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Norwood planning commission denies request to reclassify third-floor use at 4405–4411 Montgomery Road
Summary
The commission denied a proposal by Oakmont Education to change the third-floor use from Business (B) to Education (E) for 23,200 square feet at 4405–4411 Montgomery Road, citing concerns about impacts on existing businesses and proximity to sensitive uses.
The Norwood Planning Commission voted 5–0 Feb. 5 to deny a request to change the third-floor use at 4405–4411 Montgomery Road from Business (B) to Education (E) for a 23,200-square-foot space proposed for Oakmont Education.
Hannah Putoff, an attorney with Wooden & Lamping representing Oakmont Education, told the commission the tenant plans a trade-school-style program for primarily older students and that Oakmont operates similar facilities elsewhere in Ohio. "We have ample experience ensuring that the schools ... meet the requirements in the code," Putoff said. Oakmont representatives said they expect about 200–250 students in total, run in two sessions daily, with roughly 170–175 students present per session and access to building parking and an on-site bus stop.
Commissioners, the mayor and speakers from Norwood schools and the public raised concerns about locating a school on a busy commercial corridor where nearby ground-floor uses include a vape shop and a bar. Craig Hoover, a Norwood resident and public-school educator, opposed the proposal on grounds that for-profit charter-style operations compete with Norwood’s public schools. School-board representatives also spoke against the proposal, citing strong existing career-technical programs and concerns about student safety, proximity to businesses and added traffic.
Commissioners discussed the zoning and the city’s recently adopted restrictions for vape shops and other sensitive uses. City staff and legal counsel explained the vape-shop restrictions apply to new businesses going forward and are not retroactive to existing businesses; staff also said those rules would not automatically bar the requested education use. But commissioners expressed that changing an individual property’s use within the general business district to an education use could have broader operational consequences for other businesses in the district.
After deliberation the commission made and seconded a motion to deny the change-of-use application. The roll-call vote was unanimous: Chairman Noah Powers—yes; Mayor Schneider—yes; Mrs. Sickinger—yes; Mr. Hockney—yes; Mr. Seward—yes. The public hearing was closed before the motion was taken.
