Council panel approves rezoning near Fairview Hospital amid neighborhood objections over planned parking garage

Cleveland — The City Council zoning committee approved ordinance 860-2025, a map-change (No. 2679) that consolidates split zoning near Fairview Hospital into institutional research and neighborhood retail districts aimed at aligning future development with the hospital campus.

Shannon Leonard, chief zoning administrator, presented the change as “map change 2679,” saying the proposal would consolidate multiple current districts into institutional research D2/D3 and local retail districts to “ensure future development meets the community’s needs” and allow Planning Commission review of a required master plan during design review.

The zoning change drew extended public comment from nearby residents who said it removes protections for houses the clinic previously acquired and demolished and could allow hospital traffic to use a narrow residential street as the main garage entrance. Douglas Baird, a property owner on West 170 Ninth Street, told the committee: “I bought my property on West 170 Ninth Street over 30 years ago,” and asked that the formerly residential parcels be protected so the street “does not become the driveway for 1,000 car parking garage.”

Homeowner George Gorse said the Planning Commission on…