Cleveland Heights holds public hearing on ordinance to allow neighborhood houses of worship under conditional-use rules

Cleveland Heights held a committee-of-the-whole public hearing May 27 on Ordinance 055-2025, a proposed amendment to Part 11 (zoning) of the Codified Ordinances that would create defined categories for places of worship and require conditional-use review with parking and landscaping standards. City planning staff told council the Planning Commission recommended approval May 14 and council may consider final action June 16.

The proposal is part of the administration’s Livable Neighborhoods initiative to revisit residential zoning. Director Zandt, planning director, said the work "has been a long time in the making" and staff framed the changes to respond to national trends and local casework where congregations and their buildings have changed size or use.

The ordinance would create three categories: community places of worship (8,000 square feet or greater), neighborhood places of worship (8,000 square feet or less) and meeting rooms (storefront or accessory uses in commercial or multifamily buildings). Proposed conditional‑use standards include a required parking management plan, a designated contact person, a map of any anticipated on‑street parking, and review by the zoning administrator with fire and police before a Planning Commission conditional‑use hearing.

Under the draft text,…