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Zoning to allow Get-Go gas station heads to ballot
(by Sue Reid - September 02, 2009)
Zoning to allow Get-Go gas station heads to ballot
By SUE REID
The rezoning request by the owners of the Solar Center shopping plaza in Solon to allow for a Get-Go gas station near a proposed new Giant Eagle supermarket will go to the voters in November.
City Council voted 6-1 Monday to submit to voters rezoning of a 20.99-acre site from C-3, commercial, and O-1, general office district, to the new C3-A commercial shopping center zoning. Council also approved a development agreement with Solar Center Ltd. LLC for redevelopment of the plaza, also by a vote of 6-1.
Voting in favor of sending the request to the November ballot and for the development agreement were council members William I. Russo, Lon D. Stolarsky, Susan A. Drucker, Edward H. Kraus, Robert N. Pelunis and John T. Scott. Opposing both ordinances was Councilman Edward K. Suit.
Prior to the vote, Mayor Kevin C. Patton asked the shopping center developer, in attendance at the meeting, for a commitment that, within a month or more before it goes on the ballot, a conceptual rendering of what the Giant Eagle and the rest of the plaza will look like be provided. "They have to see what they are voting on," he said of the voters.
"It's important that voters know exactly what they are going to be getting if they are voting for something," Mr. Pelunis said. They need to know "what they would expect to get if they vote yes," he said.
Planning Director Robert S. Frankland said that, when major developments are planned in the city, artists' renderings generally are available. "We don't have that tonight," he said.
Mr. Frankland told council members that, if they move forward, their approval could be contingent upon a drawing being made available at their next meeting on Sept. 21.
Developers indicated that they would provide the drawings.
To date, the development agreement spells out the materials and architectural design theme for the site, Mr. Frankland said, but "the drawings are 75 percent there." Reference of the drawings were removed from the development agreement, he noted.
"But in view of commitments made last night to make changes to the buildings, I'm very comfortable we will get to the point where everyone is happy with the building designs," Mr. Frankland said Tuesday.
Also as a contingency to the approval for placing the measure on the November ballot, Mr. Scott asked that Giant Eagle make a commitment that, if an off-site location becomes available for a Get-Go gas station, the company would consider it.
James J. Chickini, director of real estate, leasing and development for Giant Eagle, who was in attendance at the council meeting, said, "Yes, if there is a facility that becomes available that meets our minimum requirements, we would take a look at it."
Mr. Patton said that the redevelopment project is important to the city. "It's important we have a major food store in Solon," he said.
Brad Kowit, of Kowit and Passov Real Estate Group, who is serving as the commercial broker for the developers, said the next step will be to go through the process of getting plans, drawings and elevations approved.
"The goal is to keep all the existing tenants," he said. "Now we have a good shot at moving forward."
Mr. Frankland said the ordinance will be sent to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, which will come up with the actual wording of the ballot language. "We will be able to review it and provide input, and it would be voted on Nov. 3," he said.
Assuming that voters approve the rezoning, "at that point, it would probably enter into some intensive work sessions on site plan design that would involve the engineering, building and planning departments and the fire department," Mr. Frankland said.
"The first step will be to come up with a site plan." He said a second step would be to come up with the specific design of the buildings on site.
"This is a very important project for the city," Mr. Frankland said. "If passed in November, the next three, four months will be an intensive time review of the project."
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