Committee refers ordinance to remove residential cluster allowance from research‑office zoning

The North Royalton Building & Building Codes Committee voted Sept. 16 to send Ordinance 25-138 to city council, a measure that would delete a provision in Codified Ordinance Section 1278.02 allowing single‑family cluster developments within a 500‑foot strip of research‑office zoning along the south side of Woodridge Drive.

City Planner Ian Russell told the committee the language is effectively redundant after a 2014 master plan rezoned roughly 400 feet south of Woodridge to R1‑A residential. "We just want to remove the cluster single family developments piece, which is that 500ft," Russell said, framing the change as an effort to align the zoning code with past planning decisions and to reduce confusion for developers and residents.

The proposal drew several public questions. Resident Chris Webber (12201 Woodridge Dr.) asked whether the code could be amended to reduce the 500‑foot allowance to 400 feet so the provision would remain available if future rezoning were pursued; Russell said he did not anticipate the master plan being undone but noted that any formal rezoning application would trigger statutory notification to property owners within 500 feet. Resident Don Borowske (10462 Abbey Rd.) said he lives within the affected area and asked whether the city would consider rezoning the land to R1‑A; he expressed concern that holding property as research‑office limits homeowner options and mentioned a hypothetical commercial use. Russell said there are no formal applications on file for the parcels in question and described standard setback, landscaping and buffering requirements that would apply to commercial development.

Chair John Nickell moved the referral and Vice Chair Linda Barath seconded. The committee recorded three affirmative votes (Barath, Joanne Krejci, Nickell) and no opposed votes, carrying the motion to refer the ordinance to council. The referral means the measure will return for Planning Commission consideration and a subsequent council hearing; staff said property owners will receive notice of those hearings.

The committee's packet and Russell's remarks indicate the change reflects recommendations made in the 2014 master plan and reiterated in 2021; the ordinance text removes only the permissive cluster‑housing language and does not rezone any parcels itself. The next procedural steps are Planning Commission review and a council vote if the ordinance is placed on the council docket.