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Planning Commission approves Suncrest Gardens site plan, conditional outdoor storage uses and five variances
Summary
The commission approved application PC25-5 to consolidate three parcels at 4811 Scarlet Lane for an 18,000-square-foot Suncrest Gardens maintenance and equipment facility with outdoor storage and variances to locate storage in the front yard.
The Stow City Planning Commission approved application PC25-5 to allow consolidation of three properties at a new address of 4811 Scarlet Lane for a Suncrest Gardens maintenance and equipment facility, including conditional uses for outdoor storage and a set of variances mostly affecting front-yard outdoor storage and screening requirements.
Staff described the site as vacant with a Mud Brook stream on the south end and noted the property is in zoning district I1. The proposal consolidates three parcels and places an approximately 18,000-square-foot building on the site with office space, a training room and equipment storage. The plan provides 71 parking spaces; staff said 43 spaces are required under current code. The applicant proposes fencing that includes a 6-foot privacy fence along the north property line and chain link elsewhere; the supplemental regulations require outdoor storage to be in the rear yard and screened by a 6-foot masonry wall, so the project requested variances for front-yard storage locations and for screening materials along some property lines.
The site plan shows the building set more than 380 feet from Scarlet Lane, about 500 feet from Route 8 and roughly 110 feet from the nearest property line. Staff pointed out that the property is subject to a 75-foot setback associated with the Mud Brook corridor and that most land south of the building will remain undisturbed.
Dave Pellegra, the project architect, said this facility is not a garden center and that the garden-center retail operation will remain at its current location: "This is more or less their offices, their maintenance, and then all the other equipment that they have that goes out and services their clients." The applicant representative said about seven employees will be based at the new facility.
Commissioners and members of the public asked about visibility from State Route 8, security fencing along the right of way, potential noise from truck loading, and turning movements at the Scarlet Lane/Seasons Road area. Staff said a traffic study by a consultant (TMS) had addressed concerns and that the city is working on installing a traffic signal at Seasons and Allen that will help traffic flow in the area.
The commission moved and seconded a motion to accept PC25-5 as presented. A roll-call vote recorded Commissioners Wagner, Basic, Dekulia(c) and Trepto voting yes; the motion carried and the application was approved.
Votes at a glance: PC25-5 — approve site plan, conditional use for outdoor storage and variances; outcome: approved.
Staff announced that the city code update steering committee will meet March 19 and that draft zoning chapters are available for review; staff plans to bring the code presentation to the planning commission at a later meeting for feedback.
