Thegatewaynews.com - Master plan draft discussed with public; area along Ferguson Road a hot topic

by Miles Jung-Kilbreath

Reporter

Streetsboro -- Residents on the west side of Ferguson Road continued to express concern over the final draft of the city's zoning master plan, which recommends the land be used as very low-density residential housing.

"[A master plan] is not a zoning document, but a guideline to be used to by the zoning board," noted Jim Houk, Bird Houk Collaborative president, at a June 18 meeting.

Bird Houk has been working since February to develop the city's master plan, a document of more than 190 pages detailing the firm's vision for Streetsboro's future, based on many past studies, stakeholder interviews, a community survey, and feedback from residents during public meetings during the past several months. The master plan still needs approval from City Council before it becomes official.

Houk said that the master plan is only a guide for the city and zoning would not be changed at the time the plan is approved. He said land owners will still have the current zoning on their land, and any changes to zoning would have to be OK'd by the planning commission, City Council and then would have to be approved by voters on the ballot.

Planning Director Jeff Pritchard said the master plan would help strengthen the city's case in any legal challenges in zoning issues, showing the city has created a plan on future city growth.

Gary Smith, a planning associate with Bird Houk Collaborative, showed a proposed plan to create a "town center" at the Market Square Plaza and the old WalMart property off of Route 14. The plan showed a possible new development with new roads and buildings for office and commercial use with a large green space area in the center. Smith said a town center could help "bring the community members together in a common area."

The proposed plan also shows potential future land use by showing two priority development area, a area north of Route 303 to the east of Page Road and Sahbra Farms at to the east of Diagonal Road at the Route 14 intersection, and priority redevelopment of the Route 14 corridor from the Ohio turnpike to Summers Avenue.

Under the proposed draft, the area on the western side of Ferguson Road would be very low density residential, which would allow one unit for every five acres. Meanwhile, the eastern side of Ferguson would be rural residential, which would allow 1 unit for every two acres.

According to a survey in the master plan, 61 people, or 28.6 percent of those who were surveyed said the city have too much growth was a major problem with 52 people, or 34.4 percent, said it was minor problem. The survey also showed that 131 people, or 28.61 percent wanted less single family homes on a quarter acre lot built, while 127 people, or 59.6-percent, would like to see more homes on half acre lots built.

Resident Lynn Rumsey said at the meeting that her family owns land on the west side of Ferguson Road, which the plan proposes could be a priority 2 conservation area. She said the 217 people who took the survey is not enough people to properly give a collective view of Streetsboro.

Rumsey also said that she was not happy that most of the people in a public meeting used negative words to describe the city, when she know many people who love Streetsboro.

"If people don't like it here, they should move somewhere else. We have a wonderful community," Rumsey said.

Former mayor Sally Henzel, whose family owns 29.7-acres land on the western section of Ferguson Road, said some of her land also falls in the proposed conservation area. She said she is worried the city may try to use eminent domain to acquire it.

"We would fight this with every penny we own," Henzel said.

Smith said he is unaware of any city having used eminent domain to acquire land for trails.

Houk said after the meeting that it is always hard deciding "where to draw the line" in suggesting future land use. He said if the city passes the master plan with the low residential area, land owners could receive a higher density zoning if the city considers it a "special situation" and voters approve the zoning change on the ballot.

"We heard from the people that they don't want huge growth in the area, so we looked at having a large amount of lower density residential there," Houk said.

The final draft of the proposed master plan will be turned into the city on July 9 with a presentation to the planning commission scheduled for Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Streetsboro Municipal Building.

E-mail:
mjung-kilbreath@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3942