Norton planning commission recommends R3 rezoning for 3608 Reimer Road after disputed public hearing

The City of Norton Planning Commission voted 3-1 to recommend that City Council rezone roughly 50 acres at 3608 Reimer Road from RU1 to R3, the panel said during its meeting called to order at 6:17 p.m.

The recommendation follows a developer presentation describing a plan for about 100 single-family homes and multiple retention basins. The developer said the proposal would include open space and city utilities required for R3 zoning. The recommendation now moves the matter to City Council for readings and public hearings.

Why it matters: A change from RU1 (larger-lot residential) to R3 (higher-density single-family residential) would reduce required minimum lot sizes and allow more houses per acre, a shift residents said would alter neighborhood character and raise flood risk.

Tom Trevisano, president of Contract Consultants Inc., said the project covers "approximately 50 acres currently zoned RU1 to be rezoned R3" and described stormwater measures including several retention basins intended to slow runoff. "We put them into a retention basin that holds it for like 2 hours," he said.

Neighbors pressed commissioners with multiple concerns during an extended public comment period. Rebecca Kuzmic, who said her family has owned property on Reimer Road since 1937, called the proposed rezoning "spot zoning by definition" and said the sketch plan submitted with the application asked for immediate variances to lot-size requirements.

June Gazzo and other residents told the commission there are natural springs, ravines and wetlands on and downstream of the property and said past development has already increased flooding on Reimer Road. "There is wetlands. There's flood plains," Gazzo said, urging commissioners to consider the hydrology before changing zoning.

Commissioner Lehta (surname as listed in the record) pointed to the lot-size breakdown in the sketch plan, saying 25 lots met the 0.24-acre minimum but the remainder were smaller. "You have, 25 at 0.24 acres... The rest are all under the code requirement," he said, and urged caution about recommending a rezoning before the plat is revised.

After debate about whether to table the rezoning until the sketch plat was revised, the commission voted to recommend rezoning to R3. Roll call on the motion recorded Commissioner Lehta voting no and Commissioners Witzberger, Dowling and Coughlin voting yes. The commission chair cast procedural comments clarifying that the Planning Commission is a recommending body and that final approval would occur through readings before City Council.

The developer and staff told the commission infrastructure details remain to be worked out: the waterline on Wadsworth Road is nearing completion and sewer routing remains under study; one possible sewer route discussed would run from Norton Elementary School to Wadsworth Road.

The rezoning recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for at least a first reading and subsequent public hearings where the council will take the final action.

For context, speakers repeatedly cited the city’s Comprehensive Plan (February 2006) and the Norton zoning code R3 minimum-lot-area and frontage standards during discussion. The commission’s recommendation does not itself change zoning; it forwards advisory opinion to council.

Ending: The rezoning recommendation now goes to City Council; council will schedule readings and at least one public hearing before a final decision.