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Elyria council rezones hospital and nearby school parcels to business general after resident objections
Summary
The Elyria City Council voted to rezone parcels including the Elyria Memorial Hospital site and adjacent McKinley School property from residential (R-TH) to Business General (B-G), prompting questions from nearby residents about permitted uses and potential impacts on property values.
Elyria City Council voted Monday to rezone multiple parcels around the former McKinley School and Elyria Memorial Hospital to Business General, aligning zoning with current hospital operations and allowing a broad range of commercial, institutional and residential uses.
The change affects properties at 620 East River Street and 630 East River Street. Gary Gersack, a nearby resident, told council he and other homeowners were worried that rezoning could “decrease the value of our homes” and asked whether the change might allow “an industrial area or an area that’s going to contain multi units, low income housing” near the neighborhood where children once used the McKinley School field.
The ordinance to rezone 620 East River Street (Ordinance 2025-72) was moved for passage by Councilman Schneider and seconded by Councilwoman Mitchell; the motion carried with one recorded nay. A later, separate ordinance to rezone 630 East River Street (Ordinance 2025-73) was moved and seconded and also passed with one recorded nay.
Building official Michael Farkas (referred to in the meeting as Mr. Farkas) told council the hospital property has been used as a hospital site “for over 100 years” and that rezoning is “cleaning up an old nonconforming use to the correct use of a business general.” He added, “Rezoning this will put it in line with the business general,” and read from the city code that Business General permits hospitals, allied health facilities, childcare, commercial schools, nursing homes, offices, neighborhood retail and a wide range of other uses. When residents asked whether a narrower commercial zoning could satisfy the hospital’s needs, Farkas said no: “BG is the next step. Then we go to light industrial and heavy industrial. So, BG is the better zone, which allows a lot and hospitals fit in that category only.”
Council members acknowledged residents’ concerns. Councilman Lipien noted Mr. Gersack’s long-standing community service and urged residents to raise any further questions; Councilman Schneider and others described the rezoning as a technical correction that reflects the property’s long-term use. Councilwoman Mitchell said the hospital hopes to expand and that the rezoning “will allow a free flow of the additions, compliance with the business general zoning requirements.”
The record shows the rezoning proposals were sponsored by Community Development and presented as third-reading ordinances; no amendments were made at the meeting. The council did not adopt use limitations tied to the rezoning on the floor.
Residents who addressed council said they were not opposed to quality development but wanted assurance that future uses would be compatible with single-family, front-porch neighborhood character. Council members and staff repeatedly emphasized that Business General is broad and that specific projects would be subject to separate permitting and review. The public hearing on the rezoning closed before council votes.
Council documents referenced the zoning code section amended as Section 11.31.02 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Elyria.
