Findlay planning panel approves amended site plan for Kent Power drop yard with grindings and conditions

The Findlay City Planning Commission on May 8 approved an amended site-plan review for a proposed Kent Power drop yard at 1343 Greenwood Street, allowing asphalt grindings in lieu of full pavement on a portion of the driveway and adding conditions on parking, landscaping, fencing and signage.

CPC staff told the commission the applicant submitted a site plan for "a 230,000 square foot gravel drop yard" zoned I-1 (light industrial) and located between Greenbrier Street and West Lima Avenue; the property abuts an R-3 small-lot residential neighborhood to the south and "is not located in the floodplain." Staff summarized previously approved conditions from April 2024 and said the applicant has completed most items but has struggled to meet the original requirement to pave the entire driveway and employee parking area.

The amended approval replaced the paving requirement for the full driveway with a narrower set of improvements: asphalt pavement for the access from Lima Avenue to the west side of the driveway and for the employee parking area; asphalt grindings for the portion of the gravel driveway west of the Kent Power entrance; gravel for the laydown/storage area; and required landscaping, photometrics, a minimum 6-foot black chain-link fence and route-signage to encourage in/out access via Lima Avenue. The motion passed unanimously.

Why it matters: The site is immediately adjacent to residential properties, and neighbors raised concerns about dust, truck traffic, enforcement and long-term upkeep. CPC members said the revised conditions aim to balance neighborhood impacts with the applicant's claim that long-term investment is uncertain because its primary contractor, AEP, has shifted from multi-year contracts to year-to-year agreements.

Discussion and supporting detail

CPC staff described the property and the original April 2024 approval, noting the original conditions included stormwater detention coordination with engineering, photometric sheets, a paved driveway and parking area, a six-foot fence and landscaping buffers. Staff recommended removing the condition to pave the entire driveway and substituting grindings for the driving and parking area the applicant will use, and prohibiting Kent Power vehicles from using the east–west gravel driveway past the company’s entrance.

An applicant representative clarified the requested material: "we're actually talking about asphalt grindings, as opposed to concrete grindings," and said asphalt grindings tend to "meld together as it heats up and gets compacted" and are a cost-saving alternative to full asphalt pavement given the company’s shorter contract horizon with AEP. The representative also confirmed a small office trailer and roughly five employee parking spaces were planned and would use grindings for the parking area.

City engineering (Jeremy was not present) told the commission that water service and sanitary sewer must be installed to spec, stormwater management will be required given the lot size and the city’s MS4 obligations because the project will disturb more than one acre, and permits must be obtained and CN values verified pre- and post-construction.

Several nearby residents and neighborhood representatives spoke at length. Robin Guelle, representing the Westpark Blockwatch, said there are "approximately 5 trucks there a day" under current operations and pressed who would control deliveries and enforce restrictions; she also raised questions about property ownership and maintenance of the existing private drive. Gary Cook and Jim Welly echoed concerns about dust, increased truck traffic, and enforcement once construction or operations change hands.

Commission response and conditions

Commissioners debated the trade-offs between requiring full pavement and accepting grindings. One commissioner said asphalt grindings at the city’s public works campus have been used elsewhere and can be an acceptable, lower-cost option for nonprimary drive areas. Commissioners who supported the amendment emphasized that the approval would still secure a five-foot (several speakers estimated 5–6 feet) landscaped berm, fencing and plantings along the residential edge, which they said would reduce dust and screen the site.

The commission motion approved the site plan with the following conditions: landscaping and berming, photometrics, the six-foot fence, required parking for the office area to be asphalt, the driveway segment from Lima Avenue to the west side of the driveway to be asphalt, the laydown yard to remain gravel, the area west of the driveway access point to be asphalt grindings, signage routing trucks to use Lima Avenue in and out, and tightening the western edge of the access to discourage traffic through the adjacent neighborhood. The motion passed by voice vote with all present voting "aye."

Legal and procedural notes

City staff and the law director confirmed the proposed substitution of asphalt grindings for standard pavement deviates from code and will require a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) to "lock in" the grindings in place of pavement. Staff also noted that if complaints arise after approval, the conditional-use elements can be revisited and enforcement actions or conditions can be imposed.

Outstanding technical and enforcement questions

Residents asked whether a performance bond or other surety would be required to restore the site if the applicant failed to complete improvements; staff said the city engineer handles bonding tied to construction permits and that zoning compliance and any needed enforcement would proceed under the city’s existing ordinances. Engineering reiterated that stormwater permits and MS4 requirements apply and must be met before work that disturbs soil begins.

Next steps

The commission’s approval was conditioned on obtaining the usual permits and on the applicant securing the required BZA variance for the grindings in lieu of pavement. Staff and the applicant said they would continue coordinating engineering, stormwater and permitting requirements. Commissioners said they expect signage, landscaping and the proposed access adjustments to reduce neighborhood impacts but advised residents to submit complaints if problems occur so the city can reassess the conditional-use approval.

Ending

The commission closed the hearing after the unanimous vote. The amended site plan is approved with the conditions listed above; the applicant must pursue any zoning variances and construction permits before implementing the changes.