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Bar parking plan worries neighbors
(by Sue Reid - April 22, 2009)
Bar parking plan worries neighbors
By SUE REID
Neighbors to the south of the Annex Bar and Grill in Solon appealed in an April 13 letter to the city's planning department for modification of a plan for additional parking at the business.
Robert and Christine Osinski, who live on Liberty Road, said they believe the proposed plan would bring the parking too close to their property, thereby hurting its value. The Osinskis suggested moving the parking lot further north, away from their property.
Annex owners Richard and Patricia Ledinsky have proposed extending the parking lot to the south and providing a third access to Liberty Road.
Resident Jeff Victor, who lives next door to the Annex on Pettibone Road, opposed the plan early on. He said parking in back of the business presents a quality-of-life issue for his family. He suggested adding parking to the front of the building.
During the past several weeks, the Ledinskys and the Victors have been working on an agreement with regards to a modified version of the original landscape plan, Solon Planning Director Robert S. Frankland said. The modifications to the plan involve putting more trees on Mr. Victor's property and installing a fence along the length of the property to screen headlights.
"The modified plan is intended to address the specific concerns of the adjacent resident, while satisfying the site screening requirements" established under the city zoning codes, Mr. Frankland said.
"This plan is intended to reasonably accommodate the Annex's desire to expand their nonconforming commercial business (subject to planning commission and City Council approval) while minimizing the impact of that expansion on the adjacent residential property owner and even potentially improving overall site conditions in the area," Mr. Frankland said.
Councilman Lon D. Stolarsky said at last week's planning commission meeting that he would like to bring the Osinskis into the discussion loop with regards to ongoing developments among the city, the Victors and the Ledinskys. The commission tabled the issue because both the Ledinskys and their attorney were out of town.
Mr. Frankland said he plans to discuss the Osinskis' letter with them as well as landscaping on the south side of the parking lot prior to the planning commission's next meeting April 28. "We will be looking at any neighbors' concerns in that area," he said.
Mr. Frankland said that prior to the next commission meeting, it needs to be determined whether the Ledinskys can address the Osinkis concerns.
"When we built our home, we were OK with the distance of the parking lot from our home," the Osinskis said. "And although we are not opposed to the improvement and expansion of the parking for the Annex, we are not OK with expanding the parking so close to our property."
Councilwoman Susan A. Drucker, in whose ward the Annex is located, said, based on the preliminary discussions she has had with all those involved, "there is a general consensus that is building, which would serve both the Annex and the adjacent property owner.
"It looks like we are building some agreement that would serve everybody involved, and we'll see how it goes from there."
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