CRDN owner seeks approval for commercial storage addition at 1477 Copley Road

Restore Clean Ohio LLC, operating as CRDN of North Central Ohio, asked the Planning Committee for permission to construct a commercial storage addition at 1477 Copley Road and for confirmation of the property's commercial restoration use.

Planning staff described the proposed addition as a 107-by-100-foot extension from the rear of the existing brick structure that would come within roughly 29.5 feet of the Little Street right-of-way. Materials would include a concrete base and white vertical metal panels above, with a low-sloped gray metal roof. Windows would be spaced along three sides; the west face would have a man door and an overhead door, while the south face would have two overhead doors. A painted aluminum wall sign of about 135 square feet was described in staff materials as reading "CRDN restoration" in white letters on a black background.

Owner Jeff Sitz and planning staff said the addition would provide indoor storage to replace current outdoor storage and would support contents restoration work for homes and businesses affected by fire, water and other disasters. Sitz told the committee CRDN has operated at the site for about 20 months and said the business has added 18 jobs, "which are filled mostly by Akron residents, including at least 3 team members from the Maple Valley area surrounding our facility." He said the company would minimize noise and traffic and that short-term loading of box trucks and vans should not pose traffic concerns.

Planning staff and the planning commission recommended approval subject to conditions. No public opposition was recorded during the hearing. The petitioner was invited back to the committee's 5 p.m. session, when the committee will make a recommendation to council.