime soon, but this is the opportunity to try to get consistency within the properties.

So I thank you for your time and uh thank you service. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Hello again.

Hello again. Uh, as Mr. Benton said, thank you for your service. We appreciate your guys' time tonight and letting us sneak in here. Uh, my name is Justin Fox. I'm with Underh Hill and Hodgej. I represent Rodney Johnson and the Johnson family who is the owner of 9518 Sportsman's Club Road. Uh, that is a property immediately adjacent to Mr. Benton's. It is currently zoned light manufacturing. Um, I think a brief kind of history is important for uh you guys to kind of contemplate as you as you look at this text. But Rodney's father, Richard, bought this property in 1980. The family has owned the property since that time. It was uh I think it was 2014 when the city approached uh the Johnson family and requested that they annex into the city and would at that time receive the light manufacturing zoning designation. At that point in time, uh, the the intention or kind of the the information that was relayed was that that was so it could become a part of the business park off of Commerce Boulevard. No one on the Johnson side and and really maybe nobody was paying attention to what the light manufacturing text was or what it said. Uh, it was only over the last 3 years or so that we started to kind of investigate permitted uses and conditional uses and what light manufacturing in Johnstown under the current zoning text actually meant. Uh it turns out that it's it's it's really it's limited. Um it's probably outdated. Uh we've followed applications through with council with planning and zoning over the last few years. So, you know, we are very happy to see that it is being reconsidered. I think that the text as drafted uh is well thought out and I think that it makes a lot of sense for those areas. Uh to be more specific with Mr. Benton's request. The the issue that we take with it as drafted is that it excludes the property on Sportsman's Club Road. Specifically requires access to and frontage on uh Commerce Boulevard and um a couple other streets that are not

Sportsman's Club Road, which would essentially not give the Johnson family uh the additional permitted uses. So, as this process works through, you know, we're here to engage with uh you all and with council and with the city to try and um you know, figure out a solution that allows these additional permitted uses uh to um attach to the Johnson property. Okay. Thanks for letting us speak tonight. Thank you. Anybody else? All right. Weird being on this side, isn't it?

So, normally I'm on that side of the table. Uh for three minutes, sir.

Uh Ryan Green, uh whatever my address is these days, but uh yeah, just wanted to come in and put up my two cents. Um this was something that we talked about when I was on zoning last. Um came through us. Uh my goal at least was as one vote was to make sure we have some businesses that are in that district currently that would like to do some things in the future. I know that we have a lot of people um from the outside looking in. I want to make sure that we give everybody a chance, you know, in that district to be able to come in and do something that's great for Johntown and that's going to bring business, jobs, and and positive things to the city. Um, you know, I think we did a lot of things the right way in going through this document. Um, there may be some more creative uses that we missed that if we are able to have a conversation on that, maybe there's something we missed that could come in as a creative use. Um, I think it's pretty easy as far as the amendments we could make to make this work. Um, as far as the addition of Sportsman's Club, um, and Endeavor, you may see those properties, um, split up in the future depending on what comes in there and the size and scope of the future projects. So, leave some room for future streets that may be named later and created. So, that was that was my two cents. Um, you know, this is a project that's been there for a long time. It's grown as a district. Um, it's odd how it's laid out. um when you actually get a chance to look at it, our light manufacturing district comes in almost to behind downtown. So, it's an odd district, but when we all look at it, you know, of how it's played out today, when you go back through commerce and look at it, you can tell what's a business park and what what isn't a business park. And we want to make sure that we get the business park area right. So, thank you.

Thank you. Seeing no more comments. Um, thank you. I'd like to make a motion to table until staff has uh time to review um and then we can actually come together and further converse um with the comments that were made today and with staff's recommendations. That's great. I'll second that. That way Mark can be a part of it. Kyle Cook. Yes. Yes. Brian Heel. Yes. Dyer. Yes. Other business. Seeing none, I'd like to make a motion to adjourn. I'll second. I do.

All in favor? I be safe. Thanks. Sorry, Design Review. Great questions, guys. Computers for you next time. Yes. Okay. Yeah. We were uh we were priding ourselves on never cutting into design reviews time and they always cut into ours. I got to sign mine still.