Two signs erected by citizens opposed to re-zoning adjacent to their homes on St. Route 48 in North Loveland
Loveland, Ohio – A 28-unit condo project Zicka Homes hopes to build on St. Rt. 48 will now go before City Council after a 3 to 2 split-decision from the Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday night.
Chairman Al Kressler, Vice-Chair Mark Redmond, and Brian O’Neill voted in favor of the re-zoning.
Michael Kady, and Tim Butler voted, “No”. Butler is the City Council representative on the Commission.
The applicant is requesting a re-zoning of 5.529 acres of vacant land from the current zoning of Residential–Medium Density to Residential–Multi-Family. The proposed development is south of the Sentry Hill subdivision on North Second Street (St. Rt. 48).
Tuesday’s vote came after a public meeting that was held on June 24 and the discussion was tabled until the Commission could seek legal advice inquiring if what they wanted to do was legal. They wanted to know if they approved rezoning the property whether they could add a stipulation that the zone change would be null if Zicka did not begin construction after a certain period of time.
They received the go-ahead in a memo from the Assistant City Manager written on July 21 that said, “Should the Commission grant the rezone request, the Commission can place a restriction that says the zone change would expire if construction on a project did not commence within a specific time frame/date. A restriction can also be made that the zone change is specific to the applicant and cannot be transferred to another applicant or third-party. In case the applicant did not meet these criteria, the zone change would automatically revert to the initial zoning of R-MD.”
Residents pointed out to the Commission that although Zicka intends to build attached condominiums if they back away like they did previously with a proposal to build single-family homes on the site, apartments could go on the re-zoned land.
It is not clear at press time the exact language the Commission adopted but resident David Stanton said it was for 18-months.
You can watch the interview David Miller conducted with Stanten after the vote on Tuesday.
The zoning map change will now go before City Council. They will hold another public meeting, where they can vote to affirm the recommendation, reject it, or modify it.
Any ordinance council passes becomes law within 30 days unless passed as emergency legislation. A change to Loveland’s zoning map is always subject to a citizen-led referendum petition drive if enough signatures can be collected.
In the LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV videos below, you can watch residents speaking against the rezoning at the public hearing on June 24, and the applicant making his case.
Two additional people spoke against the development, Andy Friesner and Maria Mausarella.
No residents spoke in favor of the re-zoning during the public hearing.
You can see the entire proposal that the Commission debated here: Blossom Hill Project.
Residents have a Web Site at https://no-rezoning.com/voice-your-opinion and the tag line:
Stanton told Loveland Magazine that he is disappointed in the vote and that the Commission did not follow the standards for zoning map amendments. “The City is not listening to its citizens and not following the rules that they have adopted for making a zoning change.” He said that he can find no support in the community for the development. During the Public Hearing on June 24 Stanton presented the Commission a statement against the re-zoning with 90 signatures.
