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Mayor says she'll vote with rezoning opponents
(by Sue Reid - September 22, 2010)
Mayor says she'll vote with rezoning opponents
By SUE REID
Not only will residents opposed to the planned rezoning for property at SOM Center (Route 91) and Miles roads in Solon cast votes against it on the November ballot, but so will their mayor.
During Monday's City Council meeting, Mayor Susan A. Drucker said she wanted to state that she will definitely cast a no vote opposing the R-2 two-family residential rezoning for the area.
"I support the R-1 zoning and share the frustrations of residents that we were instructed by a court for new zoning," Mrs. Drucker said. She looked at the R-2 rezoning as "choosing between bad and worse," she said.
"I think that residents are confused that, because I voted for the R-2 rezoning, that I automatically support it," Mrs. Drucker said. "We were following the order of the court. It doesn't mean I agree with the court."
City Council approved an ordinance last month submitting to the voters a court-ordered rezoning of the property owned by Parkstone Capital Partners. The rezoning before voters would be from R-1-D single-family residential to R-2 two-family residential.
The rezoning has drawn opposition from residents in the area who appealed to the city to protect the integrity of their neighborhood.
Last month, a group of residents formed a political action committee to oppose the rezoning. The group filed with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
Nancy Morel, president of the Chagrin Valley Estates Homeowners Association, said the committee has representation from every ward in the city. "The goal is to vote down the R-2 rezoning at Miles and SOM," she said.
Christie Cox, a Miles Road resident and member of the political action committee, said Tuesday, "We are moving forward in educating the residents of Solon about the profound ramifications of this issue.
"In order to protect each of the ward's neighborhoods, we need to collectively vote no on the ballot issue. This will let Judge (John) Sutulo and other developers know that Solon is not available for rezoning of its neighborhoods."
If voters reject the zoning, it could go back to the court, which would look at surrounding uses to determine the appropriate zoning for the site.
Parkstone sued the city in October 2008, arguing that it could not develop the three contiguous properties under the current zoning. The Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas upheld the owner's contention and ordered the city to change the zoning. The court found that the current zoning is not economically feasible and that the developer should be entitled to a higher-density zoning.
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