CITY OF PEPPER PIKE
PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY
OCTOBER 24, 2013
7:30 P.M.
PUBLIC HEARING
The Public Hearing was closed at 7:32 p.m.
REGULAR MEETING
The Planning & Zoning Commission of the City of Pepper Pike met in a regular session on
Monday, September 16, 2013 at 7:32 p.m. in the Council chambers. Mayor Richard Bain
presided.
ROLL CALL: Members Present:
Others Present:
Mayor Richard Bain, Bill Melsop, and Rick Taft.
Law Director Steve Byron, City Engineer Don
Sheehy, City Planner George Smerigan, and Clerk
of Council Sheila Brett-O’Connor.
LOT SPLIT AND CONSOLIDATION
THE CLEVELAND FOUNDATION
PARCEL #871-22-015, 016, 020 AND 035, BELGRAVE ROAD:
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Kim Kerber of Mackay Engineering & Surveying Co. went over the lot split and consolidation
request. The lot split and consolidation is intended to eliminate two encroachments (a
driveway and a shed encroachment) on the Foundation’s property by splitting off two parts
and conveying them to the adjoining parcels. This will leave the Foundation with one parcel,
and the driveway and shed property will be split and given to their neighbors.
Ms. Kerber said they are marketing this property to sell, and Mayor Bain said the Foundation
would like some advice on their preliminary thoughts. Mr. Sheehy said they need 125 feet
of frontage at the building line, and these properties were created 80 years ago. Mr. Taft
had questions about the project, and Mr. Sheehy went over the history of the parcels. Ms.
Kerber went over the Soloman driveway encroachment and the Udelson shed
encroachment, and said they will be given the land where their driveway and shed are
located. Mr. Sheehy went over the parcel and said they will need clarification on what is
considered the side yard and rear yard. Mr. Taft and Mr. Melsop said they now have the
information needed to understand the project.
Mayor Bain thanked the Cleveland Foundation for not making the Soloman's tear out their
driveway. Mr. Soloman said the driveway has been there since 1968. Mr. Sheehy said it
would be helpful if this goes further to give a location of the front yard setback. Mr. Melsop
asked when will the split and consolidation be approved, and Mr. Sheehy said they will have
to work that out with the potential buyer and then bring it back.
Ms. Kerber told Mr. Melsop the lot is wooded, and Mayor Bain asked the Foundation to take
into consideration the City’s preference for retaining the woodlands and tree preservation.
Alan Brown of Premier Builders said he is working with the proposed buyer and nature is
important to them. Mayor Bain told Ms. Kerber to have a new submittal turned in by
Wednesday October 30th for the November 4th meeting.
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Planning & Zoning Meeting Minutes
October 24, 2013
SIGN VARIANCES
HOWARD HANNA, 3550 LANDER ROAD:
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Brad Petro, Vice President of Cicogna Electric & Sign Co., Inc. had revised drawings of the
smaller sign Howard Hanna approved.
Mr. Petro passed out new drawings and
demonstrated the illumination for this edge-lit sign. Mr. Smerigan said the lighting is low and
being lit on the edge reduces the effect much quicker.
Mr. Melsop said the sign ordinance says signs should be 24 square feet or less, and he
drove around Pepper Pike looking at signs and none are this large; this is far in excess of
what the ordinance calls for, and Mr. Melsop believes the current Howard Hanna sign is
appropriate and adequate. Mr. Melsop said this City does not want billboards, and he is
opposed to approving this sign.
Mr. Taft asked about the agreement with Hawthorn, and Tim Newell of Howard Hanna said
signage is part of their lease agreement. Mr. Newell thinks Hawthorn gets 50% of the sign
but is not sure. Mr. Taft gave his suggestions for two smaller signs. Mr. Smerigan said with
the multi-tenant and setback, this sign proposal made sense to him.
Mayor Bain said they have a practical problem they face together; they need three votes
and they don’t have them tonight. Mayor Bain said they will miss their move in date, and the
Mayor said they are willing to be creative and asked if they would like to adjourn for a few
minutes so they can decide how best to proceed. Mr. Petro said two signs would require
another variance and that defeats the purpose of keeping signage away from the residential
properties. Mr. Petro said there are eight signs around Lander Circle that are 33 square feet
or larger and they are all illuminated. Mayor Bain said they have tried to work together, but
they need a unanimous decision of the Commission and they don’t have it and they can’t
change that rule. Mr. Petro said it sounds like Mr. Melsop is opposed to anything over 24
square feet.
Mr. Taft said the City values Howard Hanna, and they are happy they are consolidating
offices in Pepper Pike. Mr. Taft was told the move-in date is November 20th, and Mr. Taft
suggested they move the current Howard Hanna sign to the new building as a temporary
solution. Mr. Petro said that is not his call, and Mr. Melsop thought that was a good idea.
Anne McLain of Lander Road said they moved here a little over a year ago, and they are
concerned about large signs on this property next door to them. Mr. Taft thinks it would be
more attractive to have two separate signs. Mayor Bain said the existing monument sign on
the property says Hawthorn, and why can’t they leave that sign alone and have the Howard
Hanna elsewhere. Mr. Newell said he is not familiar with the lease and is not sure if he can
speak for Hawthorn. Mayor Bain said this could be the solution they are looking for and the
way to work through the situation. Mr. Taft said the November 4th meeting is two weeks
before the moving date, and Mr. Petro said two signs that close together would be
aesthetically unpleasing. Mr. Taft said they need to come back on November 4th and Mayor
Bain agreed; they need to table this until the 4th and hopefully by then they will have a
resolution that will work for everybody including Hawthorn. Mr. Newell asked about
temporary signage, and he was told they could move the current Howard Hanna sign to the
new building. Mr. Petro asked about the legal timeframe for a variance request for two
signs, and Mayor Bain said Wednesday would be best for a submittal. Mr. Melsop said they
need to find a solution from this discussion, and Mayor Bain said the proposed sign does not
have an attractive color combination and it would be more attractive doing it a different way.
Mr. Taft asked Ms. McClain if she would like to be part of the sign planning, and she said
sure. Mr. Petro asked if a two sign variance is granted, is there anything preventing
Hawthorn from putting spotlights on their sign. Mr. Taft said they could put preconditions on
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Planning & Zoning Meeting Minutes
October 24, 2013
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the variance, and Mayor Bain thinks the Commission would prefer to only have one of the
signs illuminated. Mr. Melsop said the preconditions could include a time limit on
illumination hours. Mr. Petro said they need the sign illuminated longer than what was
requested in Mr. Smerigan’s report, and Mr. Newell said 7:30 p.m. is too early to turn off the
sign.
Mr. Taft asked if there was anything else in the Smerigan report that needs comment, and
Mr. Smerigan said they have an agreement on the location and performing a field review.
Mayor Bain said they will work on that during the placement process, and they are trying to
be totally fair to Mr. Petro and Howard Hanna but need to protect the residents at the same
time.
Mr. Smerigan said the proposed illumination is the preferable way to go. Mr. Melsop asked
about the setback requirement, and Mr. Sheehy said the sign needs to be out of the public
right of way and they may need to move the sign back a couple of feet.
Mr. Byron reminded the Mayor that if this sign has a new variance, they need to post public
notice 14 days prior to the meeting. Mayor Bain told Mr. Petro to get the variance request in
as soon as they can, and they will try to work with them to make this happen. Mr. Byron
said the variance request needs enough information to say what the variance is including
information on location and size. The Mayor said they already have a request for an
illumination variance, and that could proceed on the 4th. Mr. Taft said the Commission is
concerned about the size and aesthetics of the sign, and Mr. Petro said he has ARB
approval and wanted to know if he would have to go before them again. Mayor Bain said
they will table this until their meeting on November 4th.
Moved by Melsop and seconded by Taft to table these variance requests.
ROLL CALL:
Yeas: Bain, Melsop, Taft
MOTION CARRIED
ADJOURNMENT: The Planning Commission unanimously agreed to adjourn at 8:45 p.m.
APPROVED:
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Richard M. Bain, Mayor
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Sheila Brett-O’Connor, Clerk of Council
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