Macedonia board grants 7-foot setback variance for 1011 East Aurora, conditions parking angle change

Macedonia — The Board of Zoning and Building Code Appeals on Dec. 17 granted a reduced setback variance for 1011 East Aurora Road, approving a 7-foot variance contingent on changing the parking angle from 60 degrees to 45 degrees and subject to any applicable Alexandria Square Association regulations. The board’s approval sends the project to the planning commission for final site and code review.

The variance request stems from a proposal to reconfigure parking and access at a commercial building at 1011 East Aurora. Zoning inspector Chris Hall told the board the city’s code (Section 11 71 11 e 2 a) requires parking and access drives be set back 20 feet from the street and that the applicant had originally sought a larger reduction. The appellant’s attorney said the applicant reduced the requested variance from 9 feet 4 inches down to 7 feet by redesigning the layout (a one‑way, side‑load circulation) and that the change would also reduce the number of parking spaces on the site. “We cannot move the building back 7 feet,” the attorney said, describing that constraint as the project’s practical difficulty.

The appellant’s representative told the board the site currently contains portions of a building that are not leasable because front parking is not available, and that adding front parking is necessary to secure tenants. The applicant said parking would drop from 17 spaces plus one handicap to 14 spaces plus one handicap under the revised plan; the attorney argued the proposed setback is consistent with neighboring properties, some of which have front setbacks as shallow as 13 feet.

Board members discussed technical tradeoffs between 60‑ and 45‑degree stall layouts. Several members said converting to 45‑degree parking would reduce the amount of setback relief required. One board member also urged the applicant to add more accessible spaces near the building entrance; the chair and the applicant said the planning commission remains the forum for final decisions on striping and accessible‑parking placement.

During motions, the board considered and rejected an amendment that would have added a recommendation directing the planning commission to require additional handicap parking. The roll call on that amendment recorded votes as follows: Mister Pilato — Yes; Mister Shelka — No; Mister Iafredo — Yes; Mister Scott — No; Mister Fosselman — No. The amendment failed 2–3.

The board then voted on the main, amended motion to grant a 7‑foot variance subject to Alexandria Square Association requirements and contingent on reducing parking angles to 45 degrees; the motion carried by a majority on roll call and the case (No. 722) was referred to the planning commission for further review. Chris Hall, the zoning inspector, confirmed the referral and next steps.

The board’s procedural rules require an affirmative vote of three members for passage. The hearing notice and proceedings were conducted in accordance with the Ohio Sunshine Law. The board closed with brief housekeeping remarks and adjourned the meeting.