Medina council adopts zoning change to allow small banquet halls, drive‑through restaurants and limited retail in C‑1 districts

The Medina City Council on April 13 adopted Ordinance 37‑26, a zoning amendment that adds three conditionally permitted uses to the city’s C‑1 local commercial zoning district. The measure passed by unanimous roll‑call vote, 7–0.

Planning and community development director Andrew Dutton told council the amendment stems from an earlier rezoning request for West Liberty Street properties; council directed staff to craft a zoning change instead that would apply the uses across all C‑1 parcels. The planning commission reviewed the proposal at its Feb. 12 meeting and unanimously recommended approval, Dutton said. As conditional uses, each future proposal will require planning‑commission review and a separate public hearing before establishment.

The newly allowed conditional uses are: conference center, banquet facility or meeting hall no larger than 5,000 square feet; a restaurant with drive‑in or drive‑through service; and retail businesses up to 20,000 square feet. No members of the public rose to speak for or against the amendments during the public hearing held at the start of the meeting, and Dutton indicated the city had no further comment at final reading.

Ordinance 37‑26 was placed on the floor for final reading and approved by roll call, 7–0. The transcript does not specify the ordinance’s effective date or implementation steps beyond codification; those procedural details were not stated in the meeting minutes recorded in the transcript.