Planning commission recommends special approval for Forte Music School at former YMCA building

The Perrysburg Planning Commission on Wednesday recommended that the city council consider a special approval use for a proposed music and arts school at 210 East Boundary Street, the building that formerly housed the YMCA.

Planning staff told the commission the applicant, Virgil Lupo, is seeking to classify the proposed Forte Music School as an institutional use under the city’s zoning code; staff said the property’s INS (institutional) zoning can allow an institutional use by special approval but that commercial schools are not permitted in the INS district. The commission voted to recommend the special approval use and to schedule a city council public hearing for March 4, 2025, at 5:55 p.m.

The applicant, Virgil Lupo of 4903 Ventura Drive, Toledo, told the commission the school will focus on private lessons and arts programming — music, theater and related activities — and that larger concerts would be infrequent, “maybe once or twice or three times a year.” Lupo said daytime hours likely would be light and that the school expects to operate after school hours as its primary activity.

Commissioners asked whether the proposed activities more closely resembled “community recreation” or a YMCA-style mix of programs, and they raised parking and parking‑lot sharing concerns because the adjacent funeral home historically provided overflow parking for events. Lupo said the applicant intends to operate primarily as an educational arts center but also to host community organizations (for example, the Perrysburg Musical Theater and Perrysburg Choral Society) and occasional church services, and that large events would be rare.

During public comment neighbors asked about the split between school operations and rental/assembly use of the building. Resident Barbara Wilt, who lives across the street, asked whether the facility would be primarily a rental/event hall with only a small portion devoted to lessons; Lupo responded the school expects to occupy most of the building ("probably 60% at least") and to lease space to arts groups during underused daytime hours.

The recommendation from the Planning Commission asks the council to consider whether the use is best classified as institutional (which would allow the request, subject to conditions) or as a commercial school (which is not permitted in the INS district and would require a code amendment). The commission’s motion set the public hearing date and advanced the application to city council.

A city council public hearing is set for March 4, 2025, at 5:55 p.m.; the Planning Commission’s recommendation will be part of the council record.