Zoning committee forwards six development cases — community centers, Sheetz site and library — to City Council

The Toledo Zoning and Planning Committee on Sept. 17, 2025, recommended approval and referred six development matters to the full City Council, including two special-use permits for community centers, an amendment to a cultural center permit, a Sheetz gas station special-use permit, and an amendment for a planned unit development to add a library operations building.

Committee members said they had worked with applicants and, in most cases, the Plan Commission to resolve conditions before referral. The items are scheduled for the full City Council meeting on Sept. 23, 2025, at 4 p.m.

Staff opened the agenda with Case 1, a request for a special-use permit (Case SUP20522) for a community center at 601 Junction Avenue. The Plan Commission recommended approval “subject to 42 conditions,” and Josh Mernon, senior vice president for real estate and general counsel with the Lucas County Land Bank, and Chantay Brownlee, senior vice president and chief financial officer at the Lucas County Land Bank, described community engagement and the land bank’s stewardship of the building. Brownlee said the land bank has “brought $6,000,000 into a community” since acquiring the property in February 2018 and asked the committee to allow the special-use permit to go forward. Councilwoman Gattis referred the matter to city council “as approved.”

Case 2 (SUP20521) asked to convert 2405 Stickney Avenue into a community center; Pastor James Sherman of New Covenant described his congregation’s neighborhood services such as food banks and youth meals. The Plan Commission recommended approval subject to 33 conditions and one waiver; the applicant accepted the conditions and Councilwoman Williams moved the referral to full council as approved.

The committee also considered Case 3, an amendment to a prior special-use permit (SUP25-0023) for a Polish cultural center at 1600 Mott Avenue. Staff said the applicant reduced the building footprint significantly and had agreed to Plan Commission conditions. The committee took the procedural step to defer appearances for that matter after members asked that the applicant appear at the next Zoning & Planning meeting; the referral was not finalized at that moment and the item was deferred to the Oct. 15 committee meeting for further consideration.

Case 4 was a request for a new Sheetz gas station at 5765 Secor Road (SUP20524). Alex Sawicki, representing Sheetz, told the committee the company had agreed to 44 modified conditions recommended by the Plan Commission and that, if the committee referred the matter, it would take roughly four to six months to complete city engineering and then another roughly six months for construction. Councilwoman Williams recommended approval to city council; the committee had no objections and the item was scheduled for the Sept. 23 council meeting.

Case 5 was an amendment to a planned unit development (PUD25-0002) to add a library operations and storage building at 3027 Alexis Road (the Washington branch site). Stephanie Peters presented the project, described as “phase 2” of the PUD. The Plan Commission recommended approval subject to 37 conditions and three waivers; Councilman Melden moved to refer the matter to full council as approved.

Committee members recorded no formal roll-call votes at the committee level on these referrals; in each case the body either recorded a motion and no objections or otherwise noted the Plan Commission’s recommendation and referred matters to the full council for final action.

Quotes from applicants and council members reflected neighborhood and funding context. Councilwoman Williams noted use of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds and other public investment in the Junction Avenue project, saying the dollars were “earmarked for federal dollars, years ago, and it’s time to do this.” Brownlee described the land bank’s efforts as “about the community,” not the building.

The committee chair confirmed there will be signature paperwork for applicants and reminded applicants of the full council schedule.

Ending: Each matter will appear on the City Council agenda on Sept. 23, 2025, at 4 p.m. for final action; committee records show conditions and waivers as noted above and applicants were instructed to complete required signatures and paperwork with clerks before the council meeting.