South Euclid City Council to Hear from Public on Oakwood Rezoning Wednesday
Second public hearing to be held concerning rezoning Oakwood Country Club property from residential to commercial
Photos
South Euclid City Council will hold a public hearing Wednesday so residents can offer their opinion about rezoning the former Oakwood Country Club property from residential to commercial.
The hearing, which the Council is required by law to hold before it votes on the rezoning issue, will take place in council chambers on South Green Road at 6 p.m.
First Interstate Properties, the developer behind several shopping centers in Northeast Ohio, including Legacy Village and Steelyard Commons, wants to turn the country club property into a mix of retail, residential property and parkland called Oakwood Commons.
This will be the second public hearing South Euclid will have held on the matter. More than 150 people attended a March 10 hearing before the city’s Planning Commission, the majority of whom were Cleveland Heights residents.
Residents in both cities overwhelmingly came out against the rezoning, fearful of what additional shopping centers would do to existing retail developments as well as the noise and human traffic that would come with it.
The South Euclid Planning Commission recommended at its meeting April 14 that council rezone the former country club land.
Trish Sgro
1:28 pm on Tuesday, May 24, 2011
I cannot attend but did send an email to my councilman yesterday with my opinion on the matter, back up supporting it and possible solutions. I would like to see it kept as a park or green space, however , I realize from an economic standpoint its not a reasonable request. My second choice is that it be reserved for mid to high income housing to respond to the needs of professionals moving to Cleveland to work for our main industries (medical, education, legal and bio tech etc.) as well as the growth we expect to get from the developments downtown. I own a small business of my own and believe it or not there ARE professionals moving to Cleveland all the time looking for a suburban location.
Finally if we "must" rezone it for commercial property I would like to see an small industrial/business park to support the growing small businesses /entrepreneurs of Cleveland combined with a green space area that local citizens can enjoy. I am confident this could be a win/win for everyone. Finally to make it clear I DO NOT WANT A BIG BOX STORE IN SOUTH EUCLID for many reasons that would take pages to write and that I know many have voiced already.
Thanks.
Trish Sgro
South Euclid Resident
Michelle Simakis
1:34 pm on Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Thank you for weighing in on this issue, Trish, and for taking the time to post a comment. We'll have an update from the meeting at 6 a.m. Thursday, so you can find out what happened if you cannot attend.
GOMD
1:40 pm on Tuesday, May 24, 2011
We all say we want more jobs to be available, yet when proposed with an idea to create such, we rally against it. I say let them build it, more traffic in the area will only boost the local economy. Yes some small business's may suffer, but only if they offer an inferior product/service.