Toledo City Plan Commission - Regular Meeting

Oh gosh. I am so sorry. You're doing that. I'm sorry. I was not paying attention because I was kinda making eyes at Jamani because I wanted to make sure I saw Jamani.

Oh, you roughed up.

And then I was like, boom. I totally did. I'm so sorry. Thank you so much for being here. I appreciate it. Hey. I know council president

I call to order the zoning and planning committee, meeting of April 5 no. I'm sorry. That's not April 15. It's 05/20/2026. Please call the roll.

Morris? Here. Martinez?

I am present.

Driscoll? Counselor. Here. Gaddis? Here. Hobbs? Here. Comives? Melden?

Here.

Cerrantu?

Here.

Williams? Here. Eight present? Thank you very much.

I'm glad it's not April 15. I wanna forget that day. Okay. Let's move on to director Cottrell.

Okay. So I just wanna give a quick announcement to everyone in the audience, if you're an applicant. If you get an email from the plan commission or planning and zoning committee that says you need to wire us additional fees, that is a fraudulent email. We've had some people who have done so, and, unfortunately, they're they're out of the money. So if you're here at this level, you've already paid your fees or they've been waived, whatever, do not click on that email. So just some advice that if you get anything from the city on any type of zoning or building matter like that, you should not call our office first. So thanks.

That is a very important public service announcement. So let's, go ahead and begin the agenda. Clerk, can you please read case number one? And applicant, can you please come forward to the microphone.

Case number one is a request for an amendment to a special use permit for a gas station expansion for the property located at 4486 Monroe Street. Case number SUP25Dash0048. The plain commission recommends approval subject to 19 conditions and two waivers.

Can we swear swear them in,

Yes. Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth? If so, say I do.

I do. Thank you.

Go ahead. Can you tell us about your application, please?

There's no sign up sheet here. My name is Scott Haycock. I'm the architect for the project. And we understand that you want us to take down the poll sign that's been there for forever since

Can you speak a little bit closer into the microphone? I'm having trouble hearing you, please.

My name is Scott Haycock. I'm the architect for the project. This is the second time we're looking at this project. And one of the issues, one of the 19 issues was that you want us to take down the poll sign. And that would really disrupt the operation of business because nobody would be able to see us. So we are disagreeing with that one condition.

So I think the applicant's requesting relief from condition 14 Mhmm. Which require the sign code currently requires any plan commission review. All signage has to be brought into compliance. I think you're asking for relief of that condition? Just That was requested by plan commission. The plan commission recommended disapproval.

Just the poll sign. That's the only one. Yeah. The landscaping is fine. That's not a problem.

So just for clarification, the plan commission recommended approval of all of the other conditions except item number 14?

Correct.

Okay. And do you agree to the 19 conditions in the two waivers that are on currently been proposed? Yes. Okay. So since the so they recommended disapproval of the sign. So there isn't anything I mean, so as long as you agree to the 19 and the two waivers.

I I the planning commission did not recommend approval of of relief on the sign, so that would be your decision.

Okay. Okay. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number one? Again, is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number one? Council member Martinez.

Thank you, madam chair. Just a quick question on this. Was this a a vacant this had been tell me about your property. Let me let me let me start there.

There's already existing gas stations.

You have to speak into the microphone, please.

And there's already existing gas stations. We just tried to expand the cooler on the back alley, and they're requesting to take the sign down, make it the ground sign. The reason we cannot take it because it's a mail road, we need to put a ground sign, we have a lot of experienced people, they damage it a lot. Plus you guys have been approving all the new gas stations with like a high sign, there's no reason we're going to be only station.

So you're already operating in existence, same ownership, same everything?

We're already existing, we're already open.

Got you. So we adopted a new sign code last year that requires monument signs now versus the pole sign. And as you go through this process, that's one of the things that normally gets eliminated. It's an aesthetic issue more so than anything. I was just kind of curious. I was just trying to understand, I didn't know if you were just renovating a brand new store So what you were you're just adding

to the rear And of your

you're not changing the sign in any way, We're shape not or doing anything. Okay. Thanks. That answered my question.

Thank you. Council Member Melden, do you have a recommendation?

Well, I feel somewhat confused by where we are. So it strikes me, and director, tell me if I'm interpreting this correctly, that you are suggesting approval. However, the applicant is asking for an adjustment based on the approval you wanna give. They're saying we don't want that approval because that includes taking the sign down.

Right, so we're recommending approval subject to 19 conditions. One of those conditions is that the signs need to be brought into compliance per the sign code.

So if I take it forward as approved, that's not what you want?

No, that's not what we want. No. Yeah.

So what would be the process here?

So I think you could say we want to remove condition 14.

Oh, this is

so And then we're exciting for Okay, good.

So here's my problem. I've been given so many different ways to talk about this thing that I don't like. It has nothing to do with you, so I'm very sorry about this. The notion that this is our system is one of the most wild things to me. It's just wild.

And I don't like it. I don't like being in the situation of a magic wand. That here we go, we go through the rigor of passing a new sign code, and then the plan commission goes through the rigorous process of approving a site plan, and when there's an argument or a disagreement, it's not solved there with the business owners, the applicants,

and the

experts. It's handed it's punted to me as the district member to say, sure, I'll waive the sign code. Like, I I don't want to do that. I'm not interested in doing that. I think that's a terrible precedent to set and are just a really kind of strange, bad system. It's just bad. So I will not do that. And it has unfortunately nothing to do with your particular case.

We understand. The reason we are here, because it's already existing. We not rebuilt the whole gas station. If we rebuilt construction, we understand the rule, the code change every This year, every 10 is already existing.

No, I understand that. And I also understand from the perspective of the Planning Commission, they're saying if we just exempt every single sign, we might as well have not created a new sign code. And so it's a tough position. I will recommend it go forward as approved because that is the recommendation of the Planning Commission. And I'm, know, in a strange way thankful that I got to talk about this very peculiar dynamic that we often find ourselves in. So I recommend it to go forward to counsel as approved.

Alright. Seeing no objections, so ordered. And this will be here. This will be heard on June when will it be heard? When is our next council meeting? June 17. This will be heard on June 17 and we do have some signatures that need to be signed over here. So, if you will talk with one of our clerks. I'm sorry. It's not June 17. June 9. Sorry. June 9, that's when it will be heard to the full city council.

Thank you.

Thank you. Sorry about the confusion. You. Clerk, can you make an announcement, please?

Yes. Before we continue, I'd like to announce the following cases will be deferred until the next zoning and planning committee on 06/17/2026. They are cases number three, the special use permit for a school at 3300 Glendale Avenue. Case number eight, special use permit for gasoline and fuel sales at 1322 Burnath. Number nine, request for removal of lot one of the Tiburon Platte one at 1322 Burnath.

The request for a zone change at, 1322 Bernath, that's case number 10. And case number 11, the request for a study to amend landscaping requirements. All these cases will be deferred until next month, 06/17/2026.

Thank you very much. And I do need a motion for you, council member Melden, and to send it to the full city council. Yeah, I need a motion.

Sorry, put my light on. You're literally calling on me. Why would I do that? Do want me

to read it

off this little sheet of paper here?

Yes.

Yeah, like this.

Thank

you. I would like to send this forward to the full council as approved.

Seeing no objections, so ordered.

I'm gonna go back and watch the tape. Think I

sent Clerk, is there an issue?

I can't hear you.

Is there an issue? I want to make sure that we're

doing this properly. You said we need a motion. We need a motion on each different. Okay. Okay.

Sorry about this. This is the making of the sausage. Council member Martinez.

I motion to defer.

See, item number three.

Item number three. Okay. Item number oh, go ahead.

Seeing no objections, so, oh, hold on a second. Hold on. Council member Haas.

Yes. Thank you, chair. So I have a question. Number three has been deferred until 06/17/2026, and it's down as District 2. But that's District 1. It's District 1. I've been working on this forever. That's District 1. So it should be on here today.

Do we know why this was deferred, I guess is the question. Okay who deferred please? The

applicant called our office yesterday and said due to a family emergency, she requested deferral. I sent out an email to yourself and councilman Martinez Martinez to make

sure that that was okay. Okay, so it was the applicant asked for it to be deferred.

Okay, and I guess because they thought it was District 2, it went to councilman Martinez I got this didn't know.

I'm Okay.

I'm looking for it today and I'm like, that's what I Okay.

Okay.

Okay. Thank you, councilman Martinez. Thank you, chair. I didn't have this information till just now.

Okay. There is a motion.

But it is District 1.

Councilman Hobbs, would you like to make a motion to defer this then?

So my question is so I have clarity. Do I have to defer it, Ms. Cottrill, or can it be on today? Or do I have to defer it?

That is up to you, but I could tell you at the plant commission hearing there was no opposition and the applicant did not object to any conditions so.

Well then I wanna go forward with it today. Please. I don't wanna defer it to the 17.

Since the

planning commission approved it, there was no objections, there was no objections from the applicant then. Let's move forward with it today if we can please chair.

Yes, okay. Councilman Martinez.

I'm good.

You're okay. Okay, we're gonna go out of order. So we're gonna go to case number three, and clerk can you please read case number three?

Case number three is a request for a special use permit for a school for the property located at 3300 Glendale Avenue, case number SUP26Dash0010. The plan commission recommends approval subject to 13 conditions.

Thank you. And Ms. Cottrell is there anything to add?

No, like I said there was no objections. There were no objections to any of the conditions or approval at the Planning Commission level.

Okay, thank you. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number three? Again, is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number three? Councilman Hobbs, what is your recommendation?

I'm sorry, I'm having a brain fart, excuse me, I recommend approval. I got confused between SEP. I wanna send it to the full city council as approved, thank you, Seeing forgive

no objections, so ordered. Let's go back, sorry, to the deferrals because we need a motion on the deferrals. So can you maybe read the case title and then I'll make the motion to defer it.

Okay. Case number eight is a request for a special use permit for gasoline and fuel sales for the property located at 1322 Bernath Parkway. Case number SGP25Dash0049. The plan the plan commission staff recommends approval subject to 46 conditions and two waivers. The plan commission recommends disapproval.

I make a motion that this is deferred until the next zoning and planning committee of 06/17/2026. Seeing no objections so ordered, Clerk, can you please read case number nine?

Case number nine is a request for removal of Lot 1 of the Tiburon Platte 1 from the community unit plan originally approved by ordinance three seven three dash seven six and is amended for the property located at 1322 Bernath Parkway. Case number PUD26Dash0005. The planning commission recommends approval.

I make a motion that this is deferred into our next zoning and planning committee until 06/17/2026. Seeing no objections so ordered. Clerk, can you please read case number 10?

Case number 10 is a request for a zone change from RM 12 multi dwelling residential to c n neighborhood commercial for the property located at 1322 Bernath Parkway. Case number Z25Dash0038. The plan commission recommends approval.

I recommend that this case be deferred into our next zoning and planning committee of 06/17/2026. Seeing no objections, so ordered. Clerk can excuse me. Hold on, please. Council member Martinez.

Thank you, madam chair. Just for quick clarification, I did speak with the applicant. With the plan commission giving kind of a mixed signal in terms of approvals. They are deferring to figure out their next steps. So the SUP for the gasoline sales was denied, but the twenty four hour operation was approved as well as the zone change to allow a gas station to go there. That was approved. So it was a really weird kind of situation. So the applicant is reconsidering their options. So they asked to have it deferred till the seventeenth and I had no problem with that. Thank you. Thank you.

Case number 11 is a request for a study to amend the landscaping requirements outlined in Toledo Miss Book Code Part 11 to require the use of native plants.

Thank you. Is there a reason why this was being deferred?

So we we lost the planner who wrote this. I wanted to go back and look at a few things and just be sure we're on the right path and then she had moved on in that time period. Just asking for a month to go back and make sure we have all of our ducks in a row.

Okay, I can appreciate that. Thank you. Okay.

Seeing no objections, so ordered. Okay. Let's move back to our normally scheduled program of case number two. Can the applicant for case number two please come forward? And clerk, can you please read case number two?

Case number two is a request for a zone change from CR Regional Commercial to RD six Duplex Residential for the property located at 4927 North Summit Street. Case number Z25Dash0028. The plan commission recommends approval.

Can you state your name, and address for the record, please?

Calvin Mulligan. 313 Riverside Drive, Commercial Point, Ohio. For the for the address here

It's fine.

Okay.

We're

good. Would you raise your right hand, please? Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth? If so, say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Thank you. Why are you requesting this zone change?

Trying to get it changed. When we purchased the property, we didn't know it was a commercial property and we're trying to get it switched to residential.

Okay. Thank you. Ms. Cottrell, do you have anything to add?

I don't.

Okay, is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number two? Again, is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number two? Alright. As the district member, I will recommend that this go to the full city council as approved. It will be held on June 9, and you do not need to be there. You do not need any other paperwork. So thank you very much.

Okay. You have a good day.

You too. Thank you. Clerk, let's move on to case number four. And would the applicant for case number four please come forward now?

Case number four is a request for a special use permit for a scrap and salvage facility for the property located at 5400 North Detroit Avenue. Case number SUP26Dash0006. The plan commission recommends approval subject to 27 conditions and one waiver.

Can you state your name, and address for the record, please?

Sarah Hinchcliffe, 5400 North Detroit Avenue, Toledo, Ohio.

K. And your colleague there?

Oh, yeah. I forgot. Sorry.

I'm just the boss. Dennis Stropko, 5400 North Detroit Avenue, Toledo.

Thank you. Raise your

right hand, please. Do you swear to tell truth and nothing but the truth? If so, say I do.

I do. I do. Thank

you. Do you wanna tell us about your request, please?

You want me

to Would you

like Sure. Yes.

Yes, we're here for our second hearing in front of you guys now. We have operated at this location for many many years now. I don't know if we had slipped through the cracks or something but we're trying to get our special use permit and get up to compliance with these regulations. So we really don't have much to say at this point. After the first meeting I think there was one condition number 18 That may be different. I don't know if it's been updated since then, but it was changed. I've been working with Alex Schultz from Planning Commission. It was one of the traffic

Okay.

Yeah. Condition 18 now was changed to read more open ended rather than just saying removing and replacing the curbs and the grass. I just didn't know if that one had been updated on your guys' forms yet because mine is still old. Okay.

Okay.

That's the only thing that I wanted to know, but otherwise, yeah, we're just trying to get up up to compliance with this so that we can get our special use permit. Okay.

Thank you.

We've already begun getting some quotes and moving forward with the with the different requirements too.

Okay. Do you so you do agree to the 27 conditions and the one waiver then?

Yes.

Okay. Miss Cottrell, do you have anything to add?

I would only add that we did work out with transportation condition number 18, so you'll see that reflected in your final documentation regarding the curb cuts. And the waiver is being requested, but we did add a condition that only the truck operations could happen in that setback area. So you're waiving the setback, but you're still keeping the scrap and salvage away, setback a 100 feet, just the truck operations. And that condition was agreed upon. So there was no opposition at the hearing, at the planning commission level. Okay.

What is the actual name of the company?

Resource Reclamation Toledo.

Is this and this is tell me exactly where this is located. It's at 5400 North Detroit, but what's the crossroads?

Do we have a street across from us? There's

I can't think of the name of that street.

Where's my map?

We're we're between Omni and Cherry Pickers, if that helps.

Okay. Thank you.

Kinda by that racetrack.

Yes. Okay. Here we are. Alright.

Roselle, maybe?

That

was the residential street. Yeah.

Okay. Yeah. The only thing I I ever ask of these scrap yards, because I have a number of them in that area, is that please be good neighbors. There are residents in that area. So, you know, they're gonna be the first ones that make complaints. So really try to be good residents or neighbors, I should say. Anyway, okay. Council Member Martinez.

Thank you Madam Chair. Just a quick question for Director Cantrell. So what is the setback from the, I'm looking at this, the grassy area and then there looks like to be some sort of medallion or something in the middle. What exactly is that?

So the required setback is 100 feet but this is an existing site.

So what is the actual setback then? Is it still the 100 feet?

It's not gonna I would have to measure it. I know it's not gonna be close to that, maybe 20 feet.

The looks like there's tree shrub area and then there's grass area. So from the most northern point to where that little concave gray space is

Right.

That's all green space and setback?

Correct.

And then they have rail to the left?

That's correct. And

then the main intersecting okay. And then so I'm not as familiar with this area then. What type of recycling are you doing or salvage?

We we're we are more of a secondary processor. So we're not doing the primary auto salvaging or things like that. We are taking products that are generated in those recycling operations and further recovering more recoverables from them. So we will take like the shredder residue that auto shredder generates and we will recover other non ferrous metals and other precious metals and residual steel and iron from that stream that they can't do much with. So we're a very specialized process and we're almost exclusively indoor. Almost all the processing occurs indoors.

So you have to forgive me because I don't know exactly what we do. So what I'm understanding is you take the secondary sludge if you will that they can't extrapolate

Not sludge. These are

I'm just using a very unprofessional We're sensitive to those terms. My apologies then. The excess residue then and then you further refine it.

And right. We we recover additional we're able we have technologies and equipment to be able to further separate these complex mixtures of material and remove fuzz from plastic, from wire, glass, from aluminum.

Sir, you talk into the microphone? They're having trouble

I hearing you get excited about it.

I know. No, it sounds

really interesting. I'm just kind of curious.

Okay. Does that help?

Yeah. So then I guess my other question so it's mostly all done indoors. And then you have, I'm assuming, some sort of filtration system, so any noxious fumes or anything like that. Do you recapture that to make sure nothing's escaping into the areas? I'm sure you're EPA Yes, can oversight, I would probably comment on that.

We hold a stormwater permit with Ohio EPA. We have a city issued through the City of Toledo air permitting. We have air filtration systems that we utilize. We are primarily utilizing processing only dry material. We don't handle anything wet. No liquids.

No liquids.

So it's all these are all solid residual materials.

And then any toxic chemicals No. Or anything like

And we we do routine monitoring of of our materials and of the atmosphere as well.

Okay. Great. Thank you for that. Very enlightening. Thank you.

Sure.

Thank you. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number four? Again, is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number four? Alright. As the district council member, I will recommend that this go to the full city council as approved and that will be on June 9. You don't have any paperwork to fill out. So, thank you so much for coming in and I'm sure we'll be in touch.

Okay. Sounds good.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Sorry, you do have paperwork, I lied. I'm sorry, you have paperwork, sorry. It's okay. Let's move on to case number five and can the applicant for case number five please come forward?

Case number five is a request for a special use permit for Community Recreation Active for the property located at 617 City Park Avenue. Case number SUP26Dash0014. The plan commission recommends approval subject to 25 conditions.

Sir, can you state your name and address for the record?

Joe Fosnott, 2201 Ottawa Drive.

You don't have to be sworn in because you're like that. Alright. Tell us about the application, please.

We're requesting permission to do a revitalization project at Savage Park. The project will include removal of the closed pool structure, removal of the current splash pad and demolition of the current parking lot. Once we have a clean slate, we plan to put back a brand new splash pad, a new parking lot as well as new pathways to connect all those amenities. Subsequent phases of the project include a new open air shelter that's sized appropriately to host community scale events and then also a new playground at that part.

Thank you. Ms. Cottrell, do you have anything to add?

I do not.

Okay. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for against case number five? Again, is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for against case number five? Council Williams, what is your recommendation?

I recommend that this should have been done decades ago, but I send it to the, with every pleasure I recommend it to the city, for city council as approved 30 times. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks Joe. Joe found a whole bunch of money for that project. Appreciate you Joe.

Seeing no objections, so ordered. Alright. Thanks, Joe. Let's move on to case number six and would the applicant for case number six please come forward.

Case number six, a request for a special use permit for major public utility water towers for the property located at 1910 North Over Road, case number SUP26-two. The Plan Commission recommends approval subject to 30 conditions.

I'm Andy McClure, 420 Madison Avenue, Toledo, Ohio. Yeah, this is a special use permit to construct two large elevated tanks that are part of an overall distribution system improvements project. We've been before the zoning planning committee twice now. We had an additional public hearing related to that. We grew to all 30 conditions from the Planning Commission.

Thank you. Ms. Cottrell, do you have anything to add?

So this case, as Mr. McClure said, was heard twice by the Planning Commission. It was deferred once to allow them the time to hold a public hearing. They did so. They had the second hearing and it was sent as approved.

Thank you. Council Member Martinez.

Thank you Madam Chair. So this kind of piggybacks on chairmanship of water quality. So this council approved legislation to allow this process to happen over a year and a half ago maybe. And then last year, we approved the funding for not only this project, but also the Snyder Park project. I think it was a $100,000,000. If I'm not mistaken, it came in at 80. A little under budget, and this is a requirement by the o o EPA. And this should actually help improve water pressure throughout our entire distribution system. So I just wanted to make sure that everyone was aware of that. Thank you.

I'm glad you said that because I probably wouldn't have. It is no secret that I'm against this project in it not necessarily for having water towers and good pressure, but for the location because it is located in a neighborhood and I don't think that this was done the right way. So I'm just not a fan and neither are my constituents and it's okay. You don't you can agree to disagree, but it was it was approved and the the plan commission recommended approval. You've agreed to the conditions.

So I will send this to the full city council without recommendation. It is my choice to be able to do that as the as the district person. And seeing no objections, so ordered. So it'll be heard at the at the June 9 committee.

Thank you.

Do you have paperwork? Yes, you do have paperwork. So please go ahead and fill that out, Andy. Thank you for your time. And let's move on to case number seven. Hold on. Yes, you can come forward. Sorry. Please pull the microphone down please. Yeah. State your name and address for the record.

Laura Crawford, 5455 South Glastonbury.

Okay. Do wanna sworn in?

Do you swear the testimony you're about to give will be the truth and nothing but the truth, so say I do?

I do. Thank you. Go ahead, ma'am. I'm sorry.

All right. That's okay. Hello, city council members. I have been to two previous hearings on this matter and a meeting at Silver Creek School about the water tower project. I have presented to you a list of concerns, not just mine, but other residents, about the placement of these towers in a residential neighborhood including it being an eyesore, contamination risk, vandalism risk, property value decrease, noise, disruption of wildlife, and basically a nuisance to the residents.

Although I agree that the water pressure problem needs to be addressed, the gentleman in charge has told you that there's another site that they checked out and that it was acceptable. And even though he said that it would be a parking and traffic issues during construction, they would be temporary. Whereas if you put these towers in a neighborhood, those inconveniences are going to be permanent. I have also talked with a close friend of mine who works for Washington Local Schools and was involved in the discussion of the land, and he said this. He said, They fought this project as long as they could.

They even even though they didn't want it, he said they finally agreed because they would have taken the land anyway. And at least this way they got the boardwalk. A boardwalk where we get to look at 235 foot water towers. That is not what the city employee told me at the school meeting. He said Washington local schools gave the land back, but what he didn't say was that they would have taken it through eminent domain anyway.

And then at the last public hearing, this gentleman was clearly clearly told the developer that it still had to go through to this meeting before final approval. And yet a few days after that second meeting, they were out there digging and setting up barricades and putting in rock and building roadways and clearly starting construction before they got final approval. So were they fined for this for breaking the municipal code for not starting construction before final approval? I called Dana Rising before I I'm guessing she doesn't work here anymore, but I told her about it. She told me they were not allowed to do that.

She investigated and she called me back that same day to say they were told to stop. But yet the next day they were out there again. I called her again. She made another call and they did finally stop. They were also out there yesterday. My point is this, why did they think they could do anything before final approval? Do they already know it's going to be approved? And how do they know that? Is all this just for show? Do concerns of the people not mean anything?

I have names on a petition saying that they don't want these water towers in our neighborhood. There's another site that they could use that would solve the problem. I have pictures of signs that people put up that they don't want it for fear of a data center going in because of this. They don't want it. Washington local schools didn't want it. So what I'm asking the council members is to listen to what the public feels about this. We don't want it there. We want the water pressure fixed, but there is another site they can use. This is in a residential area. It's just going to cause a lot of problems, and then what are going to do?

Are you going to take them down? Anyway, what will it take to have you vote against building there and putting it somewhere else? I've been told misleading information at that meeting at the Silver Creek School. I've been told half truths and outright lies by city employees that were there. I am respectfully asking that you have them put it in another location. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm assuming that you were talking about the Bowman area. Yes. Is that what you were talking about? Yes. Okay, thank you. Ms. Cottrell, do you know if there were any fines that were assessed for operating before the special use permit?

I'd have to go back and look. I know a zoning complaint was filed. We file every complaint we get, so it's on record. But activity had stopped pretty quickly after we informed them. You're allowed to do some site work, you're allowed to take trees down landscaping grade, whatever, but they had stopped and so probably fines were not levied because they stopped right away.

Thank you.

Yeah, if I may, was in touch with Dana, Dana was in touch with me, we were in touch with each other. To find exactly what was allowed at that point and what wasn't. And we told them to stop, especially if some of the plans that the contractor did have that they're ready to execute now. But we did have them stop on some work.

And so this cannot move, the construction and what have you cannot move forward until the vote on June 9? If it's approved, correct?

Correct, other than site grading or moving dirt around, moving, taking trees down that you could do on your property anyway.

Okay. To the resident, I just wanted to make that clarification. So if there are things that are going on that are beyond that scope, I would hope that you would call me and certainly call the plan commission because the information has been hard to get from different sources, so I feel your pain. And I wasn't telling tall tales about the constituents not being in support of this. So at any rate, this is already, we've already made the motion. Thank you for you know coming forward and let's move on to case number seven.

Case number seven is a request for a special use permit for standalone solar field for the property located at 627 Lotus Avenue. Case number SUP20, The plan commission recommends approval subject to 25 conditions and one waiver.

Thank you. Can you state your name and address for the record, please?

Carl Wagner. 14731 Prairie Lake Drive.

Do you swear to tell truth and nothing but the truth? If so, say I do.

I do. Thank

you. Can you tell us about this request for the special use permit?

Yes. Thanks for the opportunity. My name is Carl Wagner. I'm the board chair with the Historic South Initiative. With your permission, I'm going give you two or three minutes of background. I've been the Board Chair for five years. I'm really proud of what we've accomplished together in the Old South End. My work with Historic South is driven by one simple hope, that we can help today's residents prosper and ensure this neighborhood thrives for generations. In the last ten years, we've invested about $20,000,000 into the Old South End in housing, education, commercial and community development, benefiting hundreds of homeowners, school children and many local organizations. We're here today because the next major step in strengthening this neighborhood is before us.

I respectfully request your support for the special use permit for the standalone solar field at 627 Lotus Avenue. As you know, the plant commission unanimously approved this project subject to 25 conditions, all of which we're prepared to meet. For background for the project, HSI was awarded a $1,500,000 HUD grant to build and operate a silver array. The site that we're looking at today is approximately 15 acres of vacant city owned land. It has limited development potential, but it has enormous potential to benefit the community.

The electricity generator will be sold to local organizations. Instead of profits going to private investors, all of the revenue will flow into a neighborhood fund dedicated to revitalizing the old South End. We estimate this project could generate almost $100,000 every year, more than $2,000,000 over its lifetime for home repairs, youth programs and community improvements. In the initial year, we will prioritize the funding of applications of homeowners who live along the solar array on Lotus Avenue. The site was selected because it meets every requirement established.

It's vacant city owned land only available for industrial use. It's adjacent to rail and river infrastructure, limiting other development options. It's close to potential electricity buyers enhancing the opportunity for revenue. The solar array will only use one third of the land, the remaining two thirds will stay open. It will have no impact on the river and there is currently no safe public access to this land.

So it does not displace families, fishermen or recreation. With support from the Toledo Zoo, Metroparks Toledo and the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, we will enhance wildlife habitat and pollinator plantings and ensure the site is an environmental asset. This project represents one of the most significant economic development opportunities the Old South End has seen in decades. We explained this in detail at a recent community meeting, which drew a very nice crowd at the South Toledo Library. In that meeting, were able to provide facts to the residents and stakeholders in the room.

In summary, this project will return millions of dollars to Old South End residents and organizations. It has widespread support as every organization in the Old South End has signed a letter of support for the project. It requires no city funding. The site uniquely fits all of the established criterion. It brings respected partners to the table and it transforms unused land into a long term community benefit. On behalf of Historic South Initiative and the residents we serve, I respectfully ask for your support of this special use permit. Thanks for your time.

Thank you. And do you agree to the 25 conditions and Yes. One Okay, thank you. Miss Cottrell, do you have anything to add?

Other than you know, obviously the hearing had a great deal of opposition, some people in support, some people in opposition. Planning Commission was supportive of voted five zero, but you do have people on both sides who probably wanna speak.

Yes. Okay, thank you.

Councilwoman Gaddis. Thank you. Could you tell me how many calls the Planning Commission had received?

I'm gonna defer to the case planner Lisa Kartra here.

We probably only received three or four calls. The majority of the information were emails and that's what would have been forwarded to you in your packet. So most of our correspondence was via email.

Okay, thank you. Mr. Wagner, could you explain a little bit about the meetings that you hosted or attended? The meetings that you hosted or attended?

I'm let Joe speak to that. He ran

the That would be great. Thank you.

Can you state your name and address for the record and then we're gonna have to swear you in as well.

No problem. Joe Cordella. I work for Historic South Initiative. My address is 13686 Echo Junction Road.

You swear to tell truth and nothing but the truth. If so, say I do.

I do. So Council Member Gattis, when we appeared in front of the Planning Commission first, they recommended we hold a public meeting. So I worked directly with Lisa Karcher. We did direct mailings, social media reach outs, Facebook post, canvassing and then we hosted a public meeting. Glad to say we had some council representatives there, some aids were there as well.

We also had representatives from Lucas County. Anita Lopez and her representative were there also. And more than a handful of local residents. It was a great opportunity for us to talk about the progress of the project, but also to hear back from residents as well. So, one specific example of where we heard community feedback was, one of the stipulations we agreed to was to fence the property, but one of the suggestions residents had was would we consider security cameras or some other security devices as well.

We had not thought of that, but we said certainly we would look into that as well. So, we think that actually would make the property even safer than it is now. Also, we had thought a little bit about the possibility of working with the zoos before, but we've now taken the next step to actually have a conservation biologist look at it, come and look at the site, and even offer to give us some quotes and proposals that we're looking at over the next couple weeks.

Yeah, I want to thank you because a lot of the concerns that I heard Mr. Wagner talk about the neighbors work, you know, if they're looking at a solar array over the tracks, are they eligible for the repairs from the things that are coming in, which I heard that, yes, they're gonna be eligible.

Yes.

And then a lot of I heard a lot of complaints around the disruption of wildlife. They really look forward to the birds and the animals. And it sounds like you're working with the zoo.

We're working with the zoo and the metro parks. But I would point you to a letter you hopefully received earlier today from a gentleman named Hank Thomas. I don't see him in the audience, but he spoke very eloquently last time and addressed nearly every issue. He's, has a great deal of experience in solar energy more than I do, and he specifically addressed some of those concerns and said that, for example, the Audubon Society favors it over other sources of energy and also there's a lot of potential for us to really develop the land responsibly.

I appreciate that. And that the remaining land you're also going to be working in partnership to continue to keep Yes. Nature Okay. Thank you. That's all I have at this time.

Thank you. President Williams.

Thank you so much. I think this is so creative. You especially, is the federal you said the federal grant shut the front door. We don't get that we don't get many of that around this.

We may not again, to be honest.

May not again.

Need to

take advantage of this one.

The exciting part about this is that we're using the land to actually produce energy and saving the land and using those dollars to rehab housing where we may not have future dollars to rehab housing. So, the sustainability plan with my colleague, Councilman Comer, he's always pushed for that. I'm excited to see how this goes. I've seen some solar I know we the metro parks is trying to do it out Stickney. I mean, we have so much vacant land, why not help the community by saving costs especially when I don't know if anybody knows, but Toledo Edison is actually, First Energy is actually going forward to raise our energy cost over a three year period, so energy cost is gonna go up.

So I see the benefit of it in several ways. I understand, you know, we have had a lot of information presented in our emails over the last few days, but we have to look at the picture holistically for the future. There's not many federal, especially something that's talking about clean energy that is not this administration's goal for clean energy. So, to have historic South and the good work that you've been doing, we actually grab those dollars. My question is, when you're getting it, are you holding on to it and make sure they can't take it back.

That's all I got. Thanks.

That's why we're here today asking to move the process forward as efficiently as we can.

Thank you. Councilman Martinez.

Thank you Madam Chair. Director, you can sit down. I have more questions Currently for the this land is zoned what?

Limited industrial.

Limited industrial. Is this considered a brownfield at all? I'm sorry? I'm sorry, is this considered a brownfield at all?

It could be. I'll defer to Lisa again, I believe there were some dumping on this site of construction materials from previous time. Yes,

this was originally owned by a concrete company.

So there

are case when we did our case history research, there was information before it was taken over by the city. The fact that there was concrete slabs. So those have been broken up according to our records. They were broken up and that's kind of right where they wanna put the solar array. You can see on the aerial it's more cleared. It's the cleared area in this, it's not all the wooded part. That's where I believe that's where they would have buried all the concrete.

Gotcha. So then I guess my other question is it's been a while but I remember the site specifically because we're looking thirty years ago to possibly redevelop it and it just wasn't viable just because of the access and the slope and everything plus it was brownfield dumping stuff for concrete, so nothing's changed much. And I guess my question is, so this seems to be does this fit with the Forward Toledo Plan?

So the Forward Toledo Plan targets us for utility, although the Forward Toledo Plan also has you know, the plan is based on themes. Of the themes is sustainability. Use water, building, place, those themes. But the sustainability theme is one of the major tenants of the Fort Toledo plan. And the fact that they're going to take this money and reinvest it back into the neighborhood I think follows more of the Fort Toledo themes of helping small businesses, helping homeowners and rebuilding our neighborhoods. Would say Gotcha.

Okay, no, no this is super creative. I know Detroit's doing something similar. And I guess Mr. Wagner if you could come up, I just have a couple questions for you. First of all, thank you for so much for what you do for the Old South End.

It's been much needed and as a former CDC director there, I sincerely appreciate your passion and shared passion to help revive the Old South End. If I have one small criticism is when we think about HSI, it's community portion first. You guys have a lot of great ideas and you've done very, very well and you've made a great impact, but sometimes it's always missing that community portion of it. And I see you have Mr. Baddock who is well versed in community engagement and community development. And so you have a great team, but I just forward, just to remember to have more community engagement,

more community engagement. If I may, I think what's not visible is the interconnections of all the other organizations that I mentioned. So if you look at the belief center at Squawk, the schools, they're all in partnership with us. So I think we represent each other. And I think perhaps the world you're talking about is five or ten years old actually in terms of those connections with people.

Perfect. Okay, great. I'm glad to hear that because I remember same with the new houses that you built, which is like first ones in like thirty years. I think the last real development in that area were the tax credit projects.

Right, thirty

or forty years. But again, you've got the community portion of that. Just no shade, I'm just And

again, I've talked to many residents even about that aspect. There's a misunderstanding of even those funds. They were for infill only. They couldn't be used for repair. So I think we've used the opportunity to educate people on what these grants are for and how they are so beneficial for the community.

And that's great. So I guess one of my questions is in terms of the design, was there any community input about the design or it sounds like you're working with the zoo who are experts in this?

So we're very early in the process. I can introduce Molly to tell more about the design of the project, but we're still at getting a site.

Great.

And then the next part will be selling electricity. We still don't need to build it. But as Joe mentioned, landscaping, security, fencing, all of those ideas have come to us and I think more will continue to come as we work with the community and with experts in building this.

Great. And then it's my understanding, walk me through the process, so once the energy is harnessed, it's going to be sold to whom?

So I'm going to let Molly come up and address it, not because I can't, because I'm in your shoes where you were before of I shouldn't be talking about those things. Can

you state your name and address for the record please?

Yes ma'am. Molly Thompson, Elevated Energy, 30120 Waterford Drive, Perrysburg, 43551.

Do you swear to tell truth and nothing but the truth? If so say I do.

I do.

Thanks. Thank you. Go ahead.

Okay, so can you please restate

your question?

Sure. Walk me through the process because this isn't your first rodeo working on Maumee River, correct?

Yes, so the process of this project is to first get the SUP approved. We have already been talking to potential hosts who are interested in buying the electricity. We've been talking with FirstEnergy for many months. They already are aware of the project and have said that once we get the SUP in place and are able to move forward, they don't see any issues in moving forward to do an interconnect for the project. And we have just finished one another project locally where we were able to get that completed.

We started construction in September. The interconnect and working with FirstEnergy was completed on December 31 and that's a really short process but it's because that's what we do. Can you remind me what project that is? I'm sorry?

Can you remind me which project that is?

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm very proud of that project too. So it's the Sisters of St. Francis. It's the carport at Lourdes on the campus of Okay, great.

Okay.

So then after you get the interconnect, FirstEnergy buys the

Okay, so sorry I probably said something off turn. So the project is constructed. We start getting energy. It gets sold to a host and then the proceeds from that will go to historic south either to a designated fund or to the organization, however they set that up. And then that gets to go and it's 100% of the proceeds of that will go back into the community.

Wow, that's great. That's very creative. Okay. Just want make sure

that's super

cool.

As business that is our business model is to take something like a solar project which is a really interesting, cool, usually a good asset but over time if you don't have an organization that is skilled in that, it could become a liability. It's already happened in town. We make sure that doesn't happen. So working with Historic we have created it so that it is a twenty five year recurring revenue of a minimum of $100,000 that gets to go back into the community. That's our business model and that's what we do with Historic South and every client we have.

So then is how do I want to phrase this? Could this be used as a pilot project for other communities or other neighborhoods?

So we're doing it with the Sisters of St. Francis, 100% it could be because we have that model and it's called turning energy into impact which is a trademark process that we have as is return on mission. So our goal is not to just most projects, solar projects and as soon as the project flips on, that's just when ours are getting started. So we measure it and connect it back to number of home repairs, number of people served, income generated on an annual level because that is their mission and we give them a measurable tangible way to do that over twenty five years.

Got it. Wow, that's great. Okay. So then so you're still in the predevelopment phase, would assume you have your designs yet?

We have, so that also should have been delivered to everyone. I don't know if that comes from planning commission but the packet that's got renderings in it. So if not, we'll make sure that you have it but we already have those renderings that have been created.

Got it.

So you can see on the site map the layout there but we also have some rendering. So I will make sure. Did those get? Okay, they were hand delivered last week. We will make sure that you have electronic versions of those as well.

Okay, great. Yeah, I'd be curious to see what the vignettes look like. And then if they're still in design concept, will there be an opportunity for the community to kind of weigh in to see which one they like best or anything like that? Or is it more structural?

It's a structural thing. So what we do is it is designed and built, it's called the fixed tilt system. So from the ground to the very top is only nine feet. So given that there's the railway and then it goes down a little bit, we have created it so that it maximizes the sun exposure and it minimizes any obstruction.

Okay, great. Well thank you so much for the recap. I just wasn't 100% sure on the process and I appreciate you coming down, thank you.

Yeah, thank you for your time, I appreciate it.

So if something happens, the system malfunctions, there's vandalism. What happens? Are you involved in this for a long time? Do you let it loose and they're responsible to pay for it out of their proceeds? Like how does that work?

That's a great question, thank you. I forgot to mention this little gem. Part of our business model is having watched other projects go through this and have such a big obstacle to overcome as a non profit who doesn't understand solar. We have already built that twenty five year maintenance budget into the project. So it's there for twenty five years so that makes it easy so that the nonprofit can focus on the work that they were designed and created to do. And then if there's a problem or an issue, they call us and we handle it for them.

Okay. Thank you for that clarification.

Yes. Thank you. I'm sorry I left that out. I get so excited talking about this.

Thank you.

All right, thank you. Any other questions?

Not from council members.

Okay, thank

you. Gonna open it up to the public here.

Thank you.

Mhmm.

Is there anyone in the audience who wants to speak for or against, case number seven? Hello. Can you pull down the microphone, please? And state your name and address for the record.

My name is Penny Noyes. I live at 634 Lotus Avenue.

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth? If so, say I do.

I do. Thank you.

So I live right across from the area at 634 Lotus. I disagree with it not with her saying that it would not block our site of the river. It does go down probably about nine feet by where the railroad tracks are, but then the land gradually goes up. And so by the time the nine foot panels are put by the area that's closer to the water, we won't see the water anymore. It'll block our view.

And I did point that out to Councilman Sorrento when he came and visited us. And the other concern about the panels is that they cause a lake effect. This refers to an ecological phenomenon where large scale solar farms visually mimic the appearance of a body of water. This illusion caused by polarized light reflecting off the dark flat panels, surface of the panels frequently disorients migrating birds and bats. It happens because many birds and aquatic insects navigate and locate habitats using polarization vision Because water naturally polarizes and reflects sunlight, a large expanse of glossy polar panels creates the exact same visual cue from the air.

The environmental impact is that the birds attempting to land on what they think is water often collide with the glass structures or plummet to the ground, resulting in severe injury or death. Also, large swarms of insects will attract birds in the same way. The carefully evaluating the placement of utility scale solar projects away from major migrant migratory flyways such as the Maumee River can prevent these accidents from happening. I've seen many migrating birds going down the water. 40 plus pelicans were flying down the water in April.

I've seen herons, turkey vultures, many bald eagles. I showed Sorrento that Sorrento I'm sorry, I'm nervous that the video of the bald eagles flying over this area. There are also I have a Merlin bird ID app, and it also shows many birds, migratory birds flying in the area. We also have had for five plus years northern mockingbirds nesting in the area, and that's very unusual. Some of the more unusual birds are black throated green warbler, and there's many other warblers.

There's eastern kingbird, northern flicker, many different sparrows, Baltimore Orioles, pine siskin, which is unusual, and a dark eyed junco, which is unusual, Brown creeper and gray cheeked thrush, those are both unusual. And I'm just worried that this is going to cause issues with them and they would be injured. I'm not against the solar panels. I just want to see them put them somewhere else than along the Maumee River. So I think this should go to committee and please don't let the solar panels be put along the river.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you. We'll have you answer at the end. Is anyone else would like to come up? Yeah, we're gonna time these comments for three minutes. So if you can, we have to get through. We've been sitting here a long time. You may not have been sitting here a long time, but we've been here a long time. So unfortunately, we have to be mindful of others.

May I say you've offered them a lot of time, and if we wanna present our They

are the applicant, so they have to explain

the Okay, but there's a lot of things to have said.

I'm sorry,

I'm talking out

of place. Please state your name and address for the record, please.

My name is Sue Terrell, and I live at 1844 Lynn Brook, Toledo 14.

Thank you.

You swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so say I do.

I do. Thank you. I'm a little bit conflicted. I want

Can to raise the microphone, please? Oh. Thank you.

I the friends of the Maumee River sent a packet, which I believe you've all read and received. Six or seven letters. Okay. The reason I say that is I have my own personal statement, but so I'll have to review some of that information that you have already received. But in general, this is what we're proposing.

We request to refer to committee and withhold approval until a community benefit agreement is executed. Now what I'm presenting is part of six separate pages, so I'll try to do my best to summarize as best I can. But we're not opposed at all to clean energy or this investment deal. This is a great investment. But our concern is how in the heck did they choose this location without the people in the neighborhood knowing about it.

Right, we want a creative idea, but the creative idea didn't consider what other areas were considered. Why was the area by the river chosen? Do they understand that the behind all the trees and at times the railroad, that there is a beautiful river there. I am going to be 78 years old. Our family moved there when I was three years old.

We saw the complete river all the way from the casino all the way up to the throwaway, and you could see the whole river. Can you imagine what it's like living next to a river and being able to see that? And of course, over time, the railroad did not keep up, you know, with the their due diligence of responsibility of trimming the trees, and they were parking the trains too long on the tracks. So the new neighbors didn't understand the value of what is behind those trees. And so that's it's very frustrating to have to say this, you know, with so little time.

And I know I'm not going to include it all, so I'll read what I can. So we're not opposed to solar, but we're skeptical of specific of this specific project as currently structured. We believe council has both the authority and responsibility to require stronger protection and clearer documentation before approving a twenty to twenty five year old land use decision on public land in one of Toledo's most historically underserved neighborhoods. And then we explained the concerns why. And part of that, I explained the project.

But part of this of our history that you need to know is the Old South and master plan as of 2017 approved by the council said that this is supposed to be a green space, eventually a river park. It's documented in the plan. The map is there. That's what the neighbors know about the neighborhood. They didn't know anything about the solar project coming into the miss

Carol, your time is up.

I'm Oh, god.

I'm sorry. We have to move on to other residents in the neighborhood.

Yeah.

Please come forward. Please state your name and address for the record, please.

My name is, excuse me, Steve Seaton. I live at 802 Lafayette Street in Toledo.

Raise your right hand please. Sorry. Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth? If so, say I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Once again, I'm Steve Seaton. I represent the Broadway Coder Coalition. We are a group of nonprofits, churches, residents, major stakeholders who are dedicated to the revitalization of the Old South End, Historic South Initiative as a founding member. We started back in 2014 to create a master plan for the Old South End, which I think Councilman Driscoll may have had a part of. And the master plan came out in 2017, was accepted by City Council, the mayor, and is in fact an amendment to the Cindy's comprehensive plan.

To be brief, this is zoned industrial. The site plan is extremely complementary to our built environment. They're only taking up a small portion of the site. So there's plenty of room for birds and whatever in there. But the I think as Councilman Martinez said, the endowment that the proceeds of this is going to bring to the Old South End, millions of dollars over the life of it, is really an extraordinary thing.

And I am very grateful to Marcy Capter for bringing the money home at a time when it's being cut off by the Trump administration. So to me, this is a win win. Let me just address the issue of Riverfront

Park.

In the creation of the Old Southland Master Plan, one of the recommendations was to have more parkland. And it says to further study the viability of a riverfront park. And so that's something certainly that we would want in our long range plan, but it would never happen anytime soon, I'll tell you that. Not when you deal with the railroad, with land acquisition, there's no money for it. It would cost tens of millions of dollars.

Would I love to see a riverfront park in the Maumee River for the residents and stakeholders of the South End? Yes, I would. But we have to focus as a Broadway Corridor Coalition on achievable objectives in the short term, like housing and commercial rehabilitation, education, etcetera. So this does not preclude it, but the idea of a riverfront park would be nice someday, somehow, maybe. But this is a real project now. It's funded, it's ready to go, and it will provide needed funds for low and moderate income people in the Old South End. So I would ask for your approval of this. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Is there anyone else who would like to speak? Pardon me, Councilman Martinez.

Thank you Madam Chair. It's a question for Director Cantrell. The SUP, how long is it good for?

I'm not understanding, before they develop

or No, could could be indefinitely. It's indefinitely. Okay, in perpetuity.

Correct.

But the city owns the land? Correct. Right, okay. Yes. So this is just a temporary use in perpetuity technically, but if something happens or there's a different project, the city still controls the property?

That's correct.

Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

State your name and address for the record please.

Hi, my name is Tonda Kizzicki and I live at 3929 South Detroit Avenue and that is a Toledo, Ohio address. I love the word perpetuity.

Ma'am? Pardon me?

That was great.

You have to get sworn in. Oh, sorry.

Do you swear to Rachel Ray Hahn, please. Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth? If so, say I do? Yes. Thank you.

Go ahead, Okay. First of all, all due respect to Historic South and all the great things that all those organizations are doing, no disrespect at all. And I want to see the South End, the community get stronger and stronger, so I love that. I do not think that a solar panel solar panel project belongs on Riverfront in this case, especially considering what we've done with Glass City and with Middle Grounds. And I have heard this said a few times today that this is unusable land.

However, I believe hearing that before about Middle Grounds property and the property that Glass City is located on. So when we say unusable land, I would like that backed up by something more than, hey, it's unusable. I I need to know more about that, about if it really is unusable and why is it unusable, and should we do that environmental review that I have not seen. And if I understand it correctly, it sounds like it doesn't require one because of the special use permit. I don't have that answer.

We'll get that answer. Please continue with your comments.

Okay. You said you have 25 conditions. I'd like to know what those are and what the one waiver is because that'd be great. Great. I'd really like to look at the restoration of the riverfront so we can really be what we could be which would increase property values which would help the South End maybe not as much as this cash coming in every year. However, do you have a contract does HSI have a contract legally binding contract

ma'am they're not going to answer questions we just want so that's another concern that you have yes

so this is city land and in 2017 it was determined that it would become a park like we talked about and you folks are elected for the most part I believe by Toledo residents not by Perrysburg residents not by Sylvania residents. You were elected by Toledo residents and so I just want to remind you of that. And wanted to talk a little bit about the customer. Who is the customer for the solar energy? So has one been required and folks, City Council folks and Plan Commission folks if you're sitting up here approving this and you don't have the answers to these questions it's a little disconcerting, no offense.

I know everyone's been through a long meeting before this. When we talked about the security I wasn't sure what who are you are you afraid of the residents in the neighborhood are you protecting the panels I don't understand that. When you talked about the zoo and metro parks and how glorious they think your ideas are, where is I don't see where they endorsed it. If they're endorsing this, that's something different. That that would mean something to me if they're endorsing this.

If Audubon was endorsing this and it's not over just going to kill a few birds what she's talking about needs to be in environmental review is this true that that's going to hurt our migratory on birds I mean it is bird week It just makes me a little bit nervous and I will close in conclusion and no disrespect intended. I just think Toledo is on a really good role right now of improving our riverfront and our waterways. This is the Maumee River. It's in Perrysburg too. It's This is something that a lot of people need to care about.

Thank you, ma'am.

And it sounds great. I want Historic South to have money. I do. But when you guys hear grant money, and I bet you, bet you, who knows where this grant came from? You know it's federal, but what's the name of the grant? Okay When

you hear grant money Your time is up. I'm just really concerned that we are doing an old WBC and that does stand for old white boys club. Thank you. Thank you. I have to continue opening and then we can we can have a recap. Anyone else who would like to speak? Thank you, sir. Please state your name and address for the record.

Timothy Fields, 5420 Heatherdowns, Apartment 14, Seed, Ohio 43614.

And would you raise that microphone up? You're a tall guy.

Do you guys hear me? I got you. Fantastic.

Do you swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth? If so say I do.

Thank Good

afternoon, council good afternoon, councilmembers. Timothy Fields, Founder and Executive Director of BSN Community, and our STEM Center is located in the Old South End. Every day, we work with the youths and families in this neighborhood who simply want the same opportunities as everyone else, safe spaces, investment, hope, and a future they can believe in. For too long, communities like the Old South End has heard promises while continuing to deal with disinvestment and being overlooked. I also want to personally thank HSI for not only continuing to fight for this community, but supporting organizations like ours in helping build out our STEM center for local youth and families.

What HSI is doing is bigger than a project. It's about creating long term sustainability and reinvesting back in the people who live here. Our youth are watching what decisions are being made here today and they deserve to see their leaders believe in their future. Thank you.

Thank you very much sir. Is there anyone else in the audience who would like to speak for or against? Okay. Please come forward. State your name and address for the record please and pull down the microphone.

Thank you.

My name is Kathleen Bresnehan Doer. I live at 4254 River Road here in Toledo, 43614. Was present

as one of the big moves.

Sorry. You swear to tell truth and nothing but the truth? If so, say I do.

I do. Thank you.

I was present for the first meeting at the library. I think it was a public meeting at that time. Subsequently, I was here for the Planning Commission meeting, which I believe was a few weeks ago. So this is my third time here talking about this. I just want to go on record to start with saying that personally myself, I think it's a great program, solar power, energy. We need it. It's sustainable. It's renewable. My biggest concern is the location. Everything that has been presented by everybody to my right, it's a great program.

I just think it's the wrong place at the wrong time. The Maumee Riverfront is one of the most valuable resources that we have here within our community. It stands for recreation, wildlife, the aesthetics, the beauty, tourism, the character of the entire Toledo area, not just for short term placement projects. Residents myself have been asking Toledo City Council to carefully reconsider everything that you have heard and reconsider whether this is truly the proper location to put this project. And I think there's a majority of agreement that we all agree it's a good theory concept as far as the energy, it's just the location.

Residents in the Old South End are frustrated because while their concerns may be acknowledged, they're not being genuinely heard, that's the general consensus. They deserve your respect and meaningful consideration of everything that's been presented. There needs to be more meaningful dialogue, more transparency, more accountability, and not just an opportunity to speak for the record to follow protocol and guidelines for meetings. I support this to go to some form of a committee possibly involving more from both sides where we all sit down together realizing that solar energy is here but maybe look at other options and explore other places to put this. Development decisions along the Maumee Riverfront should balance environmental with preservation, recreation, aesthetics, and the wishes of the surrounding community.

I think we need to slow the process down, hit the brake pedal a few times, give it a little bit more consideration, and start looking at other options around the city. To achieve these renewable energy goals, we must do it without permanently altering an important riverfront area. We can always build homes. We can always build businesses. We can't recreate and build rivers.

There's not a lot of good riverfront area left. I asked the city of Toledo council and members to hit the pause button on the proposal to seek and consider a committee. There needs to be more accountability. The decisions that we all make that you make today about moving this forward will shape the old Southend community.

Ma'am, you're done.

Toledo for decades in respect. Please listen closely. Two wrongs do not make a right. Thank you.

Thank you. Alright. We're gonna let you do three minutes. If you wanna if you want is there anyone else who would like to speak for or against this project? Is there anyone who would like to speak for or against this project? Okay. I'm gonna go ahead and let you answer perhaps some of the questions that were raised if you if you so wish.

Thank you. I do want to correct a few pieces of information. First of all, this is not a utility scale project. I wish it were. That would be huge amounts of money going into the old South End.

This is not a utility scale project. Also, I'm not sure where the reference to glare from the solar panels came from, but any current solar panels these days are designed for minimal glare, minimal impact. And also, if you look at the site as it is, what blocks any kind of a view are the trees that are currently along the river and as we've shared this is a long term project it is not a permanent unalterable project. So if at some point down the road decommissioning has also been factored in so that at the end of the life cycle of this project that cost is already factored into the project. So it is designed to provide millions of dollars over twenty five years into the old South End.

And then Joe wanted to ask or address two other things.

I just want talk about the master plan and the potential for the park. One, just noting in the master plan, it was simply a recommendation that that area would become a green space. And then I believe this was submitted to you already, but this is from Joe Fosno when we inquired to him about the potential for the development into a park. He said, As appealing as a riverside park would be, we have not developed a way to overcome the access issues present at the site between the rail line and the heavy industry surrounding this parcel. It is nearly impossible to provide a safe access route to this parcel for the public.

We currently have no plans to develop a park at this site in the foreseeable future. So I do want to say on top of that to Molly's point, if this is a semi permanent twenty year solution, well God bless us all in twenty minutes, twenty years maybe we are talking about building a park. But presently respectfully today we are not. So this is a project that's in front of you today and we ask for your approval.

Thank you. You've already spoke ma'am. You've already spoke. We were having them address the questions that were raised by some of the public. No, ma'am. No, ma'am. We've gotten your emails. We're we're good. We we have the information.

Alright. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there anyone on council has any questions? Okay. Miss Cottrell, do you have anything to add?

I do not. Okay.

Council Member Gaddis.

Thank you. I just want to ask, how will postponing or delaying, how does that impact the grant? Because there is federal money wrapped into that. So is there a strict timeline?

One of the things that as a company that we have built into this model is all the ways that we can derive revenue. So it's not just the energy, it's also federal incentives that are currently available and in that ever changing landscape that I know we are all familiar with, deferring this could put that

in

jeopardy and significantly hinder the project. So our hope is to get this approved so that we can move forward and make sure that we capitalize on all the available resources to make this project viable and beneficial for the community.

Thank you. Thank you.

Councilmember Gaddis, what is your recommendation?

At the neighborhoods, HSI is a really great partner and they're very strong. I think as we're changing things, there's going be growing pains. And the opportunity for this to be really something awesome is really great. And I hear the concerns of the neighbors because we've seen so much, especially when you're in disinvested neighborhood, you see so many promises that don't get made. And that causes distrust, right? And so there's a lot to overcome. I am hopeful that HSI will overcome that. But since the neighbors have so many concerns, I'm going to refer to move this matter without recommendation. Seeing no objections, so ordered.

This will go to the full city council on June 9. Let's see, we do have you do need to fill out some paperwork with our clerk. K. Let's move on to item number 12.

In case number 12, it's a request for a zone change from from r M three six multi dwelling residential to c o office commercial for the property located at 2108 Collingwood Boulevard case number is Z26Dash0005 the plan commission recommends approval

ma'am can you state your name and address for the record

Christine Palmer, 2108 Collingwood Boulevard, Toledo, Ohio.

Thank you. You swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth? If so, say I do.

I do. Thank you.

Thank you. Can you tell us about your zone change?

Yes. I'm Christine Palmer I'm the executive director of Collingwood Presbyterian church. And the purpose of our request is to allow for the installation of an exterior sign. That clearly communicates the wide range of activities and services taking place within our historic building. Our 87,000 square foot building at one time had 2,000 members.

We now on average have about 35 people on any given Sunday. So we need to use our building to generate income. To be able to maintain the building and still provide activities for the community. Currently we do not have a permanent sign we had two large monument signs that were 12. At 12 feet long each but unfortunately in 2018 a car hit one sign and then again in 2020 a car hit the other sign.

So our goal is to have a vibrant building with many activities for the community. Currently we have Sacred Steel Music and History Museum, We have Peace Tabernacle Church. We have Unbounded Artists who provide art classes for the community. We have a gallery and we have Creating Eternal Bonds, is a children's after school program. We have a gallery and community room.

We currently have Toledo School for the Arts has an art exhibit through June in the gallery. We have the Charles R. Johnson Family Center which is an activity room, youth rooms, breakout rooms for conferences. Although we have always had weddings in our building we are renovating to be able to provide full wedding services with the use of our sanctuary, wedding suites, caterers, and our 300 person capacity banquet hall. But you would be unaware of all this from the outside of our building.

It is imperative to the survival of our congregation and to our building that the public is able to see that we are a church but we are so much more than just a church. We don't wanna become another empty church in the city of Toledo left for blight. So we are requesting the zoning change to office commercial so we can have a medium or low profile ground sign. And the sign design has already been approved by the Old West End Historic Commission contingent upon today's decisions.

Thank you. That sounds like it's gonna be quite a sign. That's a lot of things going on over there. Ms. Cottrell, do you have anything to add?

You know, we're we're supportive of this. We wanna save these old churches. We've we've got a lot of churches in Toledo that are are in need of some sort of adaptive reuse and you're gonna see this with the zoning code update, an adaptive reuse program that allows multiple uses one building that that saves these buildings and helps us church. The CO zoning is our least intense commercial zoning. We feel it's appropriate here. It's not going to allow the more intense uses but it does allow them to replace their slime and to continue their mission in the Old West End. The Old West End is supportive of it and there's no opposition.

Thank you. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number 12? Again, is there anyone in the audience who would like to speak for or against case number 12? President Williams, what is your recommendation?

I'm so sorry you had to be here so long.

It'll be worth it. It'll be worth it.

Thank you for always thinking of creative ways to do something in Collingwood Prospectorian. You guys are amazing and I'm so excited to see what else you're doing there. Sending to the full city council as approved and again, I apologize.

Okay, thank you.

But we've been here four hours.

Seeing no objections, so ordered. Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Cottrell, do you want to go ahead and address case number thirteen and fourteen?

So outstanding studies, know it's been a long day for you, I'll just keep it the big one is the zoning code rewrite. We have chosen a consultant, and we're going to move forward quickly on that. Regarding the moratorium, the moratorium is about five months away. We have chosen a consultant for that as well. And you're going see a steady stream of studies, I'm sorry, of zoning code text amendments in the next couple of months.

Okay. All

right. Is there any other business to be to come forward? K. Seeing no objections, this meeting is adjourned.